Thoughts on the post-pandemic office environment
The standard office space as we know it may never be the same again.
As offices in South Africa start to open their doors for in-person work to resume, building owners are facing fresh challenges based around safety and our new normal. New regulations in place to ensure the protection of workers are compelling planners and company leaders to consider physical changes to communal office spaces, boardrooms and kitchens.
Limits on the amount of people allowed in a space will likely encourage decision makers to consider expanding or completely redesigning areas of work. The post-pandemic workplace will undoubtedly use space in entirely new ways to appropriately balance safety with collaborative productivity.
The way we work is changing
When we think about a traditional office layout we tend to imagine lines of desks or cubicles strategically positioned to make the most of limited floorspace. Changes made now will heavily influence the future of commercial real estate as the global pandemic and response has left many questioning whether we need physical office spaces at all.
It’s not yet clear how exactly the post-pandemic office will eventually look. Some decision makers will decide to keep their employees at home permanently, removing the office entirely. Alternatively, plexiglass dividers and a return of the cubicle could mark the future of office design to capitalise on both safety and space. Others may do everything in their power to ensure workers can return and continue to work together in a physical office space.
No matter how company leaders choose to continue work, gone are the days of office happy hours and spontaneous meetings. Social distancing orders have shaken up the status quo and required employees to spread out to limit the spread of disease as much as possible.
Alongside physical distancing, the pandemic has also sparked a sudden demand for smart, touch-free technology within office bathrooms and entrances, ushering in a design trend that once felt like a luxury. A divided workforce also guarantees Zoom meetings will also continue as boardrooms stand empty and unused. However business owners choose to space their workers out, their choices will have significant ramifications for commercial real estate now and for the foreseeable future.
Dividing the workforce
In an effort to reduce crowding and allow appropriate social distancing in offices, many companies may opt to let their workers continue working from home but there is still hope for the traditional office. As workers return, the interpersonal benefits of shared office spaces are now more clear than ever before.
Many workers have struggled over lockdown periods with feelings of isolation and sudden changes to routine. The challenge of working remotely is also compounded by the fact that many South African homes lack the appropriate infrastructure to facilitate work and maintain established levels of productivity. A return to the office benefits young professionals looking for mentorship and encourages higher levels of interaction, innovation and emotional well-being for all employees. For these reasons and more, it’s unlikely that the office as we know it will be scrapped entirely.
The office of the future
While the world combats the virus in the absence of a vaccine, building owners and managers are already looking to the future and preparing for significant, permanent changes that take hygiene, space and safety into account. Workers will need to return to spaces they feel safe working in.
Modern office design will likely include touchless technology, the addition of self-cleaning building materials and new office arrangements that emphasise ventilation and physical distancing. While it’s clear that the decisions company leadership make will influence the future of the office, only time will tell how the balance between remote work and the modern office will impact the commercial real estate industry.