While many of us have returned to our jobs, our workplaces are now dramatically different due to COVID-19. Employers are obligated to provide all employees with a safe, hygienic environment, whether it’s a warehouse, a restaurant, a retail store, or a corporate office, and the CDC has issued important guidance on how to do this.
Here are some tips to help you create a safe workplace for all employees:
- Take stock of your current set-up, and with the help of a commercial architect, redesign your space to adhere to social distancing measures. This includes things like moving desks farther away from each other, adding barriers where necessary, redesigning communal areas to reduce foot traffic and discourage large groups of people from gathering, and ensuring there is adequate space throughout the hallways and around elevators.
- In the immediate, provide staff with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitizer, and handwashing facilities. Also, ensure your workplace is being cleaned frequently and thoroughly, especially surfaces in communal areas.
- Redesign your meeting rooms and conference rooms so they adhere to social distancing measures. With the help of a designer you can use your existing furniture creatively, in a way that limits the number of people in a single space at one time, and ensures people remain at least six feet away from each other.
- In the longer term, think about structural changes you can make to your workplace that help us adjust to our “new normal.” Although it may be difficult to imagine how you can radically change your space, working with a commercial architect can present you with possibilities you never imagined.
Commercial architecture enables safer workplaces
COVID-19 workplace health and safety goes far beyond having adequate handwashing facilities and frequent cleaning, and employers can benefit from partnering with an architect to ensure they’re maximizing the potential of their workplace. Commercial architects can assess your current building conditions, create alternatives that make your space safer and more hygienic for employees, and help you redesign your workplace.
While you may not think that radical changes to your office are possible, architects have years of experience working with limited spaces, difficult spaces, and all different types of workplaces. From huge open-plan offices to crowded retail stores, it is possible to create a safe workplace for everyone.
For more information about how we can help you with COVID-19 workplace health and safety, or if you have any questions about commercial architecture, please contact us today. Discover why so many people in New Jersey choose us as their trusted architect for both commercial and residential projects. We look forward to hearing from you.