While reopening plans have been put on hold for the foreseeable future, office owners are continuing to make plans to welcome employees back to work. The logistics are vast and include everything from creating touchless spaces; sanitizing common areas and addressing shared amenities. While social distancing makes shared building amenities challenging, amenities will remain an important part of workspaces—and landlords need to find the right amenities for employees.

"People are naturally skittish about going back to the office in light of COVID-19. These justifiable jitters can seriously hamper team members' ability to concentrate and be productive in an office environment," J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO of OTL, tells GlobeSt.com. "It behooves office owners and employers to take steps to put their tenants, team members and visitors at ease by following the proper sanitation and social distancing protocols."

Amenities could become more important in workspaces to help create a feeling of safety and security. This could also help to relieve stress and improve productivity. "Having the right amenities in the building can go a long way toward keeping people relaxed, de-stressed, and focused at work," says Zimmerman. "Reducing stress has been proven to boost the immune system, which encourages health and well-being. There's strong evidence that connecting with nature quells stress, fear and anxiety. One of the most accessible ways to connect with nature is through water, which makes water features an ideal amenity for office owners to incorporate in their buildings."

Zimmerman recommends that office owners focus on outdoor amenities, like water features. "According to COVID-19 experts, being outdoors is reportedly safer than being inside when it comes to transmission risk for this virus. A water feature allows employees to be outside where it is safer, which also reduces stress," he says. "The sights and sounds of a beautiful architectural water feature are instantly calming, and the movement of the water invigorates people and helps them focus. These amenities provide the perfect backdrop to an office building that promotes a healthy work environment for all tenants."

OTL has seen the calming impact of water features and the benefits of these amenities in a post-COVID world. "OTL has a long history of designing and constructing water features for the built environment that de-stress onlookers while adding value to the properties in which they are located," says Zimmerman. "Now, when there is much concern about staying healthy and maximizing property values, is the ideal time to incorporate these features in office buildings."

Water features can be complex or simple, and can include tile work and other design features. "These features include a stunning rockface cliff with a waterfall that flows into the building's main atrium, an adjacent reflecting pool in with deep blue and silver tiles at the bottom, and a pop jet entertainment fountain outside the building," says Zimmerman. "The combination of elements instills a sense of calm and tranquility while evoking the firm's brand persona of energy and health for Young Living's employees and visitors."