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- Open floor plans will either get more open to allow for adequate social distancing, or they’ll become more divided with installation of higher cubicle walls, plexiglass, or other physical barriers between workspaces. Either way, the square footage per employee will likely increase while the number of workers in the office will decrease.
- Daily contactless temperature checks may become more common with greater availability of equipment options—from screen kiosks with a thermal camera to a dedicated staff person taking temperatures of workers and guests with a handheld, no-contact thermometer.
- Lunchrooms will be repurposed. If people do eat in the office, they will likely stick to their desk. If it’s an option, building owners will create outdoor seating areas for safer face-to-face meetings and meals.
- More offices will use technology to help encourage social distancing. The Social Distancing Safety App developed by the New York-based consulting firm called FROM, for example, alerts workers when they’re less than 6 feet apart.
- Virtual tools will be essential—even after offices fully reopen—for conducting live and recorded video tours, private showings, and open houses. Matterport’s 3D technology is now available through an iPhone app. The reality is agents no longer need an expensive camera to create immersive 3D virtual tours. And offices will offer agents more video gear and even studio space to record professional quality marketing videos.
Source: Nate Erickson, vice president, Transwestern, Minneapolis.