As economies reopen and restrictions on various workplace categories subside, more companies are bringing back their workforces. However, the virus remains. Companies are adjusting to “new normal” for employee interactions and the ways office spaces are arranged and managed. In addition to cleaning the air, surfaces, and items, workplaces will also need technology tools to help them manage human interactions without derailing productivity and team bonding.
Cleaner Office Environments
Sanitizing office spaces to manage COVID-19 requires more than wipes and frequent hand washing. Technology will play a key role. For example, some companies offer in-duct air purifier systems that clean the air with safe hydroperoxide plasma that cleans every surface. The machines deactivate the virus from both the air and surfaces to further cut down on inter-person transmission.
A potential virus and infection vector for offices and workplaces such as restaurants are frequently touched items and devices. Some companies offer UV light disinfecting machines that can disinfect tablets, badges, and other high-touch company items. These products safely expose items to UV light that destroys pathogens at the molecular level, freeing them up for usage by other staff members as needed.
Workplaces will also need the services of more specialized cleaning crews and companies that understand how pathogens such as COVID-19 are eliminated, and the difference between “cleaning” and “sanitizing.” Expect cleaning companies to offer data monitoring their cleaning effectiveness, and for companies to analyze this data to find weak spots in cleaning procedures and to weed out cleaning firms that perform poorly.
Collaborative Small Spaces
A new type of workspace that is suited for the challenges of COVID-19 are self-contained movable pods. For example, ZenSpace offers glass-walled pods featuring a range of technology including smart locks, secure Wi-Fi and various environmental controls designed for comfort and cleanliness. Each pod offers integrated screens to share and view presentations and conduct larger-format video conferencing and small-group in-person meetings.
In response to COVID-19, each pod is rigorously cleaned between every reservation booking, utilizing SMS notifications system alerting cleaning staff when services are necessary. The pods are placed on a restricted status until cleaning is complete, when its digital signature changes to a different available status. The cleaning staff working with ZenSpace’s pods are trained to utilize the right cleaning technique and product for various components.
SmartPods are ideal for both temporary and more permanent spaces. For example, they are suited for hotel lobbies and convention centers as well as work-sharing sites where workers might utilize a pod for weeks or months at a time. The pods provide an additional income stream to facilities such as malls or other locations that need additional revenue streams to counteract the COVID-19 downturn.
Managing Occupancy and Interactions
As office buildings reopen and workers return, employers must find ways to manage how their people interact with each other and visitors. Technology tools such as environmental, health, safety, and quality (EHSQ) management software will play a role for handling virus exposure management and risk analysis. This software is also ideal for managing employee absences, planning sanitization and cleaning schedules, travel clearances and processes, and health screening for contractors and other essential visitors.
Companies will require tools for monitoring the number of employees working and congregating in office spaces. Technology tools from various companies like Density and PointGrab use sensors to capture counts of people within a location. This data is compiled in a dashboard so managers can receive alerts about overcrowded spaces, and uncover underutilized areas where employees use for workspace or conference areas. These systems also feature alerts for sanitization protocols, for example it can tell staff when a conference room was occupied more than twice a day and then close that room until the next day after cleaning. This data will also impact decisions about closing or opening communal lunch and break areas or promoting staggered lunch times to better manage crowds for effective distancing.
Other technology tools in development include contact tracing apps. Employers will utilize these applications to determine how close two people interacted in a workplace. So, if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the HR department could use the contact tracing tool to build a list of the other employees who are at highest risk of exposure. This enables the employer to provide much more precise guidance to employees about exposure, so instead of shutting down an entire floor, they can manage risks while allowing some employees to work from home or recuperate as the case dictates.
Workers still need some in-person interaction to foster relationships and collaboration, even if they are working remotely. As workers return, they will be greeted by new procedures designed to reduce the incidence and spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. Technology tools play a critical part in this process, by enabling connectedness and enhanced safety for every person returning to work.
