Doug Gianforte recently spoke at a CII Council Education Meeting where they discussed the changes being made as we return to work at the office.
As more companies head back to the office, there are several considerations that will impact how exactly a company might return. To start, an employer must weigh employee safety/concerns with business needs. Several ways to do this include:
- Facilitate hybrid work schedules – “workplace” is not only the office, but anywhere work can be efficiently conducted.
- Reduced physical footprint – employers are recognizing that they might have underutilized office space. On average, 50% of the traditional office is vacant at any given time.
- Implementing Hoteling systems to share workspace efficiently.
An employer may consider the benefits to both employee and employer:
- Employer Benefits
- Increased productivity
- Lowered real estate expenses
- Improved employee satisfaction
- Reduced carbon footprint
- Employee Benefits
- Improved work/life balance
- Reduced commuting times
It’s important that the employer and employee maintain trust, culture, and collaboration while working in a hybrid style. Employees can help by creating secure and efficient work from home spaces while employers can work to develop fair performance metrics for evaluation within the new workplace model.
Since Covid, office design itself has evolved. Some ways we are seeing this is through building system enhancements such as introduction of additional outside air, higher levels of filtration (MERV 19), duct mounted UV lighting, and Bi-Polar Ionization (charges particles +/- so that they group together into larger particles which can be filtered more efficiently). Materials are being selected with more consideration for their antimicrobial properties (copper, polymers) and for their ability to be cleaned/disinfected (hard surface vs carpet). Another consideration being taken is the use of mixed space. “Focus rooms” and private video conferences areas are perhaps more important now with the use of remote meetings. Group areas also help to maintain some sense of socialization.
While the workplace changes and adapts, we at Gbuild are doing the same. The office dogs for example, are back (when they are not working from home). We’d love to see you stop by our office in Exton and discuss further what we can do to help you and your company return to the office.
