What Does the Future Look Like for Office Space?
Offices are not dead, nor are they going to be in the foreseeable future. But they are never going to be quite what they were before Covid-19. For businesses and commercial property managers there are both short and longer-term issues to resolve to make office spaces fit for purpose.
The immediate priority is to make offices Covid-safe. This is usually more complex than removing some desks, erecting screens and installing hand sanitisers. Antimicrobial surfaces and touch-free operation of doors and bathrooms are some of the features that need to be considered when designing a truly Covid-secure office.
Natural ventilation and the operation and purification of HVAC systems are also important factors in effective infection control. Given the health and safety and legal risks, it’s not surprising that many organisations are taking professional advice on the best and most cost-effective ways to make offices Covid-secure. They can then be confident that they’re operating safely and have the best chance of keeping going throughout any future waves of infection.
Why Offices Are Here to Stay
Despite the growth of flexible and home-based working there are many reasons why offices are here to stay. Some are cultural: employers will want staff to spend at least some of their time working in an office because face to face meetings are generally better at building relationships than online.
Employers also value the spirit of being involved in a common enterprise. If everyone is working in their own home office, how much does it matter to them who they are working for?
Flexibility is becoming increasingly important (as it always is in times of uncertainty). Offices will almost certainly be used in different ways in the future and will be less densely occupied than before the pandemic. Some firms may opt for smaller distributed offices rather than large town and city-centre facilities. Some offices may even be converted into residential units under new planning freedoms.
The issues involved are often complex and far-reaching. At the same time, it’s likely that you’ll need to act urgently to be safe and make the best use of space. Recognising this, Osborne is working in partnership with Workplace Creations who are experts in the design of office spaces. Together, we offer a simplified process to design and fit-out Covid-secure offices that also take longer-term needs into consideration.
