For the past month, life has drastically changed with the coronavirus, formally called the COVID-19, spreading across the world.
People everywhere are being infected from the most prominent Hollywood celebrities, global leaders, politicians, and ordinary citizens. We are being asked to stay home, practice social distancing, wash our hands more often, and disinfect our homes to reduce the risk of infection.
The global outbreak of this virus is disrupting our lives and the economy as well. But, while it brings a wave of negative outcomes, also with it are lessons that allow us to re-evaluate our lives and decisions—and the way we design our homes and office spaces are no exception.
Would Open Spaces Still Be A Thing After the COVID-19?
Open layouts for office spaces were already on the decline even before the virus outbreak and as we realise how important isolation is to prevent contagion, this downtrend is likely to continue in the home and office interior design industry in Singapore.
After the outbreak, everyone will probably think twice about being in a social playground or shared co-working spaces. Therefore, trusted interior designers in Singapore should look into possible solutions on how businesses can create office spaces that allow productive, meaningful collaboration, while maintaining healthy distance within the workplace.
Aside from the anti-open office designs, many trusted interior designers in Singapore predict that office spaces will move toward more automation to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We can look forward to an increase in demand for touchless technology—e.g. automatic doors, voice-activated elevators, hands-free light switches, remote-controlled hotel room entry, among other advanced technology.
In addition to these, we should also look into far more opportunities to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in the workplace. If anything, the virus outbreak should serve as a lesson to maintain a healthy work environment, with or without a global pandemic.
Reimagining the Way We Design Workspaces
Consequently, reliable interior designers should also look into the ways they can apply the certain design standards in healthcare facilities, such as minimising flat surfaces where germs, virus, and bacteria can sit and harbour, and installing ventilation systems to ensure proper air circulation.
While open spaces are discouraged, interior designs should also eliminate doors wherever possible. The same goes for anything that is frequently touched within the workplace, handles, knobs, etc.
Finally, interior designers should encourage business owners to invest in antibacterial finishes, such as copper. While this idea is almost always immediately rejected in the past, given their cost, the case may be different today when cleanliness and sanitation in the office are of utmost importance.
Promoting Overall Well-Being in the Workplace During COVID-19 & Beyond
Whether there is a virus or not, promoting overall well-being in the workplace is important. As the COVID-19 forces you to reimagine your workspaces, you should also take the time to reevaluate how you value your company’s wellbeing.
If you have been reading the news, you would know that workspaces that focus on the play part tend to grab more attention. But, there’s more to these when it comes to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
A reliable interior designer in Singapore should be able to discuss with you what a healthy work environment is supposed to focus on: workplace, physical health, mental health, and relationships.
Workplace - In a conducive workplace, an employee should be able to control their working space, be it changing the temperature or lighting. For this matter, an office space with different desk configurations or settings is ideal.
Physical Health - Your trusted interior design company in Singapore can focus on the physical well-being of your team members by offering plenty of natural light, providing sit/stand desks, or even setting up an office gym.
Mental Health - As for their mental health, you can feature more artwork in the workplace, utilise the psychological effect of colours, or introduce natural design elements such as indoor plants to relax their minds. If you’re a little generous, you can also dedicate a space for relaxation.
Relationships - Socialising at work can benefit your business by encouraging teamwork. This is where probably the fun part of a workplace comes into play. You can introduce the latest technology or games to give your employees something to do together during breaks.
There are many things that can be learned during a global crisis. Who would have thought that it could also teach lessons on how we design our office spaces?
It’s hard not to pay more attention to award winning interior design in Singapore these days, given the fact that we stay inside more often and longer than we used to. After reading this article, the way you see your office interior will probably never be quite the same again.
Do you have anything to add to this article? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
