Now that the timeline has been set for the ease of lockdown restrictions, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for those who have been working from home for the past year. Many freelancers and start-up business owners will be ready to venture out of their spare bedroom and move into an office where they can speak with other human beings! How do we safely navigate to office spaces after all this time though? Introducing flexible office spaces.
Quick To Adapt
It is safe to say that COVID has flipped the world of work completely on its head, particularly as all non-essential businesses have had to cope with their staff working remotely. We have had to rely on digital platforms more than ever to communicate, and now things are changing again as we look towards bringing staff safely back into the office.
Flexible working brings with it a whole new sense of freedom for employees. It is their chance to voice their opinions as to whether they want to return to the office, continue working from home, or a combination of the two options. To begin with, the idea of working from home was an attractive idea – sitting on Zoom calls in your PJs. However, as the novelty wore off people quickly began missing the social interactions an office provides. This means business owners are having to come up with a new solution – combining the best of both worlds.
Agile, Flexible Workspaces
As we start transitioning back to the office, things are not going to go back to the ‘normal’ we were all used to. We predict that there is going to be a shift away from traditional office rental, and more towards agile workspaces that offer a flexible alternative to working from home. Here are a few things that you should look out for within a COVID-secure workplace:
1. The implementation of social distancing measures
When visiting a private office space with a view to renting, the first thing you need to check is whether or not there is enough space to facilitate social distancing. Can you still fit your whole team into the space with desks stationed at least 2 metres apart? Or are you going to need to put your staff on shifts so you are working at 50% capacity? At McCue House, we do have a dedicated coworking space, but this will be partitioned off using plexiglass dividers to reduce the risk of transmission.
2. Regular temperature checks
Flexible office space providers are responsible for carrying out regular temperature checks on all those that enter the site. Anyone displaying temperatures above 38 degrees can be refused entry, and the Track and Trace app should be updated accordingly to keep the rest of the office users safe.
3. Sanitisation stations & increased cleaning regimes
Look for a flexible office space that has visible hand sanitising stations at each door, and within communal areas. This will help to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 as it is easily passed on through touching contaminated surfaces. It is also a good idea to check how regularly the offices will be deep cleaned just for added peace of mind. Regular fogging and decontamination cleaning should be carried out without a second thought.
4. Increased use of ventilation systems
During the early stages of the pandemic, studies concluded that air conditioning and ventilation systems played a big role in the reduction of COVID-19 transmission. Therefore if you are looking for a new office space away from home, this is something to be aware of. The flexible office space you choose should have modified its air conditioning system accordingly.
Flexible Offices Are The Future
Whilst the measures above should be implemented by either employers or those running flexible office spaces, it is clear that a lot of time and investment is needed to make an office space COVID-secure. Some businesses have tasked an entire department with the job of making sure the office is COVID-secure, but this isn’t always a feasible option for smaller organisations.
Why not let us take the stress and hassle away for you, with our COVID-secure flexible office spaces? They will be ready to move in (come 12th April), and all the usual amenities that an office space provides will be available. As well as private offices and separate meeting rooms, we will be providing a secure co-working space to allow for collaboration, and virtual offices too. Contact us today to register your interest and get a tour booked!