How Well Will Offices Function Upon Re-entry?
Architecturally, nothing will prevent getting COVID, but using change management strategies to make people more comfortable returning to work are helpful, says Christopher Goggin, Gensler principal.
DALLAS—Returning to work is top-of-mind now for many, but the focus is primarily on how the office will function in the process. Office design is a heavily debated topic and the future of workplace design is a primary consideration, says Christopher Goggin, Gensler principal. One of the aspects involves adapting to health concerns in the wake of COVID-19.
“Architecturally, nothing will prevent getting COVID, but using change management strategies to make people more comfortable returning to work are helpful,” Goggin tells GlobeSt.com.
He said those strategies include enhanced cleaning services, a single path of travel, creating a parameter around the building, tracking exposures, single entries/points of access, separate visitor and tenant entrances, signage and wayfinding, touch-free visitor experiences, automated doors, on-demand elevators, opening up fire stairs if buildings are six to eight floors or less, to name a few.
Goggin says all of these initiatives will allow a higher comfort level for those returning to the office setting. Going on six months, employees are finding the Work from Home experience less than ideal, according to a survey conducted by Gensler.
The findings of the survey point to younger generations who are less productive at home and overall less satisfied with the work from home experience. This is because younger workers find it harder to avoid distractions and maintain work/life balance when at home. Specifically, 50% of Millennial/Gen Z respondents say avoiding distractions is harder at home than in the office versus 41% of Gen X and 33% of Baby Boomers.
Older workers feel more productive, accomplished and aware, with 35% of Millennial/Gen Z respondents saying they feel they’ve made a difference at the end of a typical day versus 39% of Gen X and 44% of Boomers. Some 61% of Millennial/Gen Z respondents say they’ve accomplished the work they need to do at the end of a typical day versus 65% of Gen X and 68% of Boomers.
A good amount of workers know what is expected of them while working from home: 79% of Millennial/Gen Z respondents versus 85% of Gen X and 87% of Boomers. Finally, 84% of Millennial/Gen Z respondents are aware of how their work contributes to the company’s mission versus 88% of Gen X and Boomer respondents.