Life Of Cowork After Covid19

As we know, the pandemic has disrupted life and work in many ways. Work life was one of the areas severely affected by COVID19. But since then, work places are coming up with various ways to cope up with it. Working spaces have revamped during the global pandemic. The pandemic has changed the interface of work completely. Likewise the coworking spaces have also changed a lot. Various steps were taken to ensure the safety of the people working in those areas. The changes and progress is still underway. Coworking spaces are starting to adapt new sanitation measures to provide the businesses with safe environments.

Now coworking spaces have turned over and are starting to adapt to new and creative ways to continue working, in the safest possible way, after the COVID19 settles down. Here’s how coworking spaces are adopting to the new ways in the face of this global pandemic.

1. Change In Floor Layout

Coworking spaces are working on their floor layout. They are looking for reassessing their floor plans. When asked about this Kate North, the vice president of the workplace strategy at Colliers International said that, “Every configuration of every floor plan should be adjusted to look at distancing and safety.”

2. Cleaning

In the pre-COVID scenario, cleaning was done only when something was not occupied. But now, visible cleaning on a regular basis has become quite important. This ensures that employees feel comfortable and safe in a shared space. A detailed cleaning protocol with antiviral spraying must be introduced. As people have become aware and alert now, they will not be willing to work at a place which won’t provide proper cleaning facilities. Hence making this of foremost importance.

3. 6 Feet Office Concept

Cushman and Wakefield have worked and brought a new concept of ‘6 feet office’. This concept is to create a safe space and help their clients. This keeps in mind the retuning of the employees to the workplace and rules being made likewise. It has included features like new and improved rules of conduct, unique routine for each office, adapted workstations and optimized shared facilities after having a thorough analysis of the working environment now. It makes sure that the coworking space/workplace is spacious enough and social distancing is maintained among the employees at all times.

4. Technology

The use of technology in coworking spaces doesn’t need human interference at all. Innovation and digitalization in the workplace has got speed up due to the pandemic. Companies are now looking for comprehensive contactless technology and robotic technology to avoid coming in contact with others at all. A complete turnover into an autonomous workplace, by updating the traditional desks with wearable technology, machine learning, AI, and other things is underway. It can be automatic doors, hands-free check-in and smart lighting systems. Virtual workplaces are rising in demand as companies are turning to work remotely.

5. Physical Barriers

The desks can be separated by glass or wooden shields or division of the area into small cabinets can help. With the presence of physical barriers among the employees, the chances of contamination will be the least. Hence they can be kept as a solution.  

6. New Rules

New rules must be introduced which would include compulsory wearing of masks, regular washing of hands, use of sanitizers and maintaining minimum required distance from everyone, among others. Adding these rules into the existing ones will benefit each employee and ensure their safety and the safety of the other employees working with them.

7. Private Spaces

Interactions outside one’s safety bubble, post COVID19 will be filled with fear. Hence the employees and the clients both will avoid having meetings in the open spaces. For this reason companies will prefer having private spaces completely dedicated to them. Hence the coworking spaces will have to make the required changes and convert the open spaces into private rooms as per the demand, to look after the safety of the people.

Some of the existing ways of working in the coworking spaces ought to be changed, when work will resume once again post the COVID19. Some new concepts will emerge, some new measures would be required to taken. Some of the conventional methods that would be changed would include:

8. Shared Desks

Shared desk arrangement in a workplace included a pre arrangement of the desks in which different people would work in different shifts. This eliminated the need for extra unnecessary furniture. But this concept doesn’t seem to work after the COVIDphase. Then, people won’t be willing to work on the same desk someone else has worked keeping in mind the spread of infection. In such time the coworking space will have to put extra effort to sanitise the desks in every interval after each shift ends. May be that can be the only way to keep the shared desks concept going on.

9. Devices

Some coworking spaces provide desktops and other necessary devices to work on and some coworking spaces do not. The spaces which don’t provide the co-workers with monitors, keyboards etc do not have to worry about cleaning the devices. But the space which do provide must keep in mind that they need to take extra care. Proper cleaning of the device after each shift or asking the co-workers to wear gloves while working or throughout the work hours can be considered as some sensible solutions. This will reduce the chances of getting affected by the virus and the co-workers themselves will feel safe to work.

10. Social Distancing

Social distancing or maintaining physical distance is a set of non pharmaceutical interventions or measures to make sure that any contagious disease do not spread.  It is done by maintaining a required physical distance with one another, and reducing the number of times two persons come in contact. Coworking space which has the greatest advantage of increasing the social networking must have to rethink upon this post the COVID pandemic. It has to cut the social interactions and maintain social distancing all the time. In today’s scenario social distancing has become very important.

These measures must be taken after the workplaces start resuming their work. These will ensure that co-workers do not get infected and feel safe while working.

Coworking spaces after COVID19 will definitely witness a rise it is offering a lot of benefits for which the businesses are now looking for. This revolutionary shift to coworking spaces is more accessible, flexible, and affordable. To come to terms with the new normal, flexible, and agile workplaces are more practical. Due to the covid, the coworking spaces will see an unparallel growth and success rate.  The inherent flexibility of the coworking spaces to adopt and adapt, and its ability to nurture and create a strong community alliance coupled with the spirit of determination to tide over these times of despair will bode well for the coworking industry. Hence with the changes that have been introduced, the coworking spaces will maintain their hygiene and prove to be an asset.