Just a few months ago, the idea of keeping employees as far apart as possible would have seemed like an odd collaboration strategy, but these are strange times. At Serraview, we get to work closely with Corporate Real Estate leaders as they adapt their spaces for physical distance and plan their big returns.
Remote work has been a revelation for many, but some things are best handled in person, especially when productivity depends on essential workplace resources. In response, our customers are keeping a close eye on a possible COVID-19 resurgence, using data and intelligence to reduce risks while employees trickle back into spaces.
All of these stories are worth sharing today, but many of them will be useful for CRE leaders looking ahead at the years to come. In a time when the daily news has many of us running to the comforts of our favorite takeout foods and binge-worthy TV shows, these stories paint an optimistic picture of how companies can rebound with bold thinking on where to take their workplaces next.
1. National Sports Association Drafts Teams Back to Work.
One national sports association has taken a cue from their coaches, and decided to stagger employee shifts by team. “Red Team” employees come in on Mondays and Wednesdays, while “Blue Team” employees can return to their turf on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Serraview helps planners localize teams, identify key areas, and plan from a common reference point.
2. Electronics Company Plays Checkers.
A consumer electronics company that uses Serraview’s solution for searching and booking spaces has decided to jump the risk of infection with a checkerboard strategy. By blacking out every other work station from booking availability, this company is exploring a way to automate social distance into their workplace experience.
3. Energy Company Flips the Switch on Flexible Space.
One Serraview customer that provides regional energy services to homes in the American Mid-West has decided to flip the switch on its plans for flexible space. With Serraview, they had laid out their complete strategy for transitioning to ratio-based seating, but not yet moved into action. Now that their workforce is “flattening the curve” at home, they used this opportunity to flip the switch on deploying their new flexible strategy, which is better equipped to deal with the fluid ebbs and flows of the crisis ahead.
4. Global Media Company Finds the Silver Lining of Flexibility.
If one trend has dominated Serraview clients’ back-to-work thinking, it has been the embrace of flexible work space. With Serraview’s utilization tracking technology, one company established that their portfolio stood at a utilization rate of only 60% before the crisis even began. With a remote work culture now firmly in place, they are now exploring the idea of consolidating around a flexible strategy long-term to reduce the cost of their footprint.
5. Financial Corporation Gets Bullish on Hot Desks.
While many companies are moving towards flexible space, they are also being careful in how they manage that space. One financial organization is looking into how hot desking can help them respond in the event of a COVID-19 resurgence. With Serraview, hot desking enables organizations to keep track of who is sitting where in the event that they need to identify who has been in contact with an infected employee.
6. Bank Gets Smart with Contingency Planning.
A Serraview customer that uses SV Live was able to generate powerful proximity reports at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis to warn at-risk employees of potential exposure. Today, they are making this approach a cornerstone of their contingency strategy should an outbreak reoccur. SV Live uses smart sensors to enable employees to search their colleagues in real-time, as they move throughout the workplace. That same data can tell organizations where infected employees were located, who they came into contact with, and how to reach them.
Are you considering a flexible environment to reduce your real estate costs in the age of remote work? Read our free tactical guide on how to successfully manage the transition.