Making your workplace safe to return to after coronavirus.
May 12, 2020
As we start to prepare for the ‘new normal’ after much of the world has dramatically changed due to covid-19, the way we work in offices will be different too.
Before we return to the office, consider the design of your workplace to adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the government to stop the spread of Covid-19. Saxen are able to help with space planning, social distancing screens and furniture solutions that you can implement in the workplace to help reduce risk and keep your staff safe.
Some of the measures you can take to make your workplace safe to return to after Corona Virus:
- Social Distancing Measures
- Creating Physical Barriers
- Fever Scanning CCTV
- Door Automation
- Contactless Access Controls
- Softphone Telephone Systems
- Cleaning and Hygiene
Here are some solutions that you could implement:
1. Distancing Measures
Safe distancing
- Move furniture where possible to separate staff or customers
- Avoid close back-to-back or face-to-face configurations
- Split up grouped desking or tables
- Move desks to utilise wall space
- Use of barriers between desks
- Make use of meeting rooms and breakout areas normally used as social gathering areas to add extra desks
- Encourage employees to email, text or call rather than meeting with co-workers
- Operate a one-way system in office corridors, use floor vinyls or stickers
- Stagger break times to stop gatherings at canteens and kitchen areas
- Consider flexible working hours to stagger start/stop times (lift capacity)
- Put up signage to remind staff of social distancing rules
- Staff should not car share unless from the same household
- If a staff member feels unwell, they should immediately go home and self isolate
Example of a new floorplan: slide the cental bar to see changes.
2. Creating physical barriers
- Glazed Sneeze Guards to shield against droplets
- Acrylic which can be wiped clean with usual disinfectant
- Acrylic top screens can be added to existing desk screens
- Standard desk screens in healthcare vinyl with waterproof surface and antimicrobial properties
- Available to fit any size of desk
Physical Barrier Examples: floor stanidng and surface-mounted
3. Cleaning surfaces
Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces thoroughly and frequently:
- Door handle
- Light switches
- Sinks and taps
- Phones
- Kitchen surfaces
- Calculators
- Keyboards & Mice
- Bin lids
4. Personal Hygiene
- Discourage sharing of equipment or suppliers (cups, spoons, milk, coffee etc)
- Employees to wipe down surfaces
- Company to increase cleaning schedule and target high touch areas
- Signage to remind staff to wash hands often and for 20 seconds
- Use paper towel to turn off taps
- Use paper towels of air dryers to dry hands, do not share towels
- Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth
- Cover your mouth and nose with inside elbow or tissue when coughing and sneezing
- Use hand sanitiser when it’s not possible to wash hands
- Change clothes upon return home and wash at highest temperature recommended on care label
Saxen can help with a safe return to work with services such as space planning, move management, offsite storage, floor box moves and IT moves. Please contact us for more information.
share this page
all posts.
Saxen Commercial Interiors is hiring for the position of Sales Executive.
Explore Les Forêts collection by Arte and visualise the beautiful wall coverings and how they could work in your commercial space.
An innovative and sustainable boardroom design.
Embrace the deliciously decadent Pantone 2025 Colour of the Year: Mocha Mousse with Saxen.
Upcycling, re-homing, and repairing furniture has never become more important. To support this, Saxen launches the RefurbHub.
Saxen's activities during National Tree Week complement our sustainability efforts throughout the year.
The successful renewal of our Constructionline Gold Member Certification underscores Saxen's dedication to excellence.
Embracing diversity and inclusive workspace design breaks barriers, inviting more people to participate in existing spaces.
With the QIKPAC CARRY, all-day power from anywhere is yours. Cordless and compact but fuelled with intense performance, prepare for flexible power.
Explore the Hyde range of sound-absorbing pods and booth seating, perfect for creating a quiet zone within a busy office space.
Designed to be flexible, circular, and outrageously stylish, Tejo is the new, innovative collection from Isomi.
Solidwool takes unwanted sheep wool and turns it into a sustainable and innovative material used for a timeless furniture range.
Introducing VWork by Modus – an all-timber desk, meeting table, and bench range with striking V-shaped joinery available in a natural or black oak finish.
Inclusive hub with natural finishes and biophilic design.
Collaborative furnishings enhance University R&D centre.
Saxen is pleased to announce it is now a supplier of New Design Group, a UK-based manufacturer that boasts a carbon-neutral factory.
Renovation project for British Airways' staff lounge.
Discover sustainable furniture materials for your space with eco-friendly options that balance practicality and aesthetics.
A dynamic, open-plan environment to foster co-working.
A versatile, welcoming, and contemporary new cafeteria.
Saxen is pleased to announce it is now a supplier of Alea Office range. Explore their iTube collection, designed to suit any space.
Uncover the five best ergonomic office chairs for comfortable working, tried and tested by furniture experts. Transform the way you take a seat.
Pantone has announced their colour of the year 2024: Peach Fuzz. See how to incorporate this warm colour into your corporate and residential workspaces.
Revolutionising office furniture sustainability with our Regener8 programme: reuse, rework and recycle your outdated furniture and reduce your carbon footprint.
Discover the impact of biophilic office design on productivity and well-being, exploring examples of integrating nature into your workspace.
Introducing our carbon reduction plan and how we will achieve net zero by 2050.
An interior design embracing current workplace trends.
Furniture and fabrics that have been made with upcycled materials and leftover waste.
Acoustics and Italian furniture were the focus of this design.
Our successful sea the change event showcased some of the most sustainable products within the commercial interiors industry.
Saxen is hosting events in April showcasing exciting innovations for commercial interiors including furniture; fabrics, flooring and acoustics.
Modern and collaborative working environment.
Comfortable hotel spaces perfect for guests.
A meetup space to study in and unwind.
An integrated and collaborative workspace for all.
Yes, you read that right. From jeans to a chair – and not just jeans. We are talking army gear, coffee bags and suits all made into chairs and stylish storage.
In the commercial interiors industry, it is our responsibility to start making changes to reduce waste and lessen the amount going to landfill each year. That’s why Saxen have started a new initiative – Regener8.
As much of the country and the world has switched to home working out of necessity due to restrictions caused by the virus, there have been certain oversights when it comes to safety while working from home.
Prior to the pandemic, prime office space was at a premium and the goal was to fit as many people as possible into the space in order to keep overheads to a minimum.
Beautiful and practical architectural acoustic solutions. This furniture solution includes acoustic wall panels, hanging screens and room dividers for open-plan offices, formal meeting rooms, receptions and glass-fronted rooms.
On the 30th January, we hosted an event in our showroom ‘Haggis, Neeps & Pilates’ with a theme centred around ‘Wellness’. The day was well attended by industry professionals and featured great discussions and idea-sharing.
Saxen is proud to announce that the company has been awarded both the ISO 9001:2015 accreditation for Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 accreditation for Environmental Management, highlighting our commitment to continually improve our products and services while reducing our impact on the environment through energy-saving and recycling.
Capsule soft seating collection offers a stylish solution to the increasing need for concentration and privacy in office environments. In an atmosphere of security, comfort, and innovation you can make phone calls or read without being disturbed. The collection creates privacy without being completely cut off from the surroundings.
Saxen were recently in the beautiful country of Hungary completing an amazing installation for a client in the capital city of Budapest.
Palasides ll from Spacestor offers a new way of dividing zones in a light and minimalist way. Its design can be customised with biophilia, shelving and other accessories and can grow to any size, making new architectures around or even over your desk; your imagination is the limit.
Open spaces require clever furniture solutions to create privacy. In busy working environments there is a need for furniture that encourages social interaction, intimate meeting places, privacy, and places of refuge where focus and concentration can happen.
The term biophilia, meaning love of nature, focuses on human’s innate attraction to nature and natural processes. With the current increase in urbanisation, human beings have become separated from nature, which has caused an increase in stress-related illnesses.
As open plan offices continue to be the go-to of office design, the need for areas to have meetings, team working and a little privacy becomes important. That’s why dens, pods, and booths are the perfect pieces of office furniture to provide a breakout area in an otherwise open space.