Kay Sargent, Senior Principal, Director of WorkPlace, HOK
“Preparing people for the workplace is actually going to be a much more complex scenario
than anyone realizes.”
I think the biggest priority right now is the safety of employees. Initially, we focused on making places safe for when people return. Organizations have realized that getting to the office can also be a challenge from a safety perspective. Once employees are at the office, it may be a challenge there, too.
Preparing people for the workplace is actually going to be a much more complex scenario than anyone realizes. The number-one priority for most of our clients— and the reason most of them are taking a cautious approach—is making sure that their employees are safe.
Organizations are trying to make sure that people aren’t exposed to the virus when they come together. When they do come together, they should be in environments that are clean and that provide the space they need. This whole “densification” trend of the past several years has really shifted. We’ve gone from strict measurements to more human-centric measurements, where we’re
really thinking more about how we make people feel safe and empowered to be effective. These new work environments may include enhanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; creating touchless environments; and even enabling people to work remotely. When people do come together in person, it’s important to create that physical distancing and the cleanliness needed to make people feel safe and secure.
This is an excerpt from 7 Experts on Workplace Transformation. The eBook was generously sponsored by Iron Mountain.
