From time immemorial, the personal distance between co-workers in the office arena plays a significant role in employee output. Think of it this way: how comfortable does one feel working when others neighbor their space? As long as an employee feels comfortable without intrusion even when you are lean on office space, you can be sure productivity becomes a top priority.
Apart from considering different employee levels and job descriptions, distance has also become a constant feature after the outbreak of COVID-19, especially in the office spaces. Consequently, it became mandatory to uphold sufficient distance to enhance safety and minimal possibilities of infection spread. If you face an uphill task in maintaining the distance between co-workers, the guide below will help you implement effective strategies.
Limit the High Traffic Areas
It is common to have a high traffic area in the office. It can include places where workers frequently access or even where several people use it at once. In such a scenario, it is paramount to ensure safe physical distance remains a priority.
Therefore, you can remove employee desks and chairs around such places and relocate them to other available areas. Alternatively, you can also remove any hindrances like furniture which may come in the pathway, thus limiting mobility, further translating to having more employees at the same time at once.
Additionally, you can also create systematic routes and pathways from one point to another that will limit physical interactions before one arrives at their designated working space.
Choose Closed Over Open Office Layout
Over time, implementing an open office layout has increasingly become a go-to approach in most offices. It is a suitable preference thanks to its cost-reducing features and ease of interactions among employees, especially those with the same duties. However, as it is synonymous with the two sides of a coin, you will have the cons of having an open office layout with lower productivity.
In such a scenario, the distance between co-workers sometimes becomes problematic anytime an employee feels a personal space invasion. Therefore, if you have no limitations on resource allocations or office space, it is advisable to implement the closed office layout.
Install the Dividers
Sufficient distance may be quite problematic thanks to smaller office space while you have a bog workforce. However, no matter the number of workers, available office area, and even resources available at your disposal, you no longer have to worry about maintaining healthy boundaries.
Perhaps you have limitations on adopting closed office spaces. But wait, there’s more. Thanks to desk dividers, you can maintain proper distances between co-workers, even among an open office layout. Ideally, you can choose the desk screen with different considerations on the dimension, shape, and even color.
If you want a color pop of life illuminating your offices, you have the freedom to play around with bright colors. On the other hand, you can also opt for the laid-back monochromatic looks if you are a bit hesitant about doing shouting colors. Additionally, you can also use the dividers to minimize any noise interferences that may limit concentration, affecting productivity.
Another attractive feature to love about the dividers is the consideration to play around with your budget. Whether you want a premium product when you have the financial capability, there is something for you. There are also numerous dividers to choose from on budget offers if you have lean financial resources.
Irrespective of the layout you choose, when you intend to have proper distance, it is critical to upholding some fundamental considerations. Ideally, always consider the maximum number of seats you can have in a specified area. Additionally, you can also limit physical meetings and put up virtual ones to accomplish the purpose.
Remember the Common Areas
When you have numerous employees, it is unavailable to have common areas. It may include conference rooms, kitchenette areas, and even dining sports where employees converge to take their meals. In such scenarios, you can create schedules that will limit the interactions by having shifts when accessing the area.
The shifts can cut across different employee levels by allowing them to use the common areas at a specific time. You can also put up signage posts to remind the workers of the occupancies’ threshold in such sites. If you choose to have minimal interactions in areas where it is hard to avoid them, you can eliminate seating areas in such zones. It is also advisable to implement designated walking area spots for each employee. When the need arises, you can implement flexible working hours to ensure rotation to eliminate unnecessary interactions.
Plus, remember the fantastic benefits you will gain from keeping sufficient distance between co-workers. You will have employee satisfaction, which will, in turn, boost morale, and thus improve productivity. In such a scenario, one thing is bound to happen- better business.