While the overnight shift to having teams work from home has been a surprisingly simple one to make for many companies, there are plenty of industries that simply cannot function with a distributed workforce.
Co-Working Spaces can help ideas thrive, safely
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That said, some companies have found that there’s still a need for certain teams to congregate safely to share ideas which only flourish in the presence of chemistry that’s impossible to conjure on a video call. It takes one person to have a great idea, but it takes a team to realise and implement it.
Safe co-working spaces
Co-working spaces offer the flexibility to meet smaller teams’ needs for on-demand facilities which are well-equipped, access-controlled, and, above all, safe and sanitised.
At the Absa WorkInProgress space, we’re finding that, by carefully managing access to and use of our facilities, we’re still able to help technology start-ups, innovators and original thinkers connect, unlock potential, create and grow solutions which are going to play a vital role in sustaining and revitalising the South African economy.
Our process started by training our team in COVID-19 awareness from an accredited company and then having the entire facility sanitised, right down to having air conditioning unit filters, cleaned.
We implemented strict sanitising measures from the basement, all the way up to our top floor and within the working space, itself and placed stickers to demarcate appropriate physical distancing spaces.
To help us ensure that the spaces remain sanitised, we have had to adjust our operating hours to give teams the chance to clean thoroughly before and after hours, and also closed the space on weekends.
When we resumed operations, both teams and guests had to complete a risk assessment questionnaire 48 hours prior to them visiting the premises, and they were only granted access if they passed the assessment.
Everyone is then temperature screened on arrival and physical distancing is policed by our team, with a cap on the number of people in the space at any given time helping us maintain safe operations. Masks are, of course, mandatory, and dedicated seating spaces are allocated to help maintain physical distancing and to allow us to keep track of movement.
The typically more congregational spaces of any shared environment are the meeting rooms, kitchen, and restrooms.
Sufficient sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are provided for the cleaning of all touchpoints and teams are reminded about the number of people allowed in restrooms at any given time.
If all these things sound normal, then good. This is the new normal. Absa WIP is about creating nurturing spaces where ideas can thrive. Now we also work to make those spaces safer than ever, because our economy needs those ideas more than ever.
For more information visit the Absa WorkInProgress Absa WorkInProgress, view current rates or get in contact on cpt@workinprogress.co.za.
This article is sponsored by ABSA Innovation Lab and written by Charmaine Lambert, manager at WorkInProgress, an Absa Innovation Lab
Featured image: Supplied
