The Office, Transformed

Engaging Workplaces

With the new reality of work post-COVID-19 comes concern about how to keep employees and customers safe. How, then, can we shape our workplaces to be healthy, hygienic, and dynamic, while keeping those who use them inspired, engaged, and resilient?

Two Catena Office Landscape workstations with white legs, a light wood surface, and glass add-on screens accompanied by Sayl Chairs. Port Storage System is featured in the background.

Rethinking Floorplates in the Post-pandemic Workplace

In the post-pandemic workplace, floorplates and furniture need to support agility, as well as promote workplace flexibility, comfort, belonging, connectivity, and resilience. Position desks in opposite directions, and introduce physical barriers between workstations. While it’s uncertain if screens prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19, they can at least create the perception of safety.

Safe Places

In the workplace, the CDC/WHO recommends 2 meters per person, you will also need a minimum of 2 meters between the centerpoint of every chair in the office. If space limitations preclude this, limit desk-sharing, and clean office furniture at the end of each workday. Turn meeting rooms into dedicated workstations and integrate cleaning time between face-to-face meetings.

A collaboration setting featuring a cluster of sit-to-stand desks and a rectangular table from Atlas Office Landscape.

Catena Office Landscape components form three small soft seating spaces enclosed with glass screens and Ubi Mobile Bag Catch accessories.

Privacy Please

Helping create a sense of safety in the workplace is Catena Office Landscape: this mobile partitioning system can be configured as a physical barrier between workstations and more. Built for workplace change, it moves from rectangular to grid to honeycomb configurations with ease. Catena also supports acoustic and visual privacy.

Support Agility

Also change-ready is Atlas Office Landscape, a height-adjustable workspace system whose connected legs enable instant reconfiguration. Shifting between rectilinear, 90-degree, and Z-plan layouts in a flash, Atlas facilitates physical distancing via staggered workstations. When physical distancing is no longer necessary, flip Atlas to collaborative settings.

A zigzag configuration of four height-adjustable Atlas Office Landscape desks with blue tops and Sayl office chairs.

Replay

Design

Adapting workspaces for the pandemic

An illustration showing a collaborative area encouraging physical interactions in a pre-COVID-19 office. — **Before**

An illustration showing Atlas desking and Catena mobile dividers enabling physical distancing. — **After**

The Conventional Office

To promote physical distancing in line with the CDC/WHO guidelines, Atlas has been reconfigured to create an area with four staggered workstations instead of six side by side (Before; top left).

Catena, meanwhile, creates a screen between each desk in this office, providing psychological comfort to staff working here. It acts as an acoustic barrier, creating quiet space for calls and online meetings (After; top right).

An illustration showing sit-to-stand Atlas desking and Catena mobile dividers enabling physical distancing. — **After**

The Open-Plan Office

Here, Atlas sets the scene for a safe workplace that minimizes health risks by promoting physical distancing. Staggered desk arrangements take seat numbers from eight to four, each with at least 4 square meters of space. Additional desks replace open meeting areas. They are supported by Catena, which creates privacy and the perception of safety.

Empowering the Shift to Working From Home

Remote work strategies are a key aspect of the new normal. For these policies to be effective, employees need the tools that will help them work at their best, wherever they are. Herman Miller’s family of ergonomic task chairs set the scene for strong performance – whether that’s at a fast-growing organization or a well-established institution; at home or in the office.

Black Sayl office chair with a suspension back, viewed from the front. Select to go to the Sayl Chairs product page.

Structured from stretchy elastomer, Sayl is simple to clean, and its suspension design, along with its passive PostureFit system, offer support where the body needs it, and freedom where it doesn’t.

Light gray Aeron office chair, viewed from the front. Select to go to the Aeron Chairs product page.

The remastered Aeron features a suspension backrest that provides different tension zones in order to maximize comfort, support, and freedom of movement. That elastomeric back facilitates quick, effective sanitization.

Cosm Chair, Mid Back. Select to go to the Cosm Chairs product page.

New to the crew is Cosm, which automatically adjusts to body weight and movements. Studies have shown it reduces cognitive load, leaving room for people to accomplish their work and get the ideas flowing.

Need ideas for how to rethink workspaces in a post-pandemic world? Submit your details and let us inspire you.

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The Office, Transformed

Engaging Workplaces