The recent COVID-19 outbreak has prompted businesses across all industries to make adjustments to reduce the risk of virus spread. Aside from requiring masks and keeping surfaces sanitized, companies must rethink their office furniture needs and physical layout before welcoming back employees. Here are a few tips for adapting your office design.

How to Create a Safe Office Space During COVID

1. Switch to Flexible Workstations

To practice better social distancing, many businesses are staggering workdays so only half the employees come into the office at a time. This helps minimize capacity and potential exposure to germs, and it’s also an excellent opportunity to set up flexible workstations rather than designated desks. With flexible office furniture, such as desks on wheels and configurable partitions, keeping adequate space between employees will become much easier.

2. Bring Back Cubicles

While plexiglass barriers may work in the short term to shield employees from one another, a longer-term solution focuses on installing partitions. Cubicles have come a long way in their design from previous decades, and they can be arranged in a way that still fosters a collaborative workplace while protecting employees. They also provide greater privacy and encourage efficiency.

3. Choose Low-Maintenance Furnishings

Even before COVID-19 shut down businesses nationwide, there was an increasing trend toward installing office furniture designed with hygiene in mind. This includes furnishings made with non-porous materials, touchless faucets, antibacterial UV lights and air filters, and self-cleaning surfaces. The idea is to maintain a contact-free environment as much as possible and invest in office furniture that can be sufficiently cleaned without causing damage.

If you’re looking to invest in COVID-friendly office furniture, turn to Facilitec in St. Louis, MO. They offer a wide range of high-quality furnishings for private offices, conference rooms, workstations, and collaboration areas to help promote employee safety and productivity. Their team of corporate interior professionals understands this is a challenging time and will work closely with you to fulfill all your office design, furniture installation, and audio/visual needs. Call (314) 428-4900 to schedule a consultation, or visit them online for more information on their products.