ACRE / BOMA OFFICE GUIDE
“ We aren ’ t just concerned with company culture , but also how to keep employees productive and safe .”
Christine Horton Principal , Corporate Design Group , Inc .
while 52 % would prefer the office only part-time , combining collaboration with productive quiet time .
Hybrid Schedules and Hoteling
Combining part-time office hours with work-from-home creates what many call a “ hybrid ” work environment . But Mike Cimorelli , president of TI Builders , Inc ., believes that a variation of that concept , which he calls “ hoteling ,” will make more cost-efficient use of private offices . He says that “ instead of wasting space with offices that aren ’ t used every day , two or more people can share an office by reserving the space when they need it , whether it ’ s for one day a week or a few hours a day , just like making a reservation in a hotel ” — a move he believes could reduce leasing costs by 15-20 %.
John Brennan , president of Brennan Properties , which manages commercial buildings throughout the Capital Region , says that “ coming off the heels of the pandemic , people are going to be more cautious about meeting in dense crowds , so leases may require more space . Many architects we are talking to are interested in more private offices and more space as a precaution in case something like this happens again .”
The pandemic has also “ really changed the way we approach designing interior space ,” says Horton , whose firm specializes in designing offices for commercial , healthcare and senior living facilities . “ We aren ’ t just concerned with company culture , but also how to keep employees productive and safe .”
Horton says the trend in recent years for open-space plans without cubicles , desks close together and areas set aside for conversation and collaboration is being reversed . And while an office remodel doesn ’ t always require new furniture , she says “ the pandemic is accelerating changes toward hard bleachable surfaces , the addition of sneeze guards so people can see one another but still be protected , smaller desks placed further apart , wipeable wall coverings , chairs with mesh material that kills bacteria and room dividers .”
These changes , as well as extra janitorial work or improved air filtration systems , can increase short-term costs but pay dividends with employees over the long term , Horton says . “ Responding to what they require to feel valued and safe was always done subconsciously before , but now it ’ s on the surface and decisions like this are all about emotions these days .”
Leo Grover , president and CEO of Pinnacle Emergency Management , notes that his clients , which range from offices and elder care facilities to wineries and restaurants , have taken that attitude to heart , establishing protocols that safeguard staff as well as customers as they prepare for re-opening . A restaurant client , for example , set new procedures that use different staff to handle dirty dishes from those delivering meals to tables to prevent cross-contamination , in addition to masks and sanitizers .
“ Business leaders want employees to think they are being taken care of ,” Grover says . “ They need the buy-in of employees for disinfection programs to work and are taking steps to show that they care about the employees and their families .”
Grover says that even as the pandemic eases , it will be important for businesses to maintain a high integrity of cleanliness that will require the effort of all employees . “ This is here to stay ,” Grover says of the current conscientiousness triggered by the threat of the coronavirus . “ Insurance companies paid out a lot of money because of COVID-19 and are now asking about COVID-19 protocols . If you have a plan , you can save some money .”
Safer Than You Think
Aaron Spencer , president and CEO of Spencer Building Maintenance , has faced down many infectious viruses , from H1N1 to SARS , during his 30 years in the business .
“ Responding to pandemics is not new ,” he says , “ but the sustained time of this one is unique .” That has caused Spencer ’ s crews , which clean several million square feet of offices in Sacramento , to change their focus from the dusting and vacuuming of daily dirt to fighting infection .
Using disinfectants endorsed by the EPA , OSHA and CDC , the company ’ s practices avoid cross-contamination and clean every touch point — from desk drawers to doorknobs — every day . For large decontamination projects , Spencer uses a fogging system with hypochlorous acid , which he notes is 300 times more effective than bleach for killing viruses but safe for humans , to disinfect the air and every surface .
“ Many people aren ’ t going to disinfect their homes as well as we disinfect their offices ,” Spencer says . “ Our biggest objective is to let customers know that not only is their office safe , but it ’ s safer than where they ’ ve been .”
Bill Sessa has been a freelance writer for Comstocks since 2013 . He has received many awards for his writing about the automotive industry and motorsports for national publications including Speed Sport , Autoweek and Performance Racing Industry magazines and for the Napa Valley Register .
78 comstocksmag . com | April 2021