
While a widescale return of employees to offices appears to be on an interdetermined timeline at present, businesses are beginning to imagine what the new normal will look like for its work spaces.
Architecture and design studio Weston Williamson has produced a series of sketches outlining its plans for office re-integration, as well as ideas for how London could re-design its daily commute to keep social distancing in effect.
The wider concept for its return to work is based on staggered and flexible working. This initially presumes a reduced worforce of one third in the office at any one time, as well as extending flexibe working hours across different teams.
As well as introducing new elements which help reduce the risk of coming into contact with COVID-19, including using Perspex screens as dividers and hands-free open doors, the plans raise some other interesting ideas, such as hiring an in-house barista to prepare drinks and food, so that staff don’t have to go out to shops and cafés during the working day and funding cycle hire, making more room for bicycles and providing a repair service or kit in house.
The layout of offices is also something prominently tackled, with hit-and-miss desking, reconfiguration of meeting rooms to social distanced ‘meeting spaces’ and providing new cleaning and sanitising stations.
You can read more about these return to work plans and ideas for improving commuting during the pandemic on the Weston Williamson website.
The architecture and urban design practice has produced a visual guide with its 12-step plan for returning employees to offices post-lockdown.