3 Adjustments To Make To Your Office Space Post-COVID

For most businesses, the coronavirus has really turned things upside down. Essential businesses have had to reinvent the way they work while many non-essential businesses have had to close down and wait to reopen until told they could do so. And even then, nothing about the way anyone does business will be the same for quite some time, if ever. 

If your business has office space that your employees work in, you may be struggling to know how you can get everyone back to work while keeping everyone as safe as possible as well. To help you with this, here are three adjustments to make to your office space post-COVID. 

Focus On Ventilation

Aside from personal hygiene and not coming into work when you’re feeling sick or have been exposed to people who are sick, having proper ventilation is one of the best ways to keep your staff safe while in an office environment. 

According to the CDC, you should ensure that your HVAC system is running as efficiently as it can be and that you perform proper maintenance to keep clean air flowing through your space. Along with this, you should also try to open any doors or windows that allow in outside air, as this can also help to get clean, fresh air circulating throughout your workspaces. 

Put Up Physical Barriers

For businesses that were previously fitting a lot of employees into smaller spaces, you’ll need to figure out a way to put more distance between your staff than you did before.

One way to do this, according to Matt Richtel, a contributor to the New York Times, is to put up physical barriers between employees. While many office spaces have been more prone to open floor plans, setting up cubicles or other individual workspaces may now be the best option for keeping people away from one another. To keep the feelings of collaboration and socialization, you may want to opt for using clear plastic or glass as part of the physical barriers you set up. 

Rethink In-Office Work

To keep business running, many companies have been embracing the idea of allowing employees to work from home. And while this may still be able to work for some, other businesses will need their staff to come into the office, at least occasionally.

When in-person work is required, Jessica Mudditt, a contributor to BBC.com, recommends staggering your employees so not everyone is in at the same time. This might mean working in shifts or having certain people only come in on certain days.

If you have office space that you’re needing to adjust due to the guidelines associated with COVID-19, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you figure out what might work best for your business needs.