Did you know that employers have a legal obligation to ensure there’s an adequate supply of fresh air in enclosed areas of the workplace? And if so, did you know that was the case before the coronavirus pandemic, not a piece of new legislation?
Occasionally people ask us why we are involved in office environments and technical environments such as data centres. Perhaps to some they do appear unusual bedfellows. But as we like to explain, they are just like knives and forks…
Businesses considering how to create a safe post-Covid working environment often have office layouts and occupancy levels at top of their agenda. But an appraisal of all the surfaces your employees are likely to touch should also be high on your to-do list.
Our first prediction for office design trends in the year ahead is that businesses will look to shake up their past use of office space and move to an approach that delivers against their needs – and the needs of their staff – in the post-Covid world.
Back in January 2020 we made a range of rather prescient observations and recommendations relating to designing offices for better air quality and employee wellbeing. Looking ahead to 2021, we thought it worth reiterating and updating some of the key points.
Adopted at a heightened pace due to the Covid crisis, digital technology is now going to play an increasingly important role in the way we smoothly manage and safely implement our projects.
As more and more businesses seek our help with preparing for a return to work, here are five of the most common questions we’re being asked about the post-Covid office.
It’s hardly been business as usual at Procol over the last three months – more ‘busy-ness as unusual’, for we have remained operational throughout and working extremely hard to help our clients remain operational too.
"Ch-ch-ch-ch changes..." sang David Bowie in 1971. And flexibly designed office spaces, equipment and furniture that enable easy ch-ch-changes to meet ch-ch-changing needs look set to be top of the office-design pops in 2020.
"Sometimes... all I need is the air that I breathe...". Those great lyrics by the Hollies were from 1974. But today, the air breathed by workers in many offices is making people ill, so designing for better air quality is a must.
