As the country starts to think about going back to work in
the face of this Covid-19 pandemic, our corporate clients are already calling
us to say their attorneys are advising they modify their office spaces before
employees return to work in order to help prevent the spread of the virus. Employers have the responsibility of providing
a safe working environment. If they have
not taken precautions to keep their people safe, they could be liable if they
get sick or, worse yet, die. Since it
will be impossible to provide a 100% safe environment, many employers, if they
take the advice of their attorneys, will ask their workers to sign liability
waivers in order to return to the office.
They are also considering requiring their employees to regularly fill
out questionnaires regarding their current health status and potential exposure
to the Corona virus. Going to work sick
will no longer be allowed. Furthermore,
pandemics in general are now on everyone’s radar, and it’s clear that our way
of life must adapt to mitigate potential future outbreaks.
In the past few decades, the vast majority of companies
have adopted an open office floor plan with open workspaces or desking. This was done to foster collaboration. As a design firm, our goal on many projects have
often been about getting co-workers to come together in open lounges, informal
meeting spaces, and open break rooms to share information and get creative. But an open, collaboration-focused floor plan
is the absolute worst type of layout for physical distancing. So now what?
Corporate attorneys are advising our clients to
eliminate break rooms where people share coffee makers, refrigerators, and
sinks, as well as perhaps even meeting rooms. Solutions that may be less obvious to
non-designers are modifications to the HVAC system so there’s negative
pressurization, the addition of an air filtration system, the replacement of
high-use surfaces with anti-microbial and smooth, cleanable materials, and the
addition of high-quality walk-off mats at entry doors. Touch points can be
replaced with touch-free devices wherever possible. Automatic doors on sensors may become more
prevalent. Temporary plexiglass dividers between workspaces might be installed until
more permanent solutions can be ordered and installed. Perhaps plexiglass or glass dividers will
even get installed in meeting rooms as well. Furniture will need to be rearranged, and new
furniture may be required.
Many companies will choose to continue to use Zoom
and other web conferencing services for group meetings instead of meeting in
person. More people will continue to
work from home and many landlords will find themselves with vacant space. How all of this will affect company cultures,
communication, teamwork, and a sense of belonging will be interesting to see. Companies will have to come up with other
methods for fostering these important aspects of their business. Web-based collaboration software, and perhaps
even the use of computer avatars, will increase. Jobs and systems will be redesigned along
with physical spaces. Some companies may
stagger the days that staff members come into the office so that it’s possible
to keep people at least six feet apart.
Janitorial procedures will change.
The use of ultra-violet light to disinfect may increase. We designers have a new challenge ahead of
us. We must completely re-think office
design to continue to meet the goals of our clients while protecting their
staff from infection.
Elisa Garcia, AIA, is the lead designer and construction
manager at Statement Design. Her email
address is elisa@statementdesignstudio.com
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