Post-COVID-19 Offices

24 May Post-COVID-19 Offices

As one of the leading office fit out companies in the UK we are always keeping our ear to the ground in order to identify future trends and potential niches in the market. We work on some wonderful and complex projects and as the world returns to some sort of normality, we are seeing more and more businesses reassessing their premises.

People are gradually returning to work and it is unlikely that things will simply return to normal with the likes of Google and Twitter changing their approach to work allowing their employees to work from home full time.

So, what does a post-covid office look like? If you are undertaking such a project and would like to speak to one of our experts, call us on 01753 829980 or email us.

Improved Hygiene and Signage

The pandemic has really brought the issue of general hygiene to the forefront of peoples’ minds. As we start to return to the office, we are likely to see an increase in signage and reminders to wash our hands as this was such an important part of slowing the spread of the virus. We expect to see the introduction of one-way systems around offices, reminders for hygiene specifically in communal areas and policies to promote wiping down your desk at the end of the day.

Refurbishment and Closed Plan

The Covid-19 virus spread through society with such devastating speed, many people will take some time to get used to being close to one another. The post covid office is likely to be a more segmented space, utilising bubbles and keeping people at a safe distance from each other.
The open plan offices we all enjoyed pre-covid are likely to become things of the past. While we don’t think people will be contained in their own Perspex cubicle, but we are likely to see fewer employees working full-time hours in the office. We also think we’re likely to see more partitioning of the office space to keep people who work together sitting together to avoid crossing into other bubbles.

Ventilation

It has been widely reported that one of the best ways to slow the spread of germs is to have plenty of fresh air and ventilation available to you in your place of work. Many offices have sealed windows so that the climate can be controlled by an air conditioning and heating system. With recycled air being a contributing factor to the spread of germs in a work place, we are likely to see many employers and landlords investing in new, more efficient HVAC systems.

Distanced Desks

With full-time office-based staff numbers decreasing we are likely to see employers reconfiguring their office space in order to best utilise their premises. The workspace will need to cater for those members of staff for whom it is essential to work from the office.
There is likely to be a significant swing towards hot desking over the coming years. Desks are getting smaller and not so “owned” by the occupant; hardware is becoming more portable with many employers choosing laptops over desktop machines to help staff have more flexibility.

Get in Touch

If you would like to speak to a member of our team about your project, make sure you get in touch with us. We are specialists in the leisure industry so if you have a bar fit out project or are looking for a health club fit out company but don’t know where to start, call us on 01753 829980 or email us. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.