The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the way we work and live worldwide. Many office workers were forced to work from home after the coronavirus outbreak. Tourist attractions, shops, and city streets are empty as the population "complies" with social isolation.
It's still unknown when this period of isolation will end and routine will return to normal . But will everything continue as it was before? Will offices operate in the same way they did before the pandemic? Tip: we created the Home Office Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises , with tips and tools for those who have adopted this work modality.
Many believe not, because the trend is that precautions against the virus will continue even after the end of the pandemic. This is likely to happen because the creation of a vaccine is still a long way off and people will be afraid to expose themselves to the disease.
Therefore, we have listed some changes that should happen in offices after the emergence of the new coronavirus. Keep reading to find out more and adapt your company to these transformations:
Six Feet Office
The “ Six Feet Office ” is a creation of Cushman & Wakefield, a global real estate services company. In a free translation, “six feet” means six feet, which is a unit of measurement used by Americans. When converted, “six feet” is equivalent to 1.82 meters, or approximately the social distancing measure recommended by health organizations.
In this new office model, workstations should be at least six feet apart. Additionally, stickers should be placed throughout the company to remind employees how they should behave in this environment.
These signs should show, for example, where the employee should step and in which direction to walk to respect social distancing within the office. This increases safety both for the employee who respects the measures and for those who share the workspace with them.
Open windows
Another change that will happen in companies is the opening of windows in office rooms. Since air circulation is very important to prevent the virus from spreading, they will have to remain open during working hours.
If some areas of the company lack windows that can be opened, the office manager will have to rethink the layout of their employees. A renovation that provides windows in the space could be a good idea.
Frequent cleaning
Generally, office cleaning took place at the beginning and end of the day. After Covid-19, this should become much more frequent during working hours to prevent the virus from remaining on desks, chairs, and other surfaces used by office staff.
Another measure that should be implemented is the provision of materials to prevent contagion, such as hand sanitizer, masks, and even plastic or paper coverings on tables and equipment, so that professionals do not need to touch these surfaces directly.
At the end of the day, employees who used these plastic bags in their workspace should throw them away. The next day, a new bag can be put in place, and the employee should always follow the same procedure day after day.
Temperature check
Temperature checks for employees may become a common practice in offices after the coronavirus pandemic. This action is very important, and large companies like Amazon and Walmart have already incorporated it into their employees' daily routines during the pandemic.
There is nothing in Brazilian labor law that prevents temperature checks for office workers during or after a pandemic. In fact, such a measure during this period can be considered a company safety precaution.
In addition to measuring employees' temperatures, companies may choose to regularly test their staff when tests are available to ensure that no one is infected in the workplace.
Different schedules
It's common for employees to start and end their work shifts together. This is another pattern that is about to change. Several companies around the world are rethinking and restructuring employee arrival and departure times to prevent elevators from becoming overcrowded.
Furthermore, to avoid crowding in offices, another plausible alternative is to remove communal spaces for meals, coffee breaks, and rest. This will increase the chances of social distancing being respected.
Fewer people in the office.
Many companies that had never implemented work-from-home policies before had to do so due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And what most of them are realizing is that this way of working can work well.
So, will it really be necessary to send all employees back to the offices after the coronavirus pandemic ends?
This idea is being widely discussed, and there isn't just one right answer. Depending on the number of employees and the company's physical space, requiring everyone to return to in-person work at the same time might not be a good approach.
Therefore, companies are reflecting on what can be done. Some may decree full work-from-home for some of their employees, others may offer one day a week of remote work, or even make the return to the office phased.
Technology used to reduce contagion.
This change may not be so immediate, especially in Brazil. However, business owners are already thinking about ways to use technology to adapt offices and thus reduce the chances of contagion at work.
The idea is that technology will create solutions so that a company's employees don't need to touch many office surfaces with their hands. Based on the headquarters of a waste management company in the Middle East, one of the ideas for the future is to install doors that open with motion sensors or facial recognition.
Furthermore, the ability to perform everyday tasks, such as ordering coffee, via mobile phone is also being considered increasingly advantageous.
These 7 measures may affect office routines during and after the pandemic, because precautions will still be required after this most critical period of disease spread.
After reading our article and discovering which trends will be present in companies, do you already know which ones you will apply in your office? Leave your feedback in the comments!
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