We have all been through a year of unprecedented challenges to our mental and physical health, our economic and social structures, and our political landscape. Multiple vaccines are being quickly rolled out and our President has stated that all adults will be vaccinated by the end of May. here is hope on the horizon that the Covid Pandemic will be under control in the US by this summer. And I know that it is everyone’s utmost wish that we push this last year of horror and stress behind us. We want to get back to our “normal” day to day lives – in both work and social settings. So, what does this new “normal” mean in our work lives?
There has been much conjecture, speculation and prognosticating on what the new landscape and behaviors of our work life will look like. The pandemic lock down has forced many of us to work remotely from wherever we can find internet connections. Most of us have been working from our homes – typically in settings that are not set up for comfortable, efficient and, non-interrupted work. There are new applications (Zoom, Teams, etc.) which have allowed us to communicate better than ever with co-workers, family, and friends - wherever they may be. They are great tools (when they work and are used correctly) – BUT people were not meant to be 2 dimensional images on screens. It is not natural and, it is not human. We are very social animals by nature, and we need to be with people to function at our highest level. In all human history, people have gathered to create better and more fulfilling lives TOGETHER.
The need for offices will always be required - whether they are governmental, economic, or social. These offices are the center of all organizations’ culture, branding, structure, collaboration, innovation, and management. People will return to their offices to do the same work as they always have – but offices will be configured differently in response to what we have gone through with the Covid Pandemic. There will be a desire to space people out; provide higher or more barriers between themselves and create more flexible, multi-use common spaces.
As an example of what our new realities in office space may be – check out the following before and after the pandemic floor plans that SitonIt has done in corporate, healthcare and education settings. These renderings show what changes may need to be made for workspaces to meet the requirements of post-Covid life.
SitonIt Corporate before and after
SitonIt Healthcare before and after
SitonIt Education before and after
At CFS, we make all our clients safer, happier, and more productive in their work. Whatever it takes. Tell us about the issues that are important to your company’s success and we will help you plan, design, and implement changes you need to safely bring your employees back to work. We represent over 200 manufacturers who can supply furniture, accessories, ergonomic and safety products. And, most importantly, we can provide the services you need to get your projects completed in a timely and complete manner.
