Now that we have had a few years to consider the effects of the pandemic, and all the changes it brought with it, the old style of running and designing an office fit out has been reevaluated from many fronts.
And with an increasing number of employees expressing a desire to work from home, it is the perfect time for managers to look into how they can improve the workplace experience, to not just make it safer, but also more attractive and desirable.
In this article we will be looking at some of the things and trends we are seeing grow in popularity and certain issues that the pandemic shone a light on. Hopefully, by the end of this article you will thus be inspired to enact a few changes around the office to help retain existing employees, and tempt new talent into joining the company.
1. Less focus on health and well-being
With hand sanitizers available at most reception areas and entrances to businesses, these days it is not only easy to be more hygienic, but they also serve as constant reminders of the days gone by.
Before the pandemic people worried less about washing their hands, having a neat and tidy workstation, and all the other small elements that make up a hygienic routine in the office. This not only led to more sick days, but also a less appealing environment for employees to work in.
At the same time, there has been a growing focus on establishing a sense of wellbeing at the workplace, by providing an intricate health and safety plan, along with offering a better understanding of people’s needs.
Offices that stay on top of cleaning, possibly by hiring a regular janitor, or a frequent cleaning crew, have seen a stronger rate of employees returning to the office ready to work.
And by being at the forefront of developing a strong plan for proper healthcare and safety precautions, your company will not only experience less sick days, but also happier employees.
2. Fewer protections in place
While most businesses have always had a certain level of cleanliness to uphold, the pandemic showed us in what areas offices were still lacking.
Our old workstations, furniture, seats and accessories were rarely chosen for how easy they were to sanitize and keep clean, but these days more and more companies are looking into ensuring that the surfaces and materials used are geared better towards regular cleaning.
But there are many other types of initiatives we see pop up in the office landscapes. From allowing workers to stay home and work there when feeling sick, to providing automatic door openers in order to limit the transfer of bacteria.
All around we are experiencing a new environment where these protections are part of the overall picture, and not just an afterthought. Companies can help facilitate this change in attitude by creating a set list of protections and guidelines for employees to follow.
3. A shift in priorities
Previously there was an overwhelming idea of people working from home being less productive, or maybe even outright lazy or unsociable. These days those perceptions have been shattered, and while many employers wish their employees to return to their office chairs, a certain shift in attitude has taken place.
Instead of focusing on these aspects, companies can instead redirect this energy towards the positives of working in an office, such as a better mindset allowing for a clear focus, with many employees preferring to work at the office because they feel more productive there.
Companies looking to entice employees back to the office can tap into this, by offering even better terms for productivity when on the premises.
By focusing on ways to ensure employees can collaborate quickly with each other in the office, such as creating adaptable seating arrangements, portable partitions for the open office, or similar ideas, employees will achieve more flexibility in how they work, and with whom they collaborate at any given time.
4. Imbalanced use of the floor plan
Before covid many businesses had large conference rooms that could sit unused for days on end, while the office workers themselves had to share desks and mingle with each other in close proximity.
With the advances made in online video calls and digital CRM systems, it has become easier to hold meetings and communicate with different people, without the need of having large conference rooms.
This makes it possible for employees to reclaim some of the square footage normally designated for meeting rooms, giving the workers a sense of more self-worth, better conditions for privacy, and other benefits.