What will life be like when we return to our regular offices? What modifications are required? To be sure, things will not return to normal completely, and employers and businesses will need to examine several variables before employees can return to work securely. Continue reading to see what a workspace looks like in the post-COVID-19 era.
In the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic, many things we took for granted will alter. We are all analyzing and reassessing our lifestyles after the majority of the world has been quarantined to varying degrees of severity.
In our lives, we have learned to recognize what is essential and what is not. In the post-COVID-19 age, our work environments and work habits will alter dramatically, right down to the type of office furniture we use and how we organize it.
Is the COVID pandemic over or just getting started?
Voluntary isolation and physical separation will continue to be the norm until an effective COVID vaccination is developed and widely marketed. Furthermore, researchers believe that the unique coronavirus pandemic of 2020 is not a one-time occurrence, but rather a foreshadowing of things to come.
Antibiotic misuse has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. In the same way, we will see additional zoonotic viruses in the future, such as COVID-19. New viral strains such as avian flu, swine flu, SARS, MERS, and others have emerged in recent decades.
Researchers have long examined — and cautioned about — the rapid evolution of viruses that spread from wild and domesticated animals to humans and then to other humans. The now-famous Dr. Anthony Fauci co-authored a paper in 2011 that predicted the "next influenza pandemic," which we are currently experiencing. We will all be obliged to take those dire prophecies a lot more seriously after COVID-19.
In the post-COVID-19 world, we will observe lifestyle adjustments
More good developments have resulted from the coronavirus pandemic than environmental campaigners could have dreamed for. It has done so far more effectively than the actions or inactions of wealthy and powerful elderly men.
Travel restrictions have made us understand just how unnecessary pre-pandemic travel was. We will most likely travel less in the future and pay more for the travel we do. Long-desired luxury products will be perceived as unnecessary extravagances. The throwaway culture will give way to a more frugal reuse-and-repurpose mentality.
In the post-coronavirus era, there is a need to reinvent workplaces
Without a doubt, the COVID-19 program has swiftly demonstrated possibilities to work from home and apply remote learning in ways that we had not before imagined. This does not, however, imply that offices and schools will become obsolete.
Many changes are predicted in this Forbes article, including teleconferencing, increased reliance on IoT and AI, telemedicine, online shopping, more digital events, and eSports. These either will become the norm or will drastically grow. Maybe not all, but a large number of us will return to our offices and workplaces... albeit in different offices and workspaces than previously.
If workplaces are to return for business, physical distance requirements will have to be applied sooner rather than later. The concept of a large, enclosed workstation with temperature-controlled interiors shared by a large number of people for the duration of a workday will need to be rethought.
It is not just the unique coronavirus that spreads rapidly in these close quarters; the regular cold, flu, and other contagions do as well. These illnesses will not become pandemics because of herd immunity. However, there is still a compelling case for making changes: to safeguard workers and minimize infection rates, hence reducing lost workdays and their impact on productivity.
What will work environments look like after COVID-19?
Close-knit workstations with co-workers sitting for long periods within touching distance may need to be reconsidered. The concept of confined areas with huge groups of people inhaling the same air may need to be reconsidered.
Previously, the number of employees who would share limited workspace was determined by the cost of real estate. There will be more considerations in the future that will necessitate more effective planning and office design. The average amount of office space required per person will rise.
Employers will need to consider reconfiguring office layouts, creating flexible workspaces, and decentralizing activities. Companies will have to spend more money on ventilation and better air circulation in their offices.
Desks and chairs in the office can be adjusted to create a social barrier. Major adjustments to the size and shape of each workstation may also be required. Hand sanitizers incorporated into desks, new air filter designs, outdoor meetings, and plexiglass walls between desks are all part of the plan.
Another key shift predicted by experts is the transformation of the traditional workstation into something completely different. People are increasingly seeing the benefits of electrically controlled desks that can switch from sitting to standing at the touch of a button.
Ergonomics Considered in Workstations
Even in the pre-COVID era, a standing desk was seen to be beneficial to worker health. It aids in the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders that are frequent among workers who are compelled to sit for most of the day. Standing has been shown to lessen the incidence of heart disease and weight gain, as well as chronic back discomfort, as compared to sitting.
Standing, according to some experts, reduces stress and increases mood and energy levels, all of which benefit both the individual and the organization. Aside from the health benefits of a standing desk for each worker, it will also aid in the creation of smart office spaces where physical distancing standards may be enforced more effectively.
Office spaces will feature many more important innovations in the post-COVID-19 environment. The standing desk, as well as other cutting-edge workplace equipment, may become permanent fixtures. One high-quality standing desk worth considering is the 2-Stage Crank Option H1 of FlexiSpot.
For more similar topics, read on and visit FlexiSpot.
