The Modern Office Environment Post COVID

As businesses reconnect with employees after the pandemic and employees return to work after a long enough stint working from the comfort of their homes, employees have come to realisation of what is most essential to them to perform well.

Apart from a good work-life balance and positive human interaction, employees realise that they perform better and become more productive when working from the comfort of their homes. It is a realisation that is attached to the mental and physical health or condition of the employee and employers have become aware of this fact as well.

These realisations has led both the employees and employer into an absolutely brand new territory where the employees want a better working environment and the experience that comes along with it and it seems that employers are ready to provide it despite the costs.

Being subjected to work remotely during the pandemic has thought the entire global workforce a lot.  Companies were amazed as to how much they were able to reduce costs associated with premise costs and such and were also amazed at the higher productivity levels of the employees working remotely. This was mainly due to the fact employees were able to work in a way that worked best for them.

The only set back was the lower levels of person – to – person interaction and to a slight degree communication. Nevertheless, companies have found numerous ways to overcome these issues and also found elements that kept employees happy and engaged which lead to higher productivity among these things was the element of comfort, amenities and the work environment or atmosphere.

What was clear is that amenities, workspace utilization, ergonomics and the atmosphere (lighting, décor, wall colours and temperature) were important elements that were not prioritised. Among them, ergonomics was seen as the primary element as ergonomics meant comfort and this turned the attention of employers to buy office furniture and equipment that is ergonomic and high quality.  

Apart from good quality ergonomic chairs, there are also ergonomic work tables or office desks that allow the worker to place his or her hands comfortably on the desk/ table in a manner that the elbows are angled at approximately ninety degrees, therefore a tall person might require a desk that can be raised and the opposite for a person who is lower in height.

Having both an ergonomic chair and an ergonomic desk would ensure that the employee’s work place is as comfortable as it can be that also ensures the wellbeing of the employee. Other elements that are almost as important is the temperature that should be kept at a level that is agreeable to everybody in the space and lighting that is neither too bright or too dark.

Aesthetics are also important for employees from a mental perspective and using light colours that are pleasing and décor that is neutral and soft provides employees with comfort that is similar to home. The idea behind the modern office environment is to establish an environment for working that is enticing to employees, making them feel at home when they are in fact at work.