As many companies begin the process of reopening their locations, there are serious debates about what to do with their work environment. The debate ranges from how you set your office to comply with social distancing measures, and to even going back into their offices.
In the wake of social distancing measures, companies must consider what they need to do in order to prevent infection across their employees. This includes separating desks, moving away from the old school cubicle model and having disinfection and temperature checks at the entrance and limit in-person interaction with customers. This can also mean limiting the number of people who come into the office.
Some companies are considering another step altogether. With the technology available, they see the need for a brick and mortar location redundant and might consider going remote full time. This is what Nationwide is going to be implementing. With a company as large as Nationwide looking to minimize their workforce, there are other employers that might seek the same thing according to Ellen Carney, a financial services technology analyst with Forrester Research. ““This shift will stick, thanks to subsequent waves of the virus and if the inevitable recession is U —not V— shaped,” she wrote in a recent report. Employers, big and small, are questioning whether being in the real estate business makes sense, she added.”[1]
These are the questions that need to be answered as the country comes out of the lockdown over the next several months.
[1] https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2020/04/30/566954.htm
