As employers all over are evaluating how to make their offices secure, maybe it\u2019s time to take a step back and think of the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity for more positive change.<\/p>\n
Right now, COVID-19 feels like the only talking point \u2013 and there\u2019s no doubt it will inspire hygiene and health and safety trends for the foreseeable future.. But the biggest underlying trend in the workplace, and one that will be here long after memories of the pandemic are distant, is sustainability.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve been encouraged to use takeaway cups again from coffee shops, plastic screens welcome us everywhere and there\u2019s a rush to instigate quick-fix solutions to get people back to work \u2013 rather than thinking about how materials can be reused or re-purposed.<\/p>\n
So, yes, sometimes a quick fix is important, but companies also need to think beyond that to plan for a sustainable future. We need to ensure those quick fixes don\u2019t become like a hastily-built prefab classroom designed to last three years to survive a baby boom – but still there, dilapidated and dangerous, decades later.<\/p>\n
For years we\u2019ve been promising to change our workplaces when the time is right to join the circular economy. Now, with business at every level taking a breath, the opportunity is there to put sustainability at the core of our recovery.<\/p>\n
As a country we\u2019ve all had a taste of a different lifestyle during the pandemic, we\u2019ve got used to working from home and traveling less \u2013 so it\u2019s the right time for a re-evaluation of values and principles before we rush back to the old ways.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not all about philosophy, CSR, and social change, of course \u2013 there are also practicalities to consider in the way we design our workspaces post Covid-19, at a time when the pressure to get people back to work is increasing.<\/p>\n
Here is a list of key things to consider when re-designing the workspace for the big return to work:<\/p>\n
Covid-19, we hope, will eventually be in retreat but its impact on the workplace will be felt for a long time. So, simply putting up Perspex screens everywhere is useful to get people back to work but is not a long-term fix. Having a well-designed, airy office in which people have allocated desks\u2013 plus a well-planned cleaning regime \u2013 fits a wider vision.<\/p>\n
Hotdesking is still hotdesking even when the desks are further apart and protected by a screen, you are still turning up to sit somewhere where another person has been sitting. Rota systems are one answer, and some offices are considering specially designed capsules over the desk and computer as a long-term alternative to plastic screens. In a circular economy, long-term solutions are good solutions.<\/p>\n
Not everything has to be plastic if you think long-term. Screens in reception, where people are unlikely to touch, could be glass and stainless steel, for instance, to create a more welcoming effect.<\/p>\n
For those worried about the possibility of metal surfaces holding onto the virus, coatings are available to make that less likely. Additionally, copper not only looks great but is reported to hold the virus for a shorter period of time than other metals, so think about how you can use it in a new office design.<\/p>\n
The great thing about carpet tiles is they can be easily changed, cleaned, moved or re-used \u2013 which is much better for the environment. Rather than plastic stickers to show one-way routes, why not use carpet tiles with arrows on which look more permanent? When they begin to wear, they can be used elsewhere in the building \u2013 even inside cupboards or store rooms.<\/p>\n
This is a respiratory virus, so air quality is going to be a big part of office redesign. Having well maintained and regularly checked air conditioning systems<\/p>\n
is a start, as is increasing natural air and light into a building when possible or using plants and biophilia to freshen up the air inside. This was a growing trend even before lockdown.<\/p>\n
The bottom line is that enticing people back to work doesn\u2019t have to end in ugly, unsustainable office spaces that look like a temporary fix in a bid to get around social distancing rules. We all have a real opportunity to take a step back and think about how we want the office of the future to look \u2013 and how we can make it sustainable, safe and beautiful.<\/p>\n