How London’s flexible workspaces are operating safely after lockdown

With businesses slowly coming back to life, and remote workers growing steadily sick of strictly staying at home, co-working spaces such as x+why are safely opening their doors to the new normal of remote work.

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COVID-safe shops and office are beginning to re-open across the country, as the UK prepares for the leisurely unwinding of lockdown measures over the next few months. Although not all co-working spaces are back in business, x+why have been extra cautious to ensure that their spaces remain socially distant, safe and sanitised.

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The government-backed map of co-working spaces suggests that just under 500 London workspaces are currently open. Though some flexible workspaces operated throughout the pandemic, others chose to temporarily close. All have had to make amendments in order for the public to safely and comfortably return.

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These are some of the responsible new rules that have been implemented across the board, ensuring public safety and peace of mind.

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Risk Assessments

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Risks have been thoroughly identified, evaluated and resolved throughout COVID-safe buildings. This means introducing new policies and procedures for staff, including regular sanitation of surfaces, mask-wearing, hand-washing and appropriate distancing, in line with new government regulations.

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Keeping Clean

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Open spaces are subject to regular deep cleans (not that they were particularly awful beforehand!). The cleaning schedule has received a boost, particularly in high-traffic areas. As the office makes a temporary transition from cultured to clinical - sanitiser is freely available throughout the building. Anti-bacterial sprays and wipes have become as common as the office coffee machine.

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The CDC has found that there is also growing evidence of transmission risk from infected persons without symptoms or before the onset of recognised symptoms. This means testing should be available throughout, and those who test positive must isolate accordingly.

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New protocols have been enacted should such an event occur, with many workspaces now leveraging contact tracing capabilities, following disinfection procedures and communicating with all stake-holders. Novel disinfectant technologies like UV light, ionisation, and nano-tech coatings also help to neutralise germs.

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Although less common, ancient methods such as saging the space, leave a pungent aromatherapeutic aroma while also being scientifically proven to neutralise air-bone bacteria.

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Physical Distancing

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Spread of the coronavirus from person-to-person most likely occurs during close contact with an infected individual. Person-to-person contact is believed to occur mainly via droplets of respiratory secretions (coughs or sneezes).

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Everyone knows the 2 metre rule by now. But to be on the safe side, reminders have been placed around many open spaces. Desks and communal areas have been separated and sign-posted accordingly. Distancing doesn’t mean becoming distant. But we’d recommend the air-elbow or in-vogue virtual high-five, over the 2019 handshake. You can read more about the 6 feet office here.

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Sharing Is Not Caring

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Not in this instance. Hot desk members will now find themselves with either assigned or isolated spaces, avoiding the need for desk-sharing. Any shared equipment such as whiteboards or coffee pots should be wiped down before and after-use, just as at the gym.

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Transmission can occur by touching surfaces or objects that have been contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or eyes. Little prompts including signs on hand-washing, distancing and symptoms will help residents stay mindful of the un-instinctual policies of the ‘new normal’.

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One-Way Only

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It might be less convenient, but you’ll have less risk of literally ‘bumping’ into people on the staircase. And can increase your step-count. One-way traffic systems throughout all buildings ensure that everyone is kept as safe as possible.

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Everyone wants to work in a clean space, but never before has this been so important in order to keep our friends, our family and our coworkers safe. Other measures have included limitations on the number of people using elevators, marked floors and hallways, restrictions or re-evaluating the layout in communal areas, reduced capacity of meeting rooms, and postponing large events and gatherings.

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Testing The Tech

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Some of the more Tech-savvy spaces are already thinking about the future and leveraging their current technology. Examples include automatic door openers, smart lighting, and automatic faucets in the bathrooms and kitchen, as well as automatic check-ins, automatic billing and payments.

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Some also allow various integrations should you want to manage your lighting or air system remotely. Flexible workspace operators might want to think about implementing a system through which staff and members can know if a surface, workstation, or meeting room has been disinfected after use. This could be done through an app that people check on their phones, or a colour-coded system.

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This works best alongside the low-tech procedures, including temperature-checking upon entry, mandatory use of masks, special accommodations for any members that may be particularly vulnerable (older workers, people with diabetes, asthma, or any other medical condition), examination of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, revamping the air-filtration system. There should be strict policies for anyone with symptoms to stay at home, even if they suspect it may just be hay-fever or allergies.

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All spaces that are currently open have followed state and local guidelines. While many are looking forward to a return to the office, some may still have reservations about the risks of COVID-transmission. As a business owner of any size, flexible workspaces can bring many potential benefits. Especially when compared to the traditional office. Not only do you not have to worry about enacting the highest level of safety policies, as it’s all taken care of for you, but it could also significantly lower your overheads.

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Co-working still provides some of the most inspiring and productive environments in which to foster new ideas, build and collaborate. There are plenty of local availabilities, significantly reducing the commute. The win-win benefits for both employers and employees alike are making the transition to a more flexible and remote world one of the silver linings of the global pandemic, in the long-run.

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