Post-pandemic: Changes will come to the workplace

In recent years, architects and commercial Realtors have touted open-floor offices as the wave of the future.

Now, looking to the postcoronavirus workplace, they are revising their plans for an era in which more than 40 percent of employees could work remotely at least part of the time, according to some estimates.

Mark Creedon, architectural firm Perkins Eastman’s co-managing principal in Stamford, discussed changes that could reshape office life.

How will office occupancy change in the coming months and years?

Creedon: In the first phase, when not everyone will be tested, there will be separation in offices. I think we’ll see very little in inperson meetings — other than two or three people, six feet apart.

Once they start (more testing), I think things will be a little more relaxed. Post-vaccine, I think it will be much more back to “normal.”

How will social distancing affect office sizes?

Creedon: With real estate being the second-largest expense on (companies’) balance sheets, this idea of just automatically having more space for folks to occupy, I just don’t see how you’ll be able to justify that. I think they’re going to focus — at least for the near term — on alternating work schedules and things like that.

Collaboration spaces — I think they’ll still be used, but with fewer folks.

How will office layouts evolve? What types of setups will become more prevalent?

Creedon: It may be slightly higher partitioning, maybe different work-station configurations where there is a buffer zone. Some folks are talking about individual (work) pods. Maybe it’s a furniture solution that’s easily sanitized. And there are air controls. It could be many of these things in combination.