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Integrating Separation in the Workplace Following COVID 19

Admittedly, this all sounds rather paradoxical; integrating separation. Yet, this is essentially the new norm moving forward and out of our economic crisis spurred by COVID 19. In order to regain footing in the work world, many are asked to return to the office perhaps a little sooner than feels comfortable. Of course, there are plenty of safety measures in place, precautionary disinfecting, and routine temperature checks. Yet, to spend an entire workday indoors is a frightening commitment for many. So, as an employer, how can you ease the wary minds of your valuable workforce? Below are some of the most ideal spatial integration techniques to ensure you’re providing a safe environment for everyone to enjoy.

Rotating Schedules

In addition to implementing guidelines for enhanced personal hygiene and deep cleaning within the workplace, consider a rotating schedule method. With this system, a select group of employees will work in-office half of the week, while another group works from home, with the two groups switching throughout the week. This way, you can successfully lessen the chances of viral spreading from close quarters and reduce the overall impact within a newly occupied office.

Installing Glass Partitions

Our contemporary business leaders, entrepreneurs, and employees are now transitioning into collaborative, flexible work environments, seeking something different, fresh. Of course, this means that most newer office spaces are designed to be open-air, communal, and unfortunately, not conducive to protecting employees from a deadly virus. It’s not often we find modern-day offices equipped with closed-in cubicles, isolated offices, and physical privacy. Rather, these offices boast sweeping open floor plans, and rows of desks rather than cubicles.

How does one then craft separation within a vast open floor plan without compromising necessary natural light flow, or the essence of togetherness? Seamlessly integrating flexible solutions for the modern workspace includes installing folding glass doors, interior sliding doors, sliding glass walls, office wall partitions, stacking sliding doors, as well as many more glass options. These modern office partitions are not only easy to clean, a total breeze to install, and aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide the protection employees need to remain safer during this time. The key is to maintain a well-lit environment that still offers flexible spatial separation, visual integration, and, (during the current circumstances) protection.

6-foot Feng Shui

Many employers are beginning to welcome their workforce back into the office, equipped with some necessary safety precautions. Because this virus is mostly transmitted through physical contact and one-on-one close interactions, it is crucial in any indoor environment that staff continues to practice social distancing, and remains at least six feet apart. Not only should employees be mindful of the six-foot rule of thumb, but as an employer, it is your job to reconsider the office environment and redesign the space accordingly. Consider moving desks further apart, creating mandatory seating positions, and spacing out communal necessities.  Asking employees to wear masks in more communal spaces such as the break room, the kitchen, or during meetings, comes highly recommended.

With the above methods in use, you should be prepared to receive your hardworking staff with little fear or risk of contraction within the office. Spatial separation, schedule rotations, and for enhanced safety, integration of glass office dividers will be the most crucial element through this reintegration process to safeguard employees, managers, and yourself. Ensure your establishment is as safe as possible for everyone. Visit Space Plus, A Division of the Sliding Door Company online to view our online catalog, and Get a quote from one of our professionals today.

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Blog

Finding the Middle Ground; How to Foster Productivity, Collaboration, and Innovation in the Workplace

Finding the middle ground within the workplace has never been an easy undertaking. From startup to Fortune 500, and everything in between, finding this sweet spot is no cakewalk. Ensuring that your team of hardworking employees comes into an office setting each day that allows for creativity, idea exploration, collaboration, and of course, productivity can be an understandably difficult medium to reach.

Now more than ever, we must take all of these factors into account when designing the layout and relative environment of our working spaces. New considerations are beginning to emerge out of this pandemic, such as extra spatial separation, clean fresh air, the ability to work in solitude, and more. So, what are some of the most important interior design elements to tackle in the workplace and how can you provide the ideal environment for your workforce? Below we have all the necessary ingredients to inspire your office improvement plan.

Allow for Space

Creating more physical space in a typically cramped office environment can be challenge. However, with the dangers of the Coronavirus still very serious, it will be necessary in the coming weeks and months to reconsider your office interiors. Not only will interior improvements help keep your employees safe and their minds that ease, but it could also allow for a more comfortable, breathable working environment for your workforce to enjoy in the long term. By installing spatial dividers that allow for visibility and natural light to pass through, you can successfully integrate separation but maintain a feeling of togetherness that your workers will greatly benefit from. The use of glass wall partitions, sliding dividers, and floor-to-ceiling room dividers offer the following:

  • Enhanced safety
  • Curtail Unwanted Foot Traffic
  • Allows for heightened productivity and focus
  • Increases employee concentration

Open Air Environment

The transition away from dark, dim, cubicle-lined offices and into bright, light, fresh, open-air collaborative workspaces have been extremely well received in the work world. Open-air environments offer a sense of ease, comfort, and increased mental capability for anyone working indoors throughout the day. After all, we all need plenty of natural light, visibility, and the feeling of existing harmoniously together with our workmates. Offering a modern glass solution to the obstructing cubicles and walls of the past will foster a much more pleasant, workable office space for everyone. Easy to install modern folding glass doors, and interior sliding doors achieve this medium flawlessly.

  • Allow for enhanced visibility
  • Increase natural light
  • Bring the outside in
  • Breeds feelings of comfort and home

dentist office with office dividers

Create Community

Lean into community within the workplace. Encouraging your employees to talk, collaborate, pass ideas around, and generate an exciting think-tank environment will help to increase group morale, as well as bridge the gap between ideas still in the incubation phase. Most startups and tech companies utilize this structure because they see how beneficial it can lend themselves to the creative process. Here are some of the ways you can integrate community throughout the office:

  • Provide shared desks and large, team-sized tables that encourage discussion
  • Offer communal spaces throughout the office such as comfortable lounges, a communal kitchen, a few conference rooms of varying sizes
  • encourage friendship and collaboration by providing group games, group lunches, and comfortable break room seating that makes employees feel at home

Transition your workplace into a flexible, communal, productivity powerhouse by integrating more community-oriented spaces, sliding glass walls, office wall partitions, and stacking sliding doors to allow for needed separation while still maintaining a community feel. A “separate but together” floorplan will become a crucial element throughout this reintegration process to safeguard everyone in the office from the current pandemic. Visit Space Plus, A Division of the Sliding Door Company online to view our online catalog, and Get a quote from one of our professionals today.

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