We are in the midst of one of the largest social experiments of the modern era. With an estimated 57% of employed Americans now working remotely, COVID-19 has shifted the prevailing work paradigm of millions of people almost overnight.
Office restrictions are being lifted right now in a number of states. Simultaneously, the workplace is being described as “one of the most important arenas for epidemic prevention.”
As individuals begin returning to the workplace, employers will need to develop short- and long-term practices and protocols to promote safe working environments but also preserve organizational culture and continued innovation. Users will be expected to quickly learn new and unfamiliar workplace etiquette, just as they have had to adopt a new set of remote work behaviors in the weeks prior.
To help facilitate this transition, IA Interior Architects developed a client and end-user survey to quantify critical areas of concern and consulted with industry leaders to explain how facilities management and workplace experience personnel can best address these concerns.