Returning to the office has been a hotly debated topic over recent months as businesses and employees navigate their way back to a sense of normality between the various movement restrictions implemented across the UK.
Following the end of the first lockdown in England in June, many landlords and occupiers responded by implementing measures to allow all or parts of a workforce to return safely. However, which of these measures are short-term fixes likely to fade away once we move past the coronavirus pandemic and how many will become permanent fixtures?
Short-term measures which will disappear are likely to be those directly linked to monitoring Covid-19 such as temperature checkpoints. Measures implemented to support workers wanting to avoid public transport, including extra cycle storage, improved shower facilities and towel services, may well have been arranged on a temporary basis. However, with the wellbeing element of walking, cycling or running to work combined with an established new routine, these facilities could become permanent.
Other new measures introduced are designed to increase productivity and minimise the need for staff to move around the office, such as the provision of food and drinks within the workplace or enhanced concierge services. Given that many organisations locate staff close to amenities, food and drink provisions within an office could be a short- to medium-term trend.
Desk-booking apps were already being used but have been rolled out more rapidly this year with organisations introducing systems allowing staff to secure a workstation. This tech also allows employers to monitor and control office density, which has been an essential factor in returning to the office. With a greater degree of flexible working likely to be integrated moving forward, it is probable that this technology is here to stay.
We have also seen some firms embracing air quality accreditation as the benefits of improving our workplace environment, both in terms of sustainability and wellbeing, moves up the agenda. Some have installed sensors to monitor and improve air quality, which may be another feature that is here to stay as occupiers recognise the benefits of fresh air.
There will be wider considerations and implications of any measures that become long-term fixtures, particularly as many will inevitably have started out as short-term fixes during the pandemic. Whether these changes will be delivered by occupiers or landlords is key.
For example, expanding a building provision for cycle storage will require extra space. If landlords are to provide this service, they need to expand the common parts at the expense of lettable space. Conversely, where occupiers are providing services, the common parts may need to be reduced in size to allow tenants to have more space for these services.
While there have been challenges in creating a smooth and safe return to work for employees, it is clear that some of the measures put in place will have a lasting positive impact on both a building and the sector in the long term.
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