Helping you get back to the office

2Helping you get back to the office

Overview of the guide

We’ve put together a guide for our customers to help support you and your teams with getting back to the office.

This guide is split into two:

Returning to work advice

What you need to be thinking about to help put everyone within your business in the best, safest and healthiest position possible when returning to work.

How we can help

There are options that Bruntwood Works can support you with your return, including planning out your space to giving it a deep clean.

To discuss your return to work, please contact enquires@bruntwood.co.uk or 0800 731 0300

Returning to work 4Preparing the building and workspace 5

Creating a social distancing plan 6

Prioritising safety 7

Focusing on hygiene and cleanliness 8

Preparing your team 9

Communicate with confidence 10

How we can help 11

Supporting your business 12

Adapting your current workspace 13

Changing your commute 14

Finding space to bring your teams back together 15

Getting clean 16

Returning to work

4Returning back to work

With a roadmap out of lockdown now in place, many of us are thinking about what the new workplace may look like. It is important that businesses take the time to plan and work with their employees to prepare for the new ways of working that are ahead, ensuring that the necessary changes are made for people to return to work safely.

As a business, we know that we have a critical role to play and will work with our customers to support them through this process.

Working together to keep everyone safe is important, now more than ever. We’ve been busy working behind the scenes to prepare our buildings so that they are ready for your return, whenever that may be, with the thoughts and ideas of our colleagues and customers helping to shape our plan. Over half of you are looking forward to returning to the office, to establish some normality and routine, and to bring your teams back together.

But the prospect of returning to the office also raises a mixture of concerns including: safety at work (54%); the uncertainty of when it will be and what it will look like (52%); and being told to return to work before feeling comfortable (34%). And, of course, keeping our customers and colleagues updated on these changes is just as important as the changes we are making to keep everyone safe.

To make sure that we are moving forward together, we will continue with:

• clear communication;

• enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures;

• and be clear on our expectations as to how our buildings and workspaces should be used.

The transition of returning to work will be different for everyone. Some people will be itching to get back to the office, whereas others will be feeling anxious about what lies ahead. We want to help you to manage this process and ensure our customers and communities can return to work as smoothly as possible.

Returning to workHere, we’ve put together six principles that you and your business can be thinking about to help put everyone in the best, safest and healthiest position possible when returning to work.

Preparing the building and workspace

Creating a social distancing plan

Prioritising safety

Focusing on hygiene and cleanliness

Preparing your team

Communicating with confidence and transparency

51. Preparing the building and workspace

1. Preparing the building and workspace

Many offices will have been empty for some time now, so it’s important that checks are made to ensure they are safe for people to return.

Remember, if you or any of your team will be involved with the preparation of your workspace, safety must be paramount. Make sure social distancing, appropriate PPE, hand sanitisers and disinfectant are available.

Have you completed the following to ensure the workplace is prepared?

Clean all surfaces using disinfectants from government approved or authorised lists

Prepare plans for any cleaning changes or additions that might need to be made

Check that HVAC, fire and lift safety systems are in order

Carry out all the necessary inspections and repairs that need to be made for people to return

Set out social distancing guidelines across both workspaces and common areas.

Update any fire evacuation policies in-line with your workspace's social distancing guidelines.

Social distancing

Approved disinfectants

Clean all surfaces

6

2. Creating a social distancing plan

A well thought-out social distancing plan for your office will be crucial for the safety of your colleagues and any potential visitors.

Maintaining social distancing and understanding how it will work in an office environment was a big concern for our colleagues, so we’re providing detailed information on how we’re enforcing social distancing and how it’s being put into place physically.

It’s worth bearing in mind that this plan may need to be adapted over time, as more people return to the workplace and official guidance changes.

Here are a couple of things you might like to think about…

Can you create a rota to prevent whole teams being needed in the office at one time?

Reconfigure common areas and reception to accommodate for social distancing

Redesign office floor plan to support social distancing, such as seating people back to back, or adding panels between desks

Create a walking system and signpost directions of foot traffic in main circulation areas

Assign seats, reducing hot desking, to ensure employees are well distanced

Reduce the capacity available - less desks and screens, fewer chairs in meeting rooms

2. Creating a social distancing plan

Redesign office floor plan

Signpost directions

Reduce hot desking

7

3. Prioritising safety

To create a workspace that is safe for everyone, you may want to think about reconfiguring how people use the space.

Changes can be ramped up or down and adapted as more people return to the workspace or the risks minimise. But it’s important that people remember that is everyone’s responsibility to keep not only themselves, but others too, safe.

Checklist

Restricting access to lifts and stairwells

Control entry and exit points

Protocol for using amenities e.g. showers, breakout areas and coworking spaces

Limiting the use of meeting rooms

Clearly communicating social distancing protocols through signage/floor markings

Creating a visitor policy and communicating this effectively

3. Prioritising safety

Restricted access to lifts and stairwells

Protocol for using amenities

Communicating social distancing protocols

8

4. Focusing on hygiene and cleanliness

Just like social distancing, focusing on hygiene and cleanliness is a key part of safeguarding colleagues and in the office space.

To help our people feel more prepared and comfortable, we’ve committed to high cleanliness and hygiene levels, including increased cleaning schedules, readily available and accessible hand sanitisation points, and we've undertaken flushing and sampling across all our buildings to remove the risk of legionella.

Here’s how your business and your people can create a cleaner, safer workplace.

Sanitise all areas before opening

Maintain regular cleaning processes

Supply disinfectants at working areas

Remove any shared food and drink options

Allow for DIY cleaning through hand sanitisers, disinfectant wipes etc.

Limit in-person meetings

Use no or low-touch doors and switches

Remove high touch shared tools such as pens and remotes

Create secure and designated storage areas for personal items

Flush your every outlet for 10 minutes to make absolutely sure that there is no legionella risk remaining.

4. Focusing on hygiene and cleanliness

Sanitise all areas before opening

Maintain regular cleaning processes

Allow for DIY cleaning

9

5. Preparing your team

Once the workplace is ready for colleagues and customers to return, it is important to make your team aware of the steps that have been taken, and are available, to ensure they will be safe at work.

Many will feel anxious about returning, so creating and sharing a thorough and detailed plan about how the return to work process will be carried out will help to settle people’s nerves and ease the transition back into the office.

There are a number of steps businesses can take to make sure their employees feel comfortable and safe returning to work…

1. Regular, detailed communications about the return to work process, including updates and reviews as the process is managed

2. Explain the benefits of returning to work, but also listen to concerns

3. Develop and execute a detailed plan of how your employees can return to work

4. Provide advice about the options and alternative means of commuting

5. Prepare and post reminders about social distancing

5. Preparing your team

Regular communications about the return to work process

Develop and execute a detailed plan

Provide advice about alternative means of commuting

10

6. Communicate with confidence

This is such a strange time for everyone and we will all respond to the return to work differently.

Ensure that you are transparent and honest in your communications, listen to your team and continually review where necessary. That goes for all of your team, whether they are returning to work, working from home, or on furlough.

1. Allow for two-way communication

2. Instil a transparent and trusting culture

3. Manage employee expectations

4. Welcome people back with warmth through digital signage and posters

5. Maintain health and wellbeing priorities, listen to concerns and be sensitive

6. Stay connected by supporting and managing those still working remotely

6. Communicate with confidence

Allow for two-way communication

Manage employee expectations

Maintain health and wellbeing priorities

How we can help

12

How we can help?There is a lot to think about when planning your return to the office, but with over 40 years of experience in owning and managing vibrant workspaces, we’re here to help you and your team navigate back to work - giving you practical support to get you back to business as usual (but the new usual).

We can take care of your workspace leaving you to focus on what really matters to you - your colleagues and your business.

How we can help

Commuting

Workspace layout

Cleaning

Supporting your businessWe're here for our customers to support your business needs - whether it's legal or HR support, or you want to be better connected to other businesses. We have the platform, people and partners, such as Enterprise Nation to support you through this period - and beyond.

How we can help 13

Adapting your current workspace

Do you need a helping hand to reconfigure your space to comply with social distancing measures?

Our interior design team can give you the guidance and support you need to bring your teams back together, safely.

How can we help?

1. Quick and easy “how to” guidance to get your space as ready as possible

We’ll be updating our social media channels (Twitter: @Bruntwood_UK, Instagram: @bruntwood, LinkedIn: Bruntwood) and The Bruntwood Collective (collective.bruntwood.co.uk) with advice on how you can adapt your space including typical space plans.

2. Free consultation calls with our interior designers

Our designers are on hand to provide you with direct advice through a free 30-minute consultation. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction to get your office operational for “day one” of service.

3. Bespoke plans

Our teams will work with you to provide a bespoke social distancing plan, so that you can be confident that your workspace is safe for your employees to return.

Guidance

FREE Consultation

Bespoke plans

How we can help 14

Changing your commute

Looking to switch the way you commute to the office?

Parking

If you’re in need of a parking space, then we have over 6,500 secure car parking spaces in a number of convenient locations with prices starting from just £3/day.

Whether you need a space for a day, a month or a year, our spaces are on flexible terms at competitive prices. We can offer businesses or individual spaces, so anyone within your team can take advantage.

Cycling

Now is the perfect time to switch to cycling into the office, helping to ease congestion and be kind to the environment.

If you need somewhere to store your bike, our buildings have a range of cycling storage facilities including showers so you can freshen up before you start your working day. Have a chat with your Customer Manager or reception team for more details.

Bike Store*

Parking*

Changing areas*

*Available in selected buildings

How we can help 15

Finding space to bring your teams back together

Made & Managed

Whether it’s the complexities of a fit-out, the management of cleaners, dealing with maintenance issues, making arrangements for your utilities provision, or even ordering the coffee, managing an office can feel like a hassle.

If you want us to take away the stress, our Made & Managed offices offer a customised package so that you can focus on running your business.

We design, create and fully manage your office, all for a single monthly fee, and we can ensure your space complies to social distancing measures. Select from a package of services and choose a fit-out reflects your brand and is tailor-made to the way you work. We help you manage these costs so that you don’t have a huge upfront investment to get your office up and running. Instead you can spread the cost with monthly payments.

Available at all of our properties across Manchester, Cheshire, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham.

Serviced space

Our handy serviced offices provide maximum flexibility. With a simple pay per desk rate and sign-up for as little as six months, as your needs change so too can your office.

Whether you need a space in close proximity of your main office, or one that is close to where your colleagues live to reduce their commute, we have serviced offices available across Manchester city centre, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham.

Our offices come complete with the wide range of services that you would expect: from cleaning and WiFi to high-quality communal lounge and kitchen areas, and much more.

Are you needing some extra space to comply with social distancing measures?

We have a number of flexible options to help you keep your team together whilst restrictions are eased:

Whether it's the challenge of social distancing as lock down lifts, or the recognition that you may want to reduce the travel time for your staff to be able to support them with managing their work-life balance, we can provide your business with a range of vibrant workspaces throughout the north and midlands. With our hub and spoke model your staff can reduce their commute and collaborate easier as all our city centre workspaces can be spread across other buildings or we can even provide additional out of city locations, with all the same vibrancy and amenity to match.

How we can help 16

Getting cleanDo you need to undertake a deep clean before you reopen the office?

If your office has been closed for some time, you should consider carrying out a deep clean before your staff return. Not only can it provide a thorough clean of your office, it will remove any dust and dirt that will have built up during the closure.

Enhanced services include the disinfection of your office to provide reassurance to your teams that there will be no contaminants in the workplace when they return.

Maintain regular cleaning processes

Deep cleaning

Sanitise high risk areas

Get in touchTo discuss your return to work, please contact enquires@bruntwood.co.uk or 0800 731 0300

bruntwood.co.uk