The Reopening Market: Workplace strategies for confronting the age of COVID-19
Businesses are reopening doors one by one, while individuals click refresh on reality as we knew it before COVID-19. The world economy has taken a hit, but though people are shaken, they are showing up determined. Experts, technicians, and frontline providers are taking the reins to forge a new workplace, where office safety is paramount, and the cleaning crew is the most critical and visible force on the job.
Those employers who welcome their team back to work in under-prepared conditions face a dimmer, more Orwellian outlook. Crowded elevators, packed subways, communal kitchens— even door knobs pose new perils to employees otherwise eager to return to work. Meanwhile, the idyllic co-working spaces that had just begun to replace cubicles appear antiquated from the view we have now.
S Grace Facilities utilizes Electrostatic Sprayer Disinfection to eliminate the spread of deadly pathogens.
Employers who evolve with a more clinical approach to mitigate risk will ensure they do not become the next outbreak epicenter. Their leadership will instill confidence in employees who maintain motivation, and whose improved quality of life manifests with more productivity.
Creating a hygienic office environment begins from the inside and progresses its effects outwards into the community. Employers reframing their game plans will begin by first educating their employees and outlining new structures, protocols, and expectations. Once the team is squared and ready, the business will lead its community through these unprecedented times and beyond.
It’s a new landscape for most, but not all. Our professional disinfection services hold the key to a workforce refreshed by change, not stunned by it.
At S Grace Facilities, we often see how opportunity exists in chaos. It’s just one of the reasons why we go where no other team is willing to. Our fleet of highly specialized forces coordinate to remediate, disinfect, and protect in even the most remote communities nationwide.
As a collaborative effort with diverse, industry leaders in technology, commercial real estate, health, and more; we’ve organized the following depiction of a changing workplace to expect.
Health & Continuity: On Promoting Safety, Health and Wellness:
Businesses will reunite with workers who are skittish but prepared to alter their habits and routines. In return, they’ll expect total, visible assurance of a safe, hygienic workplace.
Throughout the space, workers will see clear visual displays of updated CDC regulations. Resources for improving overall health and wellness will also be accessible and encouraged to all employees and visitors.
All work environments—whether owned, leased, flex, retail, labs, or manufacturing facilities—will need a well-delineated Health & Continuity Plan. Its pivotal implementations include:
Federal, State, and Local government standards and qualifications needed to operate the space.
Protocols for collecting data on employee travel plans once travel becomes more routine.
How to communicate about employee identification of personal health matters.
Provide new levels of accessible health screening.
Set mindful work schedules and social distancing standards.
Adhere to cleaning & disinfection regimens.
Offer plentiful health & wellness essentials and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies.
Post visitor and access measures clearly.
Implement impactful air quality enhancements.
What Does A Rolling Re-Opening Look Like?
Rolling Reopening
In a climate where one infected employee could endanger the entire team; lessons taken from some Asian markets indicate how returning employees to the workplace at full-throttle poses an avoidable risk.
Rather, a thoughtful and staggered approach to reopening facilities will enhance public guidelines for social distancing, and soften the strain of new workplace protocols on employees and those overseeing them. In addition, alternating workday schedules will prevent buildings from becoming over-occupied.
The open floor plan concepts that were a staple of many flex office operators have some added challenges to confront before reopening. Innovative, office disinfection concepts like the self-contained, full-service spaces by Breather, allow companies to secure a modern and hygienic space of their own, without the risk of contamination from other groups.
According to Colette Temmink, the President of Eden Technologies and the former global head of IFM at Cushman & Wakefield— "the future will require flexibility in facility services and in turn companies who deliver those services. As companies re-occupy space in phases, this flexibility will include quick changes in scope and delivery."
Staggered Schedules & Remote Work
Before COVID-19, the perceived luxury of working from home was reserved for a small percentage of the workforce. But for the past four months, the vast majority of those still employed are doing just that.
Sure, there are perks to working in pajamas; but several surveys have shown that most employees would still choose to work from the office. Considering the number of distractions they face at home, it makes sense— children who are now homeschooled, roommates who’ve lost their work, and all the creature comforts of home.
Where there is flexibility to work from whichever space is most comfortable, there will also need to be clear expectations for employees who’ve gone remote.
Implementing conservative policies that improve morale and assure safe, clean workplace accommodations- like staggering lunch breaks and alternating workdays- are just a few modifications employers are considering to maintain safe social distances.
Amped-Up Protocols & Re-Framed Budgets
Building stakeholders— both occupiers and landlords— will need to overhaul their workplace’s Standard Operating Procedures. Any heightened levels of disinfection cleaning services, PPE, and vital supplies will be outlined in the addendum.
One can expect to make budget accommodations for:
Enhanced disinfection cleaning services.
Protocols and procedures, such as temperature screening and walk-through disinfection chambers.
Enhanced indoor air quality measures and purification tactics.
Increased PPE quantities of supplies— including hand sanitizer, wipes, gloves, masks.
Technology associated with the reconfigured work environment: tracking technologies, touchless technologies, and video camera analytics.
Health-Essential Sanitation Kits, like those supplied by S Grace Facilities, for employees preparing to reenter the workplace.
Global Supply Chains Broken and Rebuilt
In the last fiscal quarter, global supply chains have cracked in ways unrecoverable. In the United States, a seismic change of sentiment has surrounded the need for increased manufacturing on American turf rather than relying on China and other Asian markets.
Peter Doran, the former President of Newmark Knight Frank’s Global Occupier Services platform shared that “supply chain strategy thinking has taken a right turn, large scale change is not off the table – decoupling from China in fact is a key issue that has to be played out,” and for all global occupiers of real estate.
The American Chamber of Commerce, taking notes from a recent survey by the National Review, reported, "a shifting business attitude around China," and that while, "66% of 70 U.S. companies had said in October that breaking from China was not possible, the number had shrunk to 44% in March." Furthermore, countries like Japan have previously suffered as a result of using a ‘single source supplier,’ and are taking steps to diversify their own supply chains.
Demand for critical disinfectants, PPE, and more continues to outstrip supply. Large, industrial scale distribution platforms like Daycon Products—the supply chain backbone of the janitorial industry in Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York— have tripled their production capacity. Daycon Products CEO, Howard Cohen, has helped source millions of units of PPE for the company’s vital health care customers, landlords, and global corporations, along with some pertinent government agencies.
What Changes Are Expected In Operations?
S Grace Facilities, Bio-response technicians electrostatic spraying disinfectant at client headquarters.
Elevated Cleaning & Disinfection
Historically, maintenance personnel have played a specific role in the critical mitigation and sanitization of pathogens, bacteria, and viruses in healthcare and other high-contamination facilities. These workers will be among the workplace’s most critical— handling the remediation and prevention of viruses like COVID-19.
Workplaces will command far more stringent, clinical-grade cleaning methods, while standard janitorial companies will need to upgrade their services to hang onto their clients. Building owners and tenants who continue to employ these base-level janitorial services must verify PPE certifications and compliance their compliance with updated training. Certified technicians equipped with cutting-edge technology and commercial-grade disinfectants will otherwise become the norm.
These EPA-registered, commercial grade disinfectants are effective in fighting the spread of viruses like Coronavirus through an Electrostatic spraying application. This highly specialized process was originally developed for GMP environments— such as food processing plants, and biotech clean rooms.
These new cleaning and disinfection services will need to be carried out periodically, consistently, requiring increased staffing in vulnerable zones like restrooms and communal spaces. Existing cleaning specifications will increase in level and frequency of electrostatic spray applications. Technicians will pay particular attention to touch points— or, high traffic zones like elevators, handles, communal and conference areas. Restrooms that are typically serviced 1-2 times each day will require hourly attention.
The highest level of protection against deadly viruses is accessible through only such companies as, S Grace Facilities— whose specialists deploy leading-edge technology to touch zones, desks, restrooms, conference rooms, and each unthinkable crevice.
Technology to look out for when partnering with Disinfection Specialists:
Gold Shield Technology - A patented cleaning technology that fights airborne pathogens for days after its application. This disinfectant creates a surface-coating, which prevents re-contamination from occurring by air recycled through a space.
Antimicrobial Shields - A molecular bonding technology applied to surfaces between applications of Electrostatic sprays. These shields prolong the efficacy of the antimicrobial defense from 7 to 30 days, and are enhanced by a process of foggers.
In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, facility experts at Atalian/Servest have seen a shift in how their employees are viewed as a more visible workforce by their clients. These same occupiers and building users will want to see the physical nature of the disinfection cleaning service in action, to give them the confidence that their wellbeing and safety is on the front of their employer’s mind.
Training & Field Testing for Pathogens
Occupiers and landlords are advised to only work with professionals who can properly disinfect and remediate bio-pathogens. The World Health Organization has provided training and certification resources for contractors, and the Global Bio-Risk Advisory Council has created a certification for the, “Certified Bio-Forensic Restoration Specialist.” The training for this certification demonstrates a capacity and technical competency to disinfect facilities and equipment by service providers.
In-field testing for COVID-19 virus antibodies on surfaces and physical assets will be as critical as testing individuals. Several advanced field testing devices, such as Hygiena’s System SURE Plus, are designed for convenient, swab testing and remote analysis, anywhere it’s needed.
Adenosine Triphosphate- or ATP- is the energy molecule found in all living things. A surface without ATP, is a surface clean of harmful viruses and bacteria- making it a perfect indicator when determining if a surface is contaminated.
By measuring ATP, technicians ensure that biofilms do not develop on surfaces, which could affect the coverage and quality of the disinfection. ATP tests can be used to take random samplings in facilities, and allow service professionals and occupants to better mitigate virus spread in those most impacted areas.
Employee Requirements for Workplace PPE
The CDC asserts that COVID-19 is an airborne pathogen that can be protected against, in part, by the use of facial masks in public and shared spaces, along with plentiful supplies of PPE for employees on behalf of their employer.
Many large employers anticipate providing daily and weekly employee “health kits,” with a personal allotment of PPE materials for each employee. Standard Health Kit PPE, such as those made available by S Grace Facilities, include:
Surgical masks and gloves.
Respirators and infrared thermometers.
Widely dispersed hand sanitizer, station cleaning supplies, disinfection wipes, and other supplies that promote a clean, safe, and healthy workplace.
Other, notable preparedness protocols will include:
A 30-day supply of disinfectants, masks, and other personal protective equipment for employees and contractors, particularly those responsible for cleaning.
Surgical masks recommended for building occupants and their employees. Not recommended for office buildings are N95 masks. These should only be purchased for medical and healthcare related workers, and those with frontline exposure to COVID-19.
Following a virtual case study performed in Amsterdam by Cushman & Wakefield; what is referred to as, the 6Ft Office, gained notoriety as a strategy for tapering off individual workstations with disposable work-placemats that ensure limited contact.
Contact Tracing & Health Verifications
In the wake of China’s outbreak and the staggered return to work that follows; The Wall Street Journal reported that, “technology titans like TenCent are deploying health-rating systems apps” for their employees. These would grant US employers access to the digital record of each employee in their facility. In the future, vaccines verifications, relevant training, and other health codes will be cited in health badges like these.
To meet this need, a company called Automated Decision created MyWorkBadge— an app for contractors and building occupants that allots each employee a digital work badge with their respective health codes and verifications. When entering a building, this badge is presented to security, and ensures proper, cross-departmental compliance.
Future versions of MyWorkBadge are expected to geolocate employees who’ve come in close contact with infected persons, and grant corporations access to an employee’s personal data anytime they enter the building. In following suit with prevention protocols; vendors expecting admittance will be required to comply with the building’s MyWorkBadge policy.
A Chinese office worker passes a temperature check and shows his mobile phone with his health code to a guard. Photographer: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Infrared Cameras & Temperature checks
Until widespread, instantaneous testing is done on-site, the use of infrared cameras will detect workers with elevated temperatures or symptoms of COVID-19, and are a stalwart defense for occupiers and landlords in stopping coronavirus before it breaches the perimeter.
Infrared camera technology is nothing new. Though traditionally used at nighttime, this technology couples with trace analytics to detect elevated body temperatures. The method is far faster than routinely testing each individual in the facility.
Infrared cameras are the most effective way to detect elevated temperatures when large volumes of employees or visitors enter a facility; but the privacy issues surrounding this invasive and unvetted tactic remain open for discussion.
Purified Air & Enhanced Ventilation
Ray-Air purification technology for commercial spaces with integrated Vital UV that kills the pathogen when air is sucked into its units
Indoor air quality, ventilation filtration, and a stealthy HVAC system are integral components in mitigating the risk of COVID-19 contamination.
Since transmission COVID-19 transmission occurs through an aerosol effect, ASHRAE shared crucial tips for preventing contamination by utilizing air filtration and supplemental air movement:
Change your filters as frequently as possible. They should be properly installed and maintained in their rightful systems.
Lower efficacy filters (e.g., less than MERV 13- according to ASHRAE 52.2, or less ePM1050%- according to ISO 16890-1:2016) are very unlikely to have an impact on air filtration. When properly installed, high efficiency filters will remove particles of sizes respective to the filtration system’s capture efficiency.
All that said, HEPA filters remain a better alternative to MERV-rated filters. HEPA are 99.97% efficient at filtering 0.3 μm particles in standard tests, and their efficiency outshines the performance of MERV 16.
Supplemental air movement and purification applications like Atmos Air, and Ray-Air (see photo above), performed high when measured for lasting, indoor air quality. Technologies like Ray-air utilize Ultraviolet (UVC) features, which kill viruses, bacterias, and other pathogens before they replicate.
According to ASHRAE, the entire UV spectrum is capable of inactivating microorganisms, but UV-C energy (wavelengths of 100 – 280 nm) provides the most germicidal effect, with 265 nm being the optimum wavelength.
Dr. Philip M. Tierno, Jr., Professor of Microbiology & Pathology New York University School of Medicine, revealed how, “spaces like airport terminals, where travelers from affected regions may carry a virus, could implement Atmos Air’s bi-polar ionization air cleaning system, as a step to combat the spread of illness.”
It should be noted that automatic filters are un-effective without the simultaneous use of social distancing, isolation of known cases, and hand-washing— all of which are themselves part of a holistic approach rather than the silver bullet.
Photo Credit: Cushman & Wakefield’s 6ft Office Concept
Innovative Designs for Workflow & Social Distancing
Offices and buildings cannot operate in compliance with local and state ordinances without following social distancing guidelines. These guidelines will dramatically impact the once-familiar spaces that employees came to know.
Each building owner’s detailed plan will be different from the next, but they will all reconfigure the physical environment to de-densify and support social distancing practices. Furthermore, utilizing continuous visual communications such as floor pads will always remind passerby’s to “wash your hands,” “wait here,” or, “keep 6ft distance.”
Designers and workplace strategy firms have been at work coming up with design schemes that herald a new era of separation— itself a measurable contrast from the past decades’ focus on open spaces and communal design.
Communications, Safe Distance, and Pathway Signage
Elevator floor indicators provide visual cues for social distancing and maximum capacity.
Leading organizations are tightening the focus on visual communications— recognizing that this will be an ongoing, deliberate, and thoughtful effort- engaging all critical stakeholders across physical and virtual workspaces.
In keeping with social distancing, and providing employees with visual cues; public health campaigns and communication PSA’s will broadcast through workplaces through analog and digital mediums. Constant reminders to wash your hands and stay on top of personal hygiene will be printed on a widespread surfaces and flash across all types of interoffice dashboards, TV monitors, and log-in screens.
Eliminated Communal Gathering Areas
This new era of workplace safety design and operations will deem some at-risk areas as: infection spot. Those to monitor closely include: water fountains, coffee stations, and even refrigerators. Companies are well advised to replace any potential infection spot with vending machines or other inventive concepts.
Industry leaders like S Grace Facilities thrive to continuously innovate disinfection cleaning services to combat workplace contamination.
Elevator lobbies, meeting spaces, and conference rooms will also require ingenuity to socially distance occupants. Collaborators will need new tools more than ever, and rooms reserved for large meetings may be replaced by virtual conference rooms. These could likely take on more VR aspects than the two-dimensional Zoom calls we’ve grown accustomed to.
A Monumental Leap Forward into the Future of Safe Workspaces
As our western economies reopen, we ought to take from China and other Asian communities, which offer a candid glimpse into new realities we will all share.
A recent Bloomberg article focused on the lengths that large, multinational companies are taking to reopen their offices, shared several examples of these strict measures:
Transportation and mass transit have deployed temperature scanning cameras. Commuters must be masked on public transit. Corporate buses and seating are limited- making commuting times longer. Many companies are installing makeshift, disinfection chambers for employees to walk through before entering the building. Once inside the offices, movement and access are controlled with draconian protocols.
This new era will require collaboration, ingenuity, and the wholesale rethinking of industrial work design and operations. There will be cutting-edge tactics and heated discussions to follow surrounding disease-mitigation and the prevention of future outbreaks. Above all else, employers will need to ensure their workplaces are compliant, hygienic, and well-stocked spaces for employees to re-emerge from uncertainty stronger than ever.