Exploring the workplace in a post Covid-19 world: Asia
The sudden outbreak of Covid-19 has resulted in Governments worldwide having to try balancing the saving of as many lives as possible whilst also saving their country’s economy from its devastating impact. The escalation to a global pandemic has resulted to many countries abruptly locking down.
With the UK entering the first phase of easing lockdown, the responsibility that British businesses and organisations are tasked with is not only on how to provide a safe working environment with Covid-19 preventive measures in place, but also reassuring their staff that their working space is as risk free as possible and that they are implementing the best solutions known to date.
In this article, we explore how a post Covid-19 lockdown workplace will adapt, evolve, and how architects and designers can lead the change in assisting businesses to break the norm.
Wellbeing has always been a factor in the design of work spaces
Wellbeing has always been a factor in the design of work spaces
Taking into account such things as acoustics, spacial layouts, ventilation and thermal environment, natural light, traffic flow, finishes (walls/floors/ceilings), security and safety. Covid-19 has however forced the world to re-assess the spaces we share with other people including the workplace – be it the office, industrial, educational or other settings – with the focus on preventing the virus spreading further.
When South East Asia eased their lockdown in April, they introduced the following policies regarding safety at work.
Over in New Zealand, who have achieved a very low Covid-19 death rate, their Level 3 “Restrict” policy implemented on 28th of April interestingly only requires 1 metre distance in controlled environments such as schools and workplaces, although a 2 metres social distance is in place in public spaces. Businesses could open their premises, but not physically interact with customers and take contactless pay methods. As of today (13 May) Level 2 “Reduce” permits most businesses to open to the public, however they must follow public health guidance including in relation to physical distancing and contact tracing. Alternative ways of working continues to be encouraged where possible in New Zealand such as remote working, shift-based working, physical distancing, staggering meal breaks and flexible leave. Businesses are required to maintain good contact registers, or contact tracing records, to document everyone who they interact with on the premises.
The introduction of Phase 1 in the UK today, means that those who can work from home should continue to do so and those who can’t should travel to work if their workplace is open. This includes sectors such as food production, construction, manufacturing, logistics, distribution and scientific research in laboratories. UK’s Phase 2, which at the earliest would commence on the 1st of June, would see non-essential retail reopening as well as some year groups at primary school returning to the classroom.
As with South East Asia, the UK has commenced with easing out of lockdown state by allowing those industries which will enable the kick start of the economy, such as construction and manufacturing industries, to return to work safely. However, thorough cleaning regimes either by fogging or UV-C systems adopted in South East Asia are something we have not yet seen in the UK, be it in public open spaces to offices to retail spaces and educational premises where the build-up of infections is at a greater risk. Could this not help stop the spread of this virus in places where majority of people pass through on a daily basis?
As the epicentre of the virus shifted from South East Asia to Europe, we will look closer to home in our next article and examine the policies, which our neighbouring countries have recently implemented with regards to office life.
As the epicentre of the virus shifted from South East Asia to Europe, we will look closer to home in our next article and examine the policies, which our neighbouring countries have recently implemented with regards to office life.
The same can be said for office businesses – the UK has adopted and issued guidance (“Covid-19 Secure” guidelines published on 14th May) which to an extent reflects similarities such as reorganising of office spaces to offer social distancing or screen protection between desks. Businesses in South East Asia have introduced contact tracing registers to facilitate and to prepare if outbreaks commence; temperature checks have been introduced for those who do return to work. Wouldn’t this help to lower employees’ anxieties?
These are just some of the questions we have been asking ourselves. Yes, the world is treading on unknown territories; however, we in the UK have the advantage of being weeks behind the Covid-19 outbreak and the opportunity to learn from the countries who are weeks ahead of where we plan to be. That is exactly what we are doing right now here at DB3 – keeping a close eye on how the world of workspace design is evolving and the lessons learned so far. Beyond the existing policies, we are innovating ourselves as to how through design we can limit the potential of a second wave and reunite our client’s colleagues in a re-designed work space in which they feel safe, inspired and productive.
Sectors
Sectors
We are represented most strongly in Retail, Sports & Leisure, Housing & Residential, Industrial & Distribution, Data & Technology and many more other sectors.
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