How Are We Going to Go Back To The Office?

As the realities of the coronavirus pandemic continue to settle in and we are all accepting we’re in this for the long haul, we are seeing many reopenings (and subsequent re-closings!) across the country. Nothing is back to what it was before March. I’m finding it really interesting to see how companies and office building managers are navigating the ever-evolving guidelines to ensure the health and safety of their employees. As we are continuing to learn about COVID-19 each day, this is quite a daunting task!

I’ve been impressed with the agility of so many companies to pivot and create products to make us safer while maintaining a strong focus on employee wellness, which is another good thing I see coming out of this pandemic. I’ve been attending webinars and learning so much from industry leaders about how they are staying flexible and willing to make changes to meet the challenge.

What are the experts saying?

I reached out to one of my favorite commercial furniture vendors, Purgistics, to see what they are seeing in the market and what their thoughts are on this topic. I was expecting to get a few bullet points on the top five trends that I could expand on in this post, but instead, the wonderful Ari Lerner, Vice President at Purgistics, provided some excellent points and details. Instead of chopping up his thoughts and weaving them in with mine, I've dedicated this post to including Ari’s quick write up in its entirety!

Read Ari’s expert comments below and consider them as things slowly start reopening:

Heading back into the office, there are some notable differences that you should expect. Of course, the extent of the modification depends on the type of premises; high-density office buildings will have a different protocol than single-story properties. In all instances, there is the obvious: distancing, mask-wearing in common areas, most likely some staggered employee placement, alternating attendance, and possibly some glass or plastic barriers that were not there before you left.

There are also some more nuanced things that bring their own set of challenges. Most likely, if you have been engaged in Zoom calls or video conferences where participants keep their video on, you have had at least some face-to-face interactions, albeit digitally. In-person meetings with other masked faces can be challenging. There is so much to be said for facial expressions during conversations, and muffled voices behind a material obstruction can be annoying at best and unnerving at worst. Likewise, first-time introductions or greeting coworkers whom you haven’t seen in a while without a handshake (or a hug) is awkward and psychologically difficult.

Not only is the physical health aspect of returning to work significant, I feel it is imperative to try to create and maintain a mentally healthy return-to-work environment and attitude.

Here are some suggestions to help normalize work-life:

1. Wear your mask in common areas and elevators, etc. Don’t wear your mask when you don’t need to (in your car, outdoors in open areas, sitting at your desk, etc.). We are NOT going to wear masks forevermore. It is the Now normal, not the New normal. It should feel uncomfortable and strange.

2. There are no perfect protocols. Employees are depending on their employers to establish the guidelines that will dictate behavior in the workplace. Respect the rules of the office. If you feel the environment is too lax or too restrictive for you, just continue to work from home.

3. If you are not feeling well or have a fever, stay home. But keep in mind people still get allergies and colds that are not COVID related. So if a coworker sneezes or coughs, don’t freak out.

4. This is NOT the zombie apocalypse. Keep in mind that you will not catch COVID from people that don’t have it. And proper behavior decreases the risk of infection overall. It is important to remember your humanity above all else.

The economy is important, your job is important, your relationship with your coworkers and peers is important. We make responsible decisions every day that carry risk. You drive -- with a seatbelt. You ride a bike -- with a helmet. You go skydiving -- ok, that one is totally on you. Ten times more people will die every day from cardiovascular disease than from COVID. So be smart, be safe, but also maybe skip the cheeseburger and go for a jog. Without a mask.

----Ari

Thank you, Ari, for a pretty optimistic viewpoint from the frontlines of the corporate world!

a visit to the Washington, D.C. office

In addition to being able to put a positive spin on these pandemic consequences, Ari and Purgistics carry some unique and fun office furnishings. Check out just a few that I saw when I visited their office showroom (when visiting offices was a normal thing to do!) for a current project: