There are various ways in which we can
resume working, given that work-from home has now been accepted as the new normal. The lock down had canceled out the sounds of large pieces of equipment, machinery, and construction tools to replace it with the sound of chatter, laughter, and often the sounds of most loved pets.
The couch became a work
station and so did the kitchen table and
the bed. With the unlocking and Begin
Again movements, it is essential to
resume work in the office space without
compromising on one’s safety.
Although it is difficult to do on-site work from any other place in the construction industry, architects, designers, hygiene habits, and organizational changes can
permute the working environment.
Role of Architects and Designers
A new trend in design is going to be seen to be future-ready for pandemics and more. Large office spaces with minimal designs are going to be the new trend as highlighted by ae7.
- Incorporate touch less solutions into home and workspace designs: Automatic door
openers, automatic toilet flushes, face scan at
the entrance, sensors for lights, and door-less
designs are the future.
- Use of healthier materials: Commonly
used materials like plastic and stainless steel keep the virus and other bacteria alive for longer. Using alternatives like brass and easy to clean materials can minimize the life of bacteria, thus making it a safer work environment.
- 6-feet offices: Cushman Wakefeild’s 6 feet
offices provide a 6-step guide to maintain
distance and cleanliness throughout the offices
which must be adopted by every firm.
- Re-designing break points: Place
microwaves, refrigerators, refreshments in different areas to enable distance protocol and avoid crowding in one part of the office
Role of Managers and Organizations
Important managerial decisions will determine the flexibility in the organization's work environment and adaptation to technology forms the path ahead in bringing employees
together.
- Allowing work-from-home: WFH should be
made permanent, and employees should be
allowed to choose to work between office and
home depending on nature, and urgency of
work. This will also minimize the crowding of
office spaces and commercial buildings
- Adapting to technology: Along with video calling facilities like Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Meetings, Cloud solutions should be used to manage large amounts of data stored by
organizations.
- Uninterrupted data connections: Offices
must invest in fast speed Wi-Fi to allow
employees to be connected from home and
otherwise to hold meetings across the globe.
This also allows employees to save time in
traveling for face-to-face meetings which can
easily happen over video calls
Personal Hygiene Solutions
- Sanitizer stations at every corner of
the office
- Regular disinfection of the office
space using appropriate chemicals
- PPE kits for cleaner and other
frontline workers who keep the office
space clean
- Abiding by the waiting indicators
inside office spaces
- Scheduled deep cleaning of the
office space
With a few changes in the traditional forms of a work environment, businesses can
resume functioning, rebuild hope in employees, together we can fight the crisis
and define new normal working patterns. A small change today is going to lead to a
healthier tomorrow.
