Architecture & Design

Architecture & Design | 15 Other factors can be incorporated within work environments which go further than the physical space. Employees should be encouraged to have their lunch away from their desk space, and also be encouraged to have a proper break during the day and walk for a few minutes if possible. Employers should respect the working hours of the employees and encourage employees to enjoy their designated vacation leave. Wellbeing is a fine line which cannot be overlooked. The importance of employees' wellbeing is vital to a company in the same way sales are vital for the company's financial performance. COVID-19 MEASURES WITHOUT COVID-19 FOCUS We cannot expect people to commute to the office when the office is a constant reminder of the pandemic we are living in. Perspex screens, social distancing signs, alternate empty desks, hand sanitisers at every junction and the list can go on. All these measures are necessary and help in fighting the spread of the virus but we cannot deny that they make the employees feel that we are not back to normal and that employees should somehow thread with absolute caution across the office. While it is important that caution is maintained, offices should start to develop a more long term approach to all of this. Office layouts can be changed to naturally respect social distancing and have desks in more spaced out fashion rather than having alternate empty spaces. The maximum headcount in a space can no longer be given priority, especially since we do not have an end date for the pandemic. More elaborate boundary elements can be used rather than Perspex shields. Doors should incorporate sensors to become self- opening and elevators can start to respond to voice prompts. This will eliminate the need to constantly touch surfaces and applying hand sanitiser along every step. It is now time to increase health standards and hygiene standards in office spaces in a way that a solution is being sought and designed rather than applying short term quick fixes. The road back to the office is not necessarily the road back to normality pre pandemic. Offices should seek help in ensuring the correct measures are being applied effectively to ensure employees are eager to return to the hustle and bustle of the office. OPEN OFFICE OPEN OFFICE WAR ROOM SENSOR CONFERENCE Reduced furniture density for real time utilisation data Personalised, adaptive workstation Gesture-controlled digital boards for impromptu team collaboration meetings Remote team members location Mixed-reality conference room to bridge virtual and physical worlds

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