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Return to the Office

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Journey to the New Normal

Thanks to effective business continuity planning by their real estate groups most companies were able to quickly and effectively shut down their offices and move employees to work from home. The graphic below represents the typical journey for organizations as they managed the initial impact of the pandemic and their path to return to the office. This journey is consistent with how Serraview clients across all regions and industries have responded.

image2020-5-12_20-2-47.png

Ensure a Successful Return

The process of moving teams back to work and then managing the workplace requires a highly-coordinated effort. We have identified four steps to support the planning and coordination efforts:

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As organizations move through the stages of their COVID-19 response, each step must be considered to ensure the proper data, plan, and execution. The chapters that follow provide practical guidance from industry leaders on these steps. Each contains a high-level checklist of action items or considerations, plus suggestions and best practices.

Re-evaluate Strategic Goals

It is important to consider which initiatives should be delayed, accelerated, or newly considered. Many businesses are using this time to accelerate or introduce new strategic projects with common ones being:

  • Enable long-term Work From Home policies
  • Increase use of flex space
  • Improve data capture to measure utilization and proximity

Utilization tracking through smart sensors, which may have been considered impractical or unnecessary in the past, is quickly becoming a priority to CRE leaders as the desire for a better understanding of utilization aligns with a need for safety and risk management.