In recent weeks, we have received many questions from our clients about COVID-19 proofing the office. What measures do we need to take? How do I communicate the changes to my colleagues? We have written a white paper on COVID-19-proofing the office to answer those questions. Based on the government guidelines, we suggest several solutions for creating a safe working environment.
You can download the white paper for free.
What does it take to have a COVID-19-proof office?
In the white paper “COVID-19-proof office,” we suggest all kinds of possible solutions to make your office COVID-19-proof. We pay specific attention to traffic areas, stairs and elevators, and places where many people come together, such as the company restaurant. In the white paper, you will also find a sample plan of an office environment and the concrete adjustments that would be necessary for this environment.
What do you read in this white paper?
The white paper ‘COVID-19-proof office’ provides you with answers to the following questions, among others:
- How do you make it possible in the office to keep a distance of 1.5
- What measures can you take to achieve a COVID-19-proof office?
- What specific steps are needed to realize the adjustments?
- How can you inform employees about the changes?
- What agreements with employees are necessary to ensure that everything runs smoothly?
- What are essential general measures to avoid crowding?
- What hygiene measures can you take in the office?
- What measures are needed to keep the use of stairs and elevators safe?
Making your office COVID-19-proof? Parella helps!
Are you curious about which adjustments are needed to make your office COVID-19-proof? Of course, we are happy to make a complete building scan for you, showing the measures per floor. Part of the entire building scan is also a mobility analysis in the building. In other words: how can your employees and visitors move around the building safely?
At Parella, we can not only determine the modifications needed. We also have our team of project managers who can implement the changes in your building at short notice.
If you have any questions or are interested in an entire building scan, please contact us without obligation.
Working from home or working in the office?
We see that it is difficult for many clients the COVID-19 figures allow them to go back to the office partially. Who is allowed to come back to the office? And what agreements do you make about this?
Especially after months of working from home, we see that both employers and employees feel the need to return to the office. It only requires the necessary adjustments to make your office ready for COVID-19-proof working. Employees must keep 1.5 meters from each other, you must think up something for the flow-through areas, and clear agreements must be made about what can and cannot be done.
Our white paper is intended to get you started with practical tips, examples, and checklists. It gives you everything you need to equip your office for COVID-19-proof working.
What do you need to look out for?
In the whitepaper, we will elaborate on all the points of interest to realize a COVID-19-proof office. But below, we will mention several practical tips that you can implement yourself.
Work with one and a half meters distance
For the time being, keeping 1.5 meters distance from each other is one of the basic rules. But how exactly? You can set up your office in such a way that it encourages employees to keep that distance. For example, look at which areas you can screen off, encourage walking upstairs instead of taking the elevator, let employees ride their bikes instead of their cars whenever possible, and ensure proper supervision in rooms where many people gather.
Hygiene
Hygiene measures are also important to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at work. For this, you can, of course, install hygiene poles that employees can use to disinfect their hands. Furthermore, it is helpful to give employees a fixed desk, and there are various small measures possible, such as constantly washing used cutlery in the dishwasher.
Elevators and Stairs
The common elevators and stairs are especially places where keeping a distance is often tricky and where many people congregate. Therefore, you would do well to think about an intelligent policy for these areas. For this purpose, you can think, for example, about:
– Encourage the use of the stairs whenever possible to avoid crowding in the elevators.
– Have each elevator go only to particular floors so that employees can wait in a specific line.
– Indicate on elevator floors where people can stand in the elevator away from each other.
– Designate some stairs for only traffic going up and some stairs for only traffic going down to prevent people from passing each other.
What can Parella do for you?
After reading this whitepaper, do you have questions about realizing your COVID-19-proof office? At Parella, we have specialized in commercial and strategic advice exclusively to users of commercial real estate (tenants) since 2007. We can also offer you optimal support with your housing issues. We combine three areas of expertise: workplace consultancy, brokerage, and project management.
Our workplace consultants will be happy to assist you in drawing up a schedule of requirements for your new COVID-19-proof working environment. Including a workplace concept with which your employees can continue to work in the office safely and with pleasure.
We wish you much strength,