5 Reasons Why COVID-secure Workspaces Are Essential

The simple truth is that the continuing pandemic has altered the way we work for the foreseeable future. Many businesses, taken unawares by the pandemic back in March 2020, were required to have their staff work from home (‘WFH’). A year on, businesses have now permanently implemented a WFH option, seeing it as an opportunity to review rental costs by downsizing and offering more flexible terms to their employees. Nevertheless, even though vaccines are beginning to be rolled out, we are all, in one way or another, contending with the very real effects of the “Silent Pandemic” of professional and social isolation.

Fortunately, when the first lockdown lifted, many serviced office providers implemented measures to make their workspaces COVID secure, thereby offering their members a reprieve from working from home. Us&Co, for instance, have created COVID-secure workspaces without sacrificing their ethos of fostering an environment of privacy while providing a space for natural collaboration.

This article will endeavour to highlight the main reasons why COVID-secure workspaces are essential for the future of work while dispelling any anxieties you might have about returning to the office

1. Hassle-free Luxury

Even though it falls to everyone to maintain COVID security, businesses are generally left carrying the brunt of the responsibility to provide a safe space for their employees. COVID-secure workspaces like Us&Co take that burden away by enhancing their cleaning regime, increasing airflow, and installing hand-sanitiser stations in strategic and convenient locations throughout their centres. Signage is also displayed to direct traffic flow, and furniture has been removed to allow for social distancing. Us&Co also goes one step further by commissioning anti-bacterial fogging (through the use of a similar product employed by the NHS) of all common and breakout areas to ensure its members are safe from the virus when working from their centres.

2.Professional and Social Isolation

Since the increase of remote working, there have been concerns regarding the loneliness that inevitably comes with being separated from your team-mates. These anxieties, however, are now heightened due to the pandemic. Professional isolation is not just a feeling of loneliness; it is a three-headed beast. When WFH, you tend to lose out on key “resources” such as IT or HR help; “opportunities” as you tend to be out of mind when you are out of sight; and arguably most importantly, “development” as you are stuck in your echo chamber, unstimulated by the success of others. Team-engagement relates positively to performance. COVID-secure workspaces like Us&Co nurture informal conversations and shared experiences which, in turn, facilitates team-engagement and decreases feelings of professional and social isolation.

3.Productivity

WFH not only makes our work more challenging by the very fact that our home environments are not conducive to team-engagement but also impacts negatively on our productivity. Needless to say, our homes were not designed for 9-5 office work. Poor lighting, air quality, temperature, and furniture all negatively affect productivity. Workspaces such as Us&Co are designed to enhance and inspire productivity with lots of natural light, intuitive temperature and airflow regulation and comfortable ergonomic chairs.

4.Private meetings rooms

Many co-working brands offer private bookable meeting rooms specially designed to facilitate team engagement. Us&Co have introduced a ½ capacity rule to ensure you can reconnect and work face-to-face with your team while also ensuring COVID safety. Each room is sanitised before and after every use to prevent any transmission. The rooms are also installed with sound-proofing panels to stop your conversation from being overheard. Click here to view our meeting rooms

5.Seamless Connectivity

Co-working spaces have made it a priority to provide their members with a secure, fast internet connection. For instance, Us&Co members have access to super-fast and highly secure Wi-Fi, the cost of which is fully included in the up-front membership fees meaning that members can host HQ video calls with confidence.

Stratford East London | Co-Working and Offices Space 11 Burford Road E15 2ST

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