With the new challenge of living with COVID-19, the best office fit out companies in Dubai will already be thinking of new office designs that fit into what may become the new norm for a while. Some things that worked just a few months ago may not be suitable for the way we have to live now. Many organizations are thinking of ways to comply with the new social distancing guidelines.
The solutions from the best office fit out companies in Dubai need to include measures to keep people a safe distance from each other and yet still encourage teamwork. That may seem like a hard task, but with some of these ideas, it can be achieved.
More Glass/Plastic
The open office concept was great before coronavirus, but now it is likely to be a major risk factor. We do not have to say goodbye to it completely. A shield of glass or plastic between workstations may be good enough. Employees are still able to see one another which still keeps everyone aware of team members presence and they can probably learn to communicate using chat applications or intercoms. Glass wall offices are not exactly new, but now they will become more common.
6 Feet Radius Workspace
Part of social distancing involves remaining 6 feet apart from other people to prevent infection. In the office, this can be implemented by having workspaces that are 6 feet apart in every direction. It may mean more space will be left vacant and probably some furniture may have to be taken out or repurpose the space into storage areas where possible. To implement this, office furniture may have to change shape. For example, long rectangular office desks may have to be replaced by square or circular desks
More Windows
Having natural air is very important for a healthy office, we knew this a long time ago but it seemed easier to have air conditioning instead of opening up windows. Now we have questions about how safe the air from an air conditioner may be. A study has shown opening up windows is one of the ways you can reduce the chances of the spread of the virus. This means we need to start designing offices in a way that more air can circulate. This may be a tough challenge for some buildings that were designed without windows but eventually, we will be able to deal with that.
Floor Markings
It is wise to have floor markings that will help people keep the appropriate distance. Just like we have markings in a parking area, the office plan needs to adopt the same idea. Banking halls would need markings to show where every customer should stand as they cue up to get service. Even in the boardroom, if you still intend to have some meetings in there, you would need well-spaced zones so that each person in the boardroom is 6 feet away from the next person.
It may even extend to signs on the walls reminding people to wash their hands and indicating sanitizer dispensers as we see in hospitals.
Less is Best
Many offices encourage employees to have more personal stuff in the office while others will have office designers set up decorations to liven up the spaces. With the need for daily disinfection, it will be wiser to reduce the number of things in the office that may need to be sanitized. A work desk can be sanitized better if the person doing that doesn’t have to move things around to get it done.
Office desks, walls, and floors are going to be free of clutter and personal items. The office will focus more on getting work done which you may not be able to do at home.
More Copper, Less Stainless Steel
According to research, copper can keep the coronavirus for just 4 hours compared to stainless steel that will harbor it for anywhere between 3 to 7 days. This would mean that when deciding what material to use for doorknobs, handrails, and other related surfaces, copper would be the best choice. This thinking may have to transfer to other surfaces like tables and shelves. Not that we will have copper tables, but it may be necessary to research into what material can be used as a film on such surfaces to reduce the amount of time the virus can remain on the surface.
The world is dealing with a situation that requires speedy adaptation to a new way of life and work. The fit-out industry needs to provide ideas for the office that will enable people to continue working but remain safe. It may take some getting used to so the solutions should minimize the amount of discomfort that may be created.
Change though is not a bad thing, we may learn new ways to work that may be more inspiring.
