Our Mission

1.2 Office Layout

• Facilitate Social Distancing in the office ensuring employees remain 2m apart.

• If software access allows, then transition to unassigned desks to allow the employee to choose a desk which allows social distancing. Note though if desks are made non-assigned then the same desks can be used every day for different employees if cleaned every night. They cannot be used by different employees throughout a day unless cleaned between Users.

• Adopt ‘aeroplane behaviour’ when window seat, or end of desk run,  person needs to get out others may have to move to keep 2m apart.

• Minimise disruption by using alternate desks with individuals not directly facing each other.  Introduce high clear perspex screens between desks – facing and/or at sides if space around the desks allows access.

• Relocate storage cupboards to define corridor routes and remove from desk ends or introduce a high screen to protect the desk User.

• Remove seats in meeting rooms or remove the table, turning this into a ‘scrum’ room giving individuals more space and reducing touch points.

• Give individuals a personal storage solution – a mobile pedestal, locker or storage cabinet.

• Minimise the number of people at any one time in the tea prep area and allow lunch to be eaten at desks rather than in a communal space.

• Lay route markers on the floor to maintain a safe passing distance from colleagues at desks. If possible create a clockwise one way corridor with people taking turns to go single file at pinch points.

• Lay lines at 2m intervals outside a meeting room and tea prep to ensure safe waiting for the room to become vacant.

• The number of staff in the office could be increased by using meeting rooms as temporary offices.

1.3 Hygiene

• Ensure hand sanitisers located at entrances to the office and high touch point areas such as tea points, toilets, lifts, entry and exit doors.

• Introduce more hand wash facilities in tea preps and break rooms.

• Introduce temperature checks for everyone entering the office.

• Introduce a clear desk policy, allowing surfaces to be properly cleaned daily. Do this for assigned desks as well as unassigned.

• Improve air condition - circulation, filtration and ventilation. Make best use of fresh air.

• Minimise touch points – install voice activation or sensor controls to reduce the need to touch items.

• Don’t reintroduce office social activities.

• Support staff having to use Public transport. Consider a car share scheme or paying for parking or taxis.

1.4 Humidity

• Ensure humidity levels to 40 to 60 percent as this reduces infection using portable humidifiers if required.

2.0 Behaviour guidelines

Behaviour in the office will not be the same it was before. As employees have been used to working from home, a healthy and safe environment, and have proved they can work efficiently and productively, they will be intolerant of being asked to return to work if an office which fails to provide a safe environment.

• Employees will be anxious about returning to work before a vaccine has been found. Offer them the opportunity to discuss their concerns regarding that and highlight the measure being taken to ensure their health and well being.

• Social distancing in the office follows the same guidelines out of the office – to avoid unnecessary closeness with to others. Employees will be used to practising this but may need reminded that the same principles still apply in the workplace. No welcome back hugs or handshakes.

• If you have a lift then only one person at a time may use it. Place a hand sanitiser at the lift at each level for use before and after touching controls.

• There may a limit set to the number of staff in the tea prep or break area at one time. This is the time to encourage eating at the desk.

• Possibly take staff temperature checks and provide masks and gloves.

• Encourage regular use of hand sanitiser and hand washing.

• Ask people to follow the route markers on the floor to maintain a safe passing distance from colleagues at their desks. One way routes avoid having to pass each other in a narrow space.

• Consider if meetings can be held online or delayed. If they must be face to face ensure safe distance protocol.

• Make more use of email, or other messenger software, to communicate with colleagues rather than approaching their desk.

Finally – accept that ‘normal’ can’t return until a vaccine has been found and that even after that the new normal may include very different ways of working and behaviour.

Phase 2: With a vaccine

Each Company will have learnt different lessons from COVID-19 and will have adapted recognising how the positives and the negatives impacted on their business.

Some will realise that working from home, or remotely, allows them to reduce their office space without impacting on efficiency and may look at introducing flexible working or rotas. Others will understand the benefit and value of collaboration and team work and may look at software to allow this to be more effective remotely. Perhaps we have something that makes everyone happy like hybrid working?

Reintroduce office social activities but respect that some employees may still be anxious and may choose not to interact.

Now may be the time to reconsider what the office layout really needs to be. Is there going to be a flood of employees returning to the office? If there is then you will have the space as you had it before. If not as many return can you make better use of the space you now have – introduce more collaborate spaces? Look for smaller premises?

Phase 3: Future

Future office design, new build, fit-out and refurbishments, will need to take into consideration an additional set of factors. A lot of this we can learn from the Healthcare Sector.

• Hygienic materials: while still considering using environmentally friendly produced materials and maximising recyclable materials we must now also take into consideration materials that are easily disinfected learning from the Healthcare sector. Materials that are easy to clean, mould resistant and which have antimicrobial coatings.

• We need to increase hand washing facilities by adding to tea preps and staff kitchens and encourage their use.

• Include the provision of hand sanitisers throughout the office, especially at high touch point areas such as near printers, in tea prep and break out rooms, at lifts and entry and exit doors.

• We must promote good indoor air quality making best use of natural ventilation from windows to maximise outdoor air. HVAC systems must have better filtration and be set to obtain an optimal range of 40 to 60 percent humidity as viruses survive better in lower humidity environments.

• Introduce biophilia as this has other health benefits as well.

• Consider a temperature screening process at the office entrance and have a policy in place to enforce working from home if ill.

• The cleaners storage needs to include the ability to stock larger quantities of cleaning equipments and products, hand sanitiser, soaps etc. to support an increased cleaning regime.

• Limit the need for touch to reduce exposure to germs. Integrate voice activation, use of Smart technology, fobs to open lockers, automatic doors openers and closers etc. Use light movement sensors to control lighting, automated or computer controlled window blinds, sensor controlled WC flush etc.

Smart Technology is developing all the time to support the new touch free office and there will soon be a myriad of products allowing us to minimise high touch points of before such as lift call buttons, door handles etc.