COVID-19 has forced almost every business to reimagine their workplace to make it safer for employees. However, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort and make employees feel even more isolated than they already are amid the pandemic. Many interesting office trends combine both safety and comfort, so your workplace can remain modern and enjoyable. Here are some of the best trends to implement.

Defining Personal Spaces

Acrylic Screens\

This one’s pretty obvious. With all the physical distancing rules, you need to provide your employees with more personal space, so they’re not cramped together.

However, if you have a small office space and don’t want (or can’t afford) to relocate, you can install safety screens on every office table and workstation.

Also known as sneeze screens, they will provide the necessary protection while allowing teammates to communicate with one another seamlessly.

This is a much better option than bringing back closed cubicles, which don’t foster team collaboration and social interaction.

Upgrading Open Plan Office Layouts

Oblique Height Adjustable 4 Person Corner Workstation with Fixed Under Desk Pedestal

Open plan office designs are not exactly a new office trend, but they’re becoming a norm these days.

You need to create a safe and convenient traffic flow around the office so that no one gets in each other’s way. That goes for conference rooms, lounges, the kitchen area, and any other area in your workplace.

Some of the best pieces of office furniture you can use in an open plan office layout are height-adjustable corner workstations. They can accommodate different ergonomic needs of employees while fostering collaboration and ensuring their health and safety.

Reimagining Breakout Areas

Versis Medium Back Armchair

Breakout areas were always the best spaces for brainstorming, resetting, and strengthening relationships with teammates. Their purpose is still to help employees relax and recharge their batteries, so they shouldn’t make them feel as if they were in a sanitized hospital room.

The answer lies in bringing in residential elements, such as couches, acoustic lounge seating, ambient lighting, more natural light, and greenery. Those elements help employees unwind, reduce stress, and feel right at home.

Plants may help purify the air, but don’t forget to install the right tech to improve the airflow in your office space.

Conclusion

There are many more office trends that you can follow to promote health, wellness, and safety in your workplace. These are just excellent trends to start with, but make sure you explore other ways for making your office COVID-ready. And even after we finally wave the pandemic goodbye, your office will look modern and spark creativity and collaboration.