Changes in the office industry brought upon by the pandemic
Experts have weighed in on what they believe the future of the office space would be. Their opinions differ from point to point, but all agree on one thing – transformation. 

Here are some changes that investors of office spaces are doing:

**Invest in touchless technology** – This type of technology is effective in stemming the transmission of disease because it minimizes contact with surfaces. However, though installing automatic doors, voice recognition and retinal scans are all well and good, for some businesses, this might prove too costly an endeavor. Something as simple as installing automatic alcohol dispensers in the office can already go a long way in helping to curb transmission.  

**Rethink the floor plan** – Part of the new normal is acknowledging that there needs to be sufficient distance between people. The era of the open office, where people work right next to each other with no partition, is at an end – at least for the moment. 

**Mind the foot traffic –** People move around a lot in an office, no matter the size. Certain places tend to become crowded; people bump into each other, groups mingle. To help cut the transmission paths of the virus, look at mapping these networks of transmission and cutting them off, as Harvard Business Review suggested. Take control of the space, be aware of the currents of movement, and take action.

 **Put in Visual Cues** – Maintaining social distancing has been repeatedly hammered into us along with the importance of the six feet of distance. However, people’s spatial awareness varies, and some might not visually recognize if they are breaking the six-feet rule. Having something similar to the floor markers in the Six Feet Office would be helpful. Arrows that point the way foot traffic should flow, and constant reminders on the walls to wash your hands, keep your distance, sanitize, and keep safe will also be a welcome reminder for employees.

**Be Informed –** Nothing is more powerful than information. Keeping abreast of the news and new developments can help you make the right decisions for yourself and your employees.

There are still questions left unanswered - Will the demand for office spaces be the same? How flexible is flexible in the future of offices and the employees?
[{"id": "h15kzlz", "text": "I think the question of \u201cwill the demand be the same\u201d has definitely already been answered. The answer is no. Multi-tenant office spaces are gonna have to become really really creative to rent out everything. I\u2019d be willing to bet the new norm will be mixed use residential/office space.", "replies": [{"id": "h15lyxi", "text": "Yeah I was looking for the \"much less office space in general\" bullet point.\n\nTurns out marketers like to gloss over that part.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "h15li2w", "text": "It's amazing how many articles neglect to even mention better HVAC filtration. The 6 foot rule is a huge misunderstanding based on the distance droplets travel and not based on the distance aerosol travels.  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-covid-19-why-6-feet-may-not-be-enough-social-distance", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "h171p0k", "text": "\\&gt;This type of technology is effective in stemming the transmission of disease because it minimizes contact with surfaces\n\nPlease stop with this crap.  The vast vast majority of Covid spread is not via surfaces.  If you really want to do something to actually stem the transmission let's talk about HVAC filtration.  \n\nBut ultimately this is all very 2020.  Now the issue is office space just isn't in demand any longer.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]