Are we ready to go back to work and embrace ng "new normal" at our respective workplaces? As community quarantine restrictions are being lifted (or eased out to some), organizations will begin to bring workers back into the physical workplace.
Cushman & Wakefield has released its "Recovery Readiness: A How-to Guide for Reopening your Workplace," a comprehensive guide for real estate tenants and landlords on reopening workplaces as stay-at-home (community quarantine) restrictions are lifted. The guide outlines some of the best thinking and practices compiled across the globe. The recommended practices and protocols already have been implemented at locations across the globe with tremendous success.
The guide was developed by Cushman & Wakefield's workplace experts and researchers with quick and customizable solutions that are cost-effective to implement. In creating the recovery readiness guide, the firm leveraged insights and best practices from moving 10,000 companies and nearly a million workers back into 74 million square meters of buildings it manages in China through a joint venture with Vanke Service.
The global real estate services firm will help the landlords and corporate occupiers it advises in the commercial and retail sectors on how to transition back to their respective workplaces when the controls on movement ease further.
"There is a need to re-assess the occupancy strategy and the associated costs over the long-term as this will entail additional capital expenditures to both the tenants and the landlords. Coming back to a constrained economic environment, most of the occupiers will need to re-structure their operating business to fit into the new business normal environment. In order to comply with government regulations at the minimum, enhanced sanitation measures and reducing workspace density need to be considered. With improved spatial planning to enhance safety and wellness and make efficient use of real estate, occupiers should leverage this window of opportunity to plan ahead and save in the long-term," according to Claro dG. Cordero Jr., Director and Head of Research, Consulting & Advisory Services, Cushman & Wakefield Philippines.
Following the guide, the company created its Recovery Readiness Task Force (RRTF) and launched its new social distancing product called "Six Feet Office" outlining the following workplace readiness essentials:
Prepare the Building – implement cleaning plans, pre-return inspections, and HVAC and mechanical checks.
Prepare the Workforce – create policies for deciding who returns, shift/schedule management, and employee communications.
Control Access – enforce protocols for safety and health checks, building reception, shipping/receiving, elevators, and visitor policies.
Create a Social Distancing Plan – follow guidelines for decreasing density, schedule management, and office traffic patterns.
Reduce Touch Points & Increase Cleaning – implement open doors, clean-desk policy, food plans, and regular cleaning of common areas.
Communicate for Confidence – recognize the fear employees may feel in returning, communicate transparently, and listen/survey regularly.
"The 'How-To Guide for Reopening Workplaces' is a must-read blueprint for both landlords and tenants on how to successfully navigate the difficult task of returning people back to the workplace in a safe and sustainable way. The recommended practices and protocols outlined in this guide have already been implemented within a number of countries across Asia Pacific, with tremendous success. We are also partnering with several specialist firms that have deep subject matter expertise in relevant areas," according to Matthew Bouw, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield.
Access Cushman & Wakefield's "Recovery Readiness: A How-to Guide for Reopening Your Workplace" via https://cushwk.co/2LUfzrm.