Only 20% of companies plan to reopen as soon as government guidelines allow, according to research from CBRE.
A further 42% will do so after their internal standards are met, while 72% will conduct a phased reopening with certain percentages or groups of employees allowed in the workplace over the first weeks and months.
In addition, 52% of companies expect to offer employees the option to work from home for the foreseeable future.
CBRE, which studied around 203 company operations around the world and surveyed account leaders in its global workplace solutions business, also found that only 21% of companies planned to allow visitors to workplaces in the early phases of reopening.
While 45% of companies are planning to follow local government and health agencies guidance on social distancing in the workplace, another 34% are setting their own global standards.
Protection measures
Roughly half of the company operations studied are implementing touchless technology to enhance cleanliness and 59% of companies will provide face coverings for their employees.
Mandatory face coverings while on company property will be required by 28% of firms and 13% will screen employees for symptoms of Covid-19 on site. A further 45% will require off-site self-screening for symptoms of the virus before staff are allowed into the workplace.
The most common steps being taken to prepare workplaces are the installation of signage (82%), the establishment of space-use policies and guidelines for social distancing (78%), the outlining of social-distancing zones (74 %) and the reconfiguring of furniture layouts (61%).
“Most of these companies have established their own criteria for when to return to the workplace beyond local and state government requirements. And nearly three-quarters plan to bring employees back in phases rather than all at once,” said Karen Ellzey, executive managing director of consulting and global lead for CBRE’s Covid-19 response for occupier clients.
“With so many essential workers already performing their jobs at commercial properties, there is much that the industry is learning and adapting. At the same time, companies must continually monitor local health conditions as they undertake further reopening efforts.”
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