While we can all agree that we’re looking forward to businesses opening back up and people returning to work, we can all also agree that the workplaces we’ll be returning to will be different.
Businesses have overhauled basically everything they do to either support a remote workforce or put their operations on pause for the past two months. It’s very likely that some of their previous business practices won’t even be necessary anymore as they’ve been replaced with recently adapted ones.
But business practices aren’t the only new standard we’ll be facing. With social distancing guidelines likely to be in place for the foreseeable future and the lingering fear of transmitting germs on shared surfaces, companies will have to make significant changes in their locations in order to keep employees and visitors safe.
So what will the “new normal” look like when people get back to the office? Here are some ways businesses are moving forward in the wake of COVID-19:
Operate at a Reduced Capacity
One of the biggest changes we can expect to see in many workplaces is not having every person in the office every day. Rotating in work-from-home days is a simple and effective way to reduce the number of people within a building.
Most companies have already ironed out any issues with their work-from-home systems and have implemented the technology they need for success. For example, AV conferencing systems let remote participants seamlessly integrate with meetings going on in the office.
Take sanitation/cleanliness measures
Most offices will likely ramp up the frequency and quality of cleaning services. Frequently disinfecting surfaces, especially commonly touched and shared surfaces, will make a big difference in the future spread of disease.
Likewise, employees should continue to clean their personal work area with disinfectant frequently, use hand sanitizers, and wash their hands after touching shared surfaces. In some cases, face coverings and masks can be utilized as well.
Encourage social distancing
Social distancing guidelines are likely to be in place for the long-term, including when people return to work in offices. You can promote social distancing by adding dividers and partitions between desks and spreading out workstations.
With the help of an audio video conferencing company, you can take social distancing in the workplace to the next level. You can set up multiple huddle rooms with audio video technology to connect them and allow large groups of people to interact without having more than a few people in a room, taking the place of large conference room gatherings.
Limit in person meetings
For at least the next few months, in person meetings should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, especially with those from outside of your workplace. But with audio video conferencing systems, this won’t disrupt productivity. You can continue to have virtual meetings to limit travel and maintain all of the business and client relationships you need.
But be sure that you have chosen an AV conferencing company that utilizes state of the art equipment to make sure your audio and video quality match that of an in-person meeting. This way, everyone involved can stay safe without sacrificing time or productivity lost due to set up, poor connections, or poor audio quality.
Go the extra mile
Some companies will be going above and beyond these measures and implementing brand new technology to help them deal with lingering traces of the coronavirus and protect them from contagious disease in the future. One way businesses are doing this is by installing thermal cameras that automatically detect body temperature as people enter the building, triggering an alert for anyone who has a temperature above your set threshold.
You may think that this is a great idea, but too difficult to implement in your company — but that’s not the case. The technology might be right under your nose. For example, IVCi is a video conferencing company, but has also partnered with several manufacturers to provide quality thermal camera solutions that can be suited to your business needs.
Even if right now there’s no way to tell exactly what the new “normal” will look like, we do now that eventually businesses will move forward in the wake of COVID-19. And with the help of the right technology, they can do so in a way that’s safe, productive, and futureproof.
