Times have changed forever in 2020 due to the unrelenting Coronavirus. The virus came out of the blue and then forced the majority of the world to go into lockdown to try and curb the spread of it. Many people were made redundant or furloughed, and it is only in the last month or so that people are trying to return to normality, and this means that they have to get back to working from an office rather than their own homes.
However, working from an office will not be the same as it was before given new measures need to be brought in due to social distancing so that the virus will not be spread among colleagues. If you are setting up or returning to an office in these difficult times, then read on, because here we will take a look at the best back-to-office furniture advice.
Separate desks
In offices, desks would traditionally be configured so that teams can work together in proximity, however, this is now a thing of the past in these new virus controlled times. Contact between workers must be brought to a minimum so desks should be separated, or at the very least, plastic screens should be erected so that there is no chance of the virus spreading between workers. It may seem alien at first to be working in this sort of environment, but if you want life to return to normal then these steps are necessary to ensure that it does as soon as possible.
Introduce ergonomic chairs
Why would you introduce new ergonomic, comfy chairs, when you are returning to the office in times of the Coronavirus? Well, many people are fearful of heading back to the office due to the increased risk, so if you make the office as welcoming and comfy as possible, then your workers are more likely to embrace the harsh hew world. You can visit an office furniture store where you can try out the latest designs and you can even pair an ergonomic chair with a desk for the ultimate in comfort. Not only will your employees be more likely to come in to work, but their productivity will go through the roof due to their new working conditions.
Remove unnecessary items
Touching is one of the key problems with the coronavirus, because for every surface that we touch we increase the chances of catching the virus and also passing it on to others. So, when looking at furniture when you are returning to the office, less is actually better than more. If something is redundant or just there for aesthetic purposes, then remove it so that no-one can touch it. You may think that your office will appear a very soulless place without coffee tables or ornamental bookshelves, but would you rather be virus-free, or return to old working habits thereby increasing your chances of catching it?
Invest in personal items
As we mentioned before the idea in the new Coronavirus world is that as few people as possible should touch items in the office. This means that each employee should have their personal stationery, phone or tablet. If your budget can stretch to it then consider removing desktop computers so that each employee has their own personal laptop. The use of personal mobile phones should be encouraged so that there is no sharing of company property and conferencing should be done remotely using Bluetooth to connect. There may be a considerable outlay at the beginning but this is preferable to having all your employees off sick due to the virus.
Remove catering facilities
It is normal for many employees to bring in a packed lunch to work, or to be able to use the catering facilities to make a cup of tea or coffee when they feel like it. Unfortunately, these facilities and furniture items such as fridges are all going to have to go in the COVID-19 world because they are areas where the virus can proliferate due to the number of people touching them. It may cause disruption to the routine of your workers, but they can always pop out at lunch for their food or daily caffeine fix, thereby helping the wider economy at the same time.
As we have learned when returning to the office it is going to be very different from pre-Coronavirus times. Long gone will be the shared facilities, and banks of desks will have to be split up with dividing screens to minimise the chance that the virus will spread. Using personal items such as mobile phones will be encouraged, and to keep employees happy it is worth investing in ergonomic furniture so that they are at least comfy in their place of work. If you follow these tips then you will have a safe productive office for years to come.
