In this post, we want to ask a question: When it comes to office renovation design, is renovation really the only answer in response to the government's new guidelines on workplace safety? Of course, retrofit projects are a viable option, but is there another solution that means businesses can prioritize security now and in the future, while still being able to create spaces they love, want to enter, and be inspired by? Our experts think so – because dealing with COVID shouldn't mean compromises on design.
First, let's clarify the definition of retrofit and the meaning of retrofit space...
What does office renovation mean?
The dictionary definition of "revamping" means to provide something with components or accessories that were not installed during the manufacturing process. Take a simple example – this could mean adding a DAB radio to an old vintage car. In the case of a workspace design scheme or office renovation, this means attaching a layout or furniture within it in some way to improve its style or function.
In cases unrelated to COVID, businesses may modify their work environment by adding suspended ceilings or partition walls to office renovations. On a smaller scale, this could mean adding extra components to a chair or table to make it more ergonomic, or adding height-adjustable furniture to make the work environment more inclusive.
How to renovate a workspace to make it safe from COVID
As we mentioned above, the practice of office renovation can be used to create a government-approved workspace where employees feel safe and comfortable as restrictions continue to relax. This is an effective way to address steelcase's "now" mentioned in the navigation next guide by assessing density (population), geometry (configuration), and partitioning (barriers and social distance) within the space.
Renovation methods that can be used for office renovations include:
1. Sneeze shield and desktop protective screen solution
2. Optimize the use of outdoor working environment
3. Rethink the spatial configuration and increase the distance in the seating arrangement
4. Signs and pathfinding to perform a one-way system around space
However, as we said at the beginning of this blog post, our experts believe there may be another way...
Retrofit or no retrofit?
While these options are all feasible and available to you, our experts recommend that you don't need to navigate the next step through the retrofit process. Retrofitting under COVID safety has the potential to cause workplaces to be aesthetically unattractive, detrimental to collaboration, and reversing over a period of months can be expensive to reverse in a matter of months without the precautions requiring exactly that.
Installing screens on tables, moving floor boxes to accommodate new configurations, and organizing storage space to accommodate spare furniture to help reduce capacity are all avoidable measures. Protective screens have their purpose, and if you want them to be part of a future-oriented plan to prevent infection control, then be sure to make them permanent fixtures. However, for some, the implementation of sneezing shields and shields for the foreseeable future is not an attractive option. This can also lead to a large amount of scrap.
So, what are the alternatives to office renovations?
Normalization of work from home – Businesses around the world have benefited from remote work, and the most successful will be those that can embrace this. The benefits of sharing physical workspaces and face-to-face collaboration are equal in importance, but the response to COVID-19 tells us that there needs to be a better balance, increased flexibility, and more agile work.
Develop a phased strategy for returning to work – Normalizing work from home means you will also be able to successfully organize a phased return to work. This responds to the addressing of workspace density without having to radically alter the physical environment itself. Create an occupancy rate so that the workplace where the office is renovated will naturally have more space (and distance).
Update your company culture – these are the new ways of working – employees are remote and collaboration is done over video calls. As a business owner, it's time for you to re-educate and reposition your company culture to retain employees and continue to attract talent within your industry. Employees will now have new office renovation requirements, and it is up to you to meet them.
Doing all of the above means you can design and create the workspace you want, while still keeping your employees safe and promoting their physical and mental health. It also means you can avoid the cost of retrofit programs and the impact of any direct changes or discarded products within a few months.