JCV & Associates Project Management and Development Inc. (JCVA) has advised companies from different industries in realizing their visions for their project buildout. Prior to the pandemic, primary considerations were time and costs for most projects that we have handled, but all of that have changed now. Safety and flexibility have become equally important to ensure health of the office users and support a hybrid office set-up.
As vaccination rollout gathers momentum, businesses are now contemplating on how to move forward with transitioning back to working in their offices. There are differing but not polarizing viewpoints as to how we will be working post Covid-19 and given current literature, there is an opportunity to challenge traditional set-ups and usher in more sustainable, wellness-focused and innovative designs.
Many agree that physical office spaces still serve a purpose even after the pandemic with articles, studies and surveys pointing out excellent reasons to keep your space albeit with modifications.
Videoconferencing and web apps have been indispensable to be able to stay on top of operations but there are still limitations to interacting online, “People need to be together to accomplish what is difficult to achieve remotely — building personal relationships, intense teamwork, creativity and collaboration all leading to breakthrough innovation.”[1]
In the Philippines, where data infrastructure is still a work in progress especially in less urbanized locations, employees still prefer to work in their offices to be able to utilize a more dependable internet connection. Offices also offer better facilities like air conditioners, ergonomic furniture, and lighting. Should an employee want to enjoy the same comforts at home, she will have to shoulder the costs on her own.
Work from home set-up has also provided challenges to workers in terms of blurring the lines between work and home responsibilities. Added stress from this has caused mental and physiological strains to employees.
While telecommuting is necessary for safety right now, as we cautiously move forward to economic recovery, companies need to revisit the function of their office spaces and the new needs that must be met before they transition into either a complete return to the office or a more flexible/hybrid remote-office model.
Whatever the scope and resources, with our flexible end-to-end services, we at JCVA are ready to work with companies looking to transform their current set-up or build a new one that can address these very real and relevant concerns.
[1] (McCarthy, 2021)