After an incredibly difficult and seemingly endless two years, it seems like things are finally getting back to normal for British businesses. Well, something approaching normal at least. We all need to recognise that some of the changes we have seen over the last 24 months will be here to stay. It is also important to remember that the return to the office has been highly contentious, and it seems like barely a week has gone by where it has not been in the news for one reason or another. Here are a few things you need to think about.
Choose Your Location Wisely
One of the biggest reasons for companies choosing to have an office at all is to have a central location where they can bring their clients. But these days we are all more aware of our business costs than we used to be. With energy costs skyrocketing, can you really afford to take a brick-and-mortar office space in the city centre? An out-of-town location may be less enticing to your clients, but it may save you a lot of money and give you more space for your employees.
Consider Health And Safety
We are all looking forward to the time when we don’t have to think about Covid anymore, but we have all learned some valuable lessons when it comes to office health and safety. If you are bringing your employees back into the office, then you are going to need to show them that you are taking this issue seriously. Talk to your staff about any health and safety concerns that they might have, and make sure that you are cleaning your offices regularly. VIOA is a fantastic solution for fighting pathogens, germs, bacteria, and viruses. It uses ultraviolet light to disinfect areas in less than ten minutes.
How Green Can You Go?
If you are setting up a new office, this is your opportunity to make green decisions right off the bat. Set up recycling stations and look at the energy certificates of the machines you are using. Find somewhere with good insulation to avoid spending too much on your energy bills and creating a lot of waste energy. You should also find out if your location is easily accessible by public transport or cycling to cut down on the number of employees needing to drive in.
How Many Employees Need To Be In The Office?
The question of when we can return to the office is coming a close second to the question of whether employees want to return to the office. While there are a lot of workers out there who would rather continue working remotely, we are seeing more and more people saying that they miss the office environment. If you are considering taking out office space for your company then you should involve your staff in these discussions. Remember that the Great Resignation is ongoing and you do not want to lose any of your important team members because of this. Find out if hybrid working is something that might appeal to people who do not want to be in every day.