Life in the office as we knew it completely changed when the Covid-19 outbreak led to lockdowns and work-from-home mandates.
Employees started valuing their time at home, flexible hours, and remote working and meetings helped to significantly curb the spread of the virus.
We are now two years into the pandemic and there seem to be some changes that are here to stay. These changes have a significant impact on office design and construction.
Below, we take a look at how Covid-19 has changed office spaces as well as some of the strategies to incorporate in your office should you be upgrading to meet the new trends.
How Covid-19 Has Impacted Office Design And Construction
Post-Covid, more and more employees value their freedom to work from home and according to flexible work schedules. So much so that a study by PWC shows that 55% of employees would still like to work from home for at least 3 days out of the 5-day week.
As a result, we have seen a change in office design and construction to accommodate hybrid working environments. In other words, office spaces function mainly as collaborative spaces with a few hot desks for individual work.
Further, safety is now a huge consideration when it comes to office designs. As such, environmental air filtration systems are a necessity. This addition ensures that the air in the office space is properly filtered to prevent the spread of germs.
Another safety-related change is that many office designs no longer feature employee cubicles. Now, designs are leaning toward individual offices to create a socially-distanced and safer working environment for employees.
5 Office Design & Construction Strategies For A Post-Covid World
Outdoor Work Areas
What was once a luxury to have in an office space is now an essential feature of an office design. Outdoor work areas allow employees to work together in a spacious and well-ventilated area.
Plus, with employees having the opportunity to work almost anywhere with an internet connection, having beautiful outdoor spaces in the office is an attraction.
So, if you are set to upgrade your office, consider adding a courtyard with plants and outdoor desks. It will make all the difference to the working environment and employee efficiency.
Collaborative Work Spaces Are A Must-Have
Even though some employees are still working from home, there are often projects that require employees to get together for brainstorming or teambuilding. So, there is now an increase in the need for collaborative spaces.
In other words, an area in the office that allows employees to meet up with their colleagues to work on group projects while still adhering to Covid-19 protocols. As a result, one can allocate more floor space to these collaborative working areas.
The bigger the area, the more socially distanced employees can be to ensure they can still carry out their jobs safely.
Hot Desks
As more employees stay working from home, the main attraction to the office is having a space to collaborate with others. But, there comes a time when employees need to escape the crying children at home, or just need a change of scenery. In other words, employees value flexibility.
That’s where hot desks come in. This is a new trend where the employees outnumber the desks. Essentially, the spaces are used by different employees over the course of the week when they need them.
So, for those employees that no longer require an office space but still need a quiet place to work from time to time, this is the perfect, cost-effective solution.
Touch-Free Solutions Are On The Rise
A major change in the workplace post-Covid is minimizing the number of surfaces touched by employees. This not only stops the spread of Covid, but also other seasonal illnesses like common colds and the flu.
So, a new design and construction trend post-Covid is incorporating touch-free solutions in the office. These include automated doors and faucets, touch-free trash cans, and motion sensor lights.
Elevators Decline In Popularity
Another recent trend resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic is the decline in elevator use. That’s right, more and more people are taking the stairs, and it’s not to get their daily steps in.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, employees are avoiding crowded, stuffy elevators in an effort to social distance. Plus, the control buttons in an elevator are high-touch services and people are far more aware of how fast bacteria can spread.
While elevators are not set to vanish overnight, they aren’t necessarily a must-have in an office upgrade.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Covid-19 has changed so many aspects of our everyday lives with the workplace having been impacted the most.
So, make sure you are up to date with all the latest trends before you start your office renovation. That way you can ensure the safety and well-being of all your employees while adding great value to your property!