Moving an Office Space During the Pandemic

Why moving an office space during the pandemic can be a tough task and how you can make it more efficient

Never would people have imagined that suddenly one day, something as powerful as the COVID-19 virus would strike the world and send people running to hide in their homes. Everything from the economy and healthcare, to employment and education among a thousand other sectors, was faced with countless challenges owing to the same.  

The business world was plunged into darkness as well, as people struggled to go entirely remote. With offices being functional except for in places where lockdowns are in place, it is highly important to take necessary precautions to stay safe and prevent getting affected.  

With that being said, if your business is functional and you need new office spaces or if you’re looking to move your offices during the pandemic, it can be a tough task.  

You can work on making the entire shifting process easier for your business and your employees by bearing in mind a few pointers. Let’s take a look at how you can make moving an office space during the pandemic more efficient.  

Choose Your Model 

Depending upon the business type and requirements, during- or post-pandemic office models can be segregated into three main categories: 

Entirely on-premises

An offline model where the number of remote workers is minimal (often only people who are affected by the virus).  

Most businesses resorted to an on-premises office model before the advent of the pandemic, where both company leaders and the workforce had centralized principal offices that were permanent. These permanent offices soon started going off trend and short-term office spaces suitable for the pandemic came into existence.  

Hybrid model

A combination of both on-premises and remote workers depending on the role the workers play in the business. Businesses that exist now, starting from big tech companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google to new emerging startups, follow the hybrid model.  

This is where part of the workforce works on-premises and the other part works remotely. Huge companies still have their permanent offices, but new businesses are struggling to find proper office spaces, which led to a spike in the coworking spaces/managed office spaces culture.

Look for Enterprise Solutions 

Managed offices or coworking spaces could probably be the most efficient option you can go for, to move from one office space to another during the pandemic.  

Here’s how coworking spaces work best for you: 

Coworking spaces are office space rentals where workers from various companies come and work together under a single roof. With buildings that come with already equipped furniture and technology, you save money and time in choosing the best one for you. They provide high flexibility in the sense that if one office space doesn’t work for you, you can always move to another one. 

Prove That the Building is Healthy 

Office workers have seen remote work and the culture of work-from-home being efficient and they do not want to work in unsafe environments when they can get the work done from the comfort of their homes. Proving that the buildings you are opting for are healthy and safe for them can help attract the right talent.

Ask for proof from your coworking service providers too for the same. Improve the company culture by adopting new and relevant rules like distancing and alternate workdays. Check the temperatures of your employees every day and encourage them to wash their hands and sanitize often. After all, what are offices for if not for the employees?  

Make sure your hiring team represents diversity

Inspecting the bias of your hiring team is only one part of the process to building a more diverse recruiting strategy, and ultimately a more diverse workplace. With a more diverse hiring committee in place, your company can build a more open, intentional hiring process that welcomes a variety of candidates.

The tricky part is that, in many companies, the hiring committee sits all across the company — not just within the HR team. That means people in middle management, entry level positions, and company leadership all play a role in the hiring process. In the best case scenario, these people involved in the hiring process also represent different age groups, genders, backgrounds, and personalities.

With different backgrounds involved, candidates will feel more welcome and seen — and bias is less likely to play a role. However, in addition to the diverse hiring time, those involved in the hiring process should have diversity and inclusion training.

Be Honest, Show Compassion and Be Sensitive with Employees

Let your employees know why you’re shifting, how the culture might change, and tell them the whole truth about everything to enhance employee retention. Show compassion to them because times are hard and they’re struggling with so many things like losing loved ones, adapting to staying indoors, and handling work stress. Burnouts are happening more often now and it’s important to cut them some slack.  

Meeting deadlines will take a backseat when they’re stressed and communicating every step of the way will help curb this issue. Check-in with employees from time to time, make sure they’re doing okay, and provide the required equipment if need be.

Final Word 

Hunting for and renting out traditional office spaces is a thing of the past. Coworking spaces that provide high flexibility and can accommodate all types of businesses, be it small or large, are here to stay. If you are looking to move, this is the perfect chance for you to jump on the bandwagon and opt for the safety of your employees too.  

With the aforementioned pointers, moving office spaces becomes easy and you can also make sure that your business grows and moves up the ladder to success. Happy shifting!