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Social distancing and isolation measures have become more critical after learning that COVID-19 is airborne and the droplets can float around for hours. The air transmission capacity of the virus makes it easier to spread around from carrier to carrier and makes us much more prone to get affected easily. While many of us envision resuming our work from the office like we usually used to, that will require some basic adjustments around the office space and meeting room by putting hygiene at the heart of workplace planning. The authority can implement short-term fixes like a shift change to reduce the number of staff at any one time and some design upgrades and modifications to boost the workers’ morale and confidence. Now let’s discuss some of the measurements that can be implemented to make the employees feel safer.

Distribution of workdays and branches

During the pandemic social distancing has become a significant part of our lives that we cannot ignore. Instead of one ample office space and meeting room to house all the employees under one roof, it might be good to open new and small branches in different places where most employees live. Operating from one central hub means a large crowd in one place, which puts the employees at further risk of infection. It also indicates that having one general shift for all the employees will mean going through peak hours at the beginning and end of the shifts. And during those hours, it will be much more difficult to avoid big crowds, which will only increase the risk of exposure. So, organizations need to have a different schedule for all those employees whose physical presence is vital for them. All those who can carry on their task from home should maintain that routine for the time being.

Implementation of basic hospital facilities in the workplace 

first aid signs
Offices must have an emergency response system and basic healthcare facilities.

Since Covid-19 is highly contagious, the workplace should have basic facilities like hand sanitizer and mask stations, a hygienic environment by regular cleaning regulations, etc. The authority should implement office space and meeting room materials like using solution-dyed carpets with moisture barrier baking to withstand heavy cleaning of caustic products and heavy shampooing. There should also be an air filtration system with a UV cleaning function used after the work shift ends each day. More importantly, these more durable materials are not more expensive than the usual familiar alternatives. This is an economically strained time, and most companies may not have the budget for a costly renovation project.

Using technology to reduce physical contact and monitor the health condition

Another effort each team member’s company should make is making the office environment contactless by implementing some innovative features to eliminate the need to press buttons for using the elevator, coffee machines, copier machines, flushing the toilet, or doorknobs, etc. Almost all companies have conference rooms to conduct important meetings and presentations. So, the organization should implement voice-activated buttons for their conference rooms to avoid using buttons for lights, projectors, air conditioners, etc. Companies can embed sensors in each team member’s desk to monitor their body temperature and physical condition to avoid sudden medical emergencies.

Reconstructing the office space 

bproperty marketplace
It is important to reconstruct and reorganize office space for properly maintaining health directives.

The idea of carrying out office work from a workstation is a bit cliché these days. The outbreak of the pandemic has forced most people in the world to start work from home. There have been two main benefits. Firstly, the work did not stop because of Covid-19. The organizations have realized that there is no need to do all the work in the office. Instead, the tasks that can be done alone without the help of someone else can be done better at home. 

Henceforth, the role of the office space and meeting room around the world is showing signs of change. Organizations are now exploring the possibility of implementing a hybrid system that combines work-from-home and office-based work. Personal tasks must be done at home. The office will be used primarily for jobs that are not possible without others in the office, such as team and client meetings. 

The idea of ​​this new hybrid roleplay will also have an impact on office decoration. Employees’ workspaces will reduce; those spaces will increase common space or conference room space. There may also be a reduction in personal space outside the conference room and smaller meeting tables, which will increase the space for working together.

Emphasizing social distancing 

Bproperty employees
Maintaining a social distance of 1 meter apart is necessary.

The organization’s priority right now should be maintaining social distance in the office. For ensuring the social distance between the employees, various experiments are being done all over the world.

Social distance can be ensured through the intelligent use of furniture. For example, before the pandemic, an idea called ‘Open Office’ was becoming very popular. This office system keeps the employees as close to each other as possible. So small desks in personal space and the practice of saving as much open space as possible were becoming popular in office design. That rising popularity has now waned a lot because of Covid-19. 

Reconstruction of co-working spaces

Co-working spaces are also changing. Nowadays, large and spacious desks and high-rise dividers in the office keep employees away from each other as much as possible during work. A trend has also started to use a sufficiently spacious conference table to maintain social distance. There were ten seats in each conference room earlier, but there are five seats for safety measures now.

Impact of vaccination and maintaining COVID-19 health directives

Covid vaccine
Encourage everyone to get the vaccine.

Although the vaccination process is ongoing currently, the impact of living through this pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on the functionalities of our home and work environments. People with significant health issues or pregnancy should avoid coming to workplaces and working from home until the vaccination process is over. Additionally, there must be mandatory respiratory hygiene such as covering with hands while coughing, always maintaining a physical distance of at least 1 meter. 

All companies should implement rules like frequent handwashing, maintaining social distancing, disinfecting with alcohol-based hand sanitizer to reorganize the office space and meeting room. Everyone should wear masks where physical distancing is not possible and limit unnecessary trips. Also, the companies can run training programs to raise awareness about Covid-19 among their employees and build support systems for those who have the virus infection and those with symptoms by encouraging them to self-isolate and consult doctors for proper treatment.

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