Flexibility and adaptability are at the core of any property manager's role. When COVID-19 hit the US last year, sending most of the country's office workers home for the foreseeable future, property managers remained on the frontlines of one of the most unprecedented challenges ever faced by our industry. We are essential.

Nearly one year into lockdown, scenes from the office – like lunches with coworkers, packed conference rooms and buzzing hallways – might still feel like a distant memory for some. But while the rest of the world has grappled with back-to-back Zoom calls from the couch, the challenges of blurred lines between home and work and the inevitable difficulties that come with a lack of human contact, property managers have been at the office. We're walking the halls, we're anticipating your needs upon reentry, and above all, we're adapting.

While 2021 hasn't brought with it a miraculous end to the pandemic, the new year brings new wisdom. We now have months of experience helping tenants successfully transition back to the office. We've realized our initial worries, such as three-hour-long elevator wait times or a lack of sanitation supplies, are no longer realistic concerns. Property managers have a front-row seat to watch office reentry unfold in real time, and there are valuable learnings to be shared to ensure our return to the office en masse later this year is seamless and safe.