Retrofitting Your Office for Social Distancing

The principles of good office design have changed drastically as COVID-19 has spread throughout the United States. Now, as workplaces reopen, you may find yourself wondering how to enable your employees to practice social distancing in the office. While you could always invest in the stylish—and expensive—new furniture produced by brand-name manufacturers, keeping your staff safe doesn’t have to break the bank. Instead, consider:

Strategic Partitions

One of the simplest ways to retrofit your office for social distancing involves investing in partitions. When installed around workstations, office partitions help limit the spread of small airborne droplets capable of transmitting COVID-19 amongst your employees. When investing in partitions, consider:

• Flexibility – As you and your employees return to the office, you’ll likely find yourself needing to adjust your partitions in order to better accommodate a new workflow. Adjustable or movable office partitions provide much-needed flexibility.
• Transparency – Studies show that natural light impacts morale and productivity. So, consider choosing transparent or translucent partitions to maintain a cheery atmosphere while you implement social distancing protocols at your office.
• Maintenance – Since disinfecting your workplace is more important now than ever before, make sure your new office partitions feature easy-to-clean materials like glass, acrylic, or laminate.

Workplaces featuring cubicles could also benefit from additional partitions. Even the tallest cubicle walls are shorter than your average person, which leaves surrounding employees vulnerable when a person stands up at their workstation. Installing screens along the top of cubicle walls can solve this dilemma.

Intentional Organization

In addition to investing in office partitions, you can also rearrange your existing office furniture in order to help your employees practice social distancing. Staggering workstation placement or seating can allow your staff to maintain a six-foot distance between themselves and others. Additionally, make sure that your employees won’t need to directly face each other when carrying out their daily tasks.

Are you ready to equip your office for success by enabling your employees to practice social distancing? Contact Ajax Business Interiors today to learn more about the office partitions and cubicles we install across the Tampa Bay area.