NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – With stay at home orders being lifted and reopening phases on their way, some employees will soon be back in the office. The workplace certainly will not look the same as it was before the pandemic started.
WCBS’ Steve Scott spoke with New York Times business reporter Natasha Singer about some of the social distancing rules and health checks that must take place as employees get back to work.
Singer speaks about tech companies, like Salesforce, that have created the model of an open floor plan, with areas in the office comparable to a living room space.
“It’s going to be more hospital-like. You’re not going to have big jars of gummy bears where you can stick your hand in. You’re not going to have these kind of sectional couches where people huddle together to collaborate,” she explains. "You're going to be wearing a mask, they're going to be taking out desks and furniture and you're going to be spaced far apart."
Singer also talks about software that schedules people in staggered shifts. Salesforce will be giving people an E-ticket with a time to arrive so that there will not be too many people waiting for the elevator at the same time.
“These huge elevators will only be allowed to have four people in at a time and you’ll stand on your assigned spot in the elevator. You can’t talk on the elevator because you might spread germs,” she explains. “It really changes the nature of going to the office because you will be much more separate from your colleagues.”
Companies may also implement a new term called “hoteling.” For example, an individual may come into the office three times a week with a specific amount of co-workers and will “check-out" on the days other employees come in and replace them.
“A hotel is a place you go for a specific period of time for a specific purpose and then when you leave, you take all your stuff with you. You’re not going to be keeping your stuff on your desk anymore because they’re going to need to clean it,” Singer says.
Many companies have taken on this open floor plan that will now need to be redone. Desks and tables will be moved so that colleagues are always at a safe distance away from each other.
The workplace, for now, will no longer be a place where co-workers closely gather together 5 days a week.
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