GO FLEXIBLE CREATE A HEALTHY WORKPLACE - VANK
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GO CREATE
FLEXIBLE A HEALTHY
WORKPLACE
WWW.VANK.PL
RETURNING
TO A SAFE
OFFICE
1 8 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 0
The health risks related to the spread of COVID-19 have forced many specialists to consider their long-term implications
for the essential elements of office life, such as the use of space, technology, rental, operating costs, corporate culture,
and community building. Businesses surely understand that infections occurring on their premises may shut them down
for a long time, harm their brands, and make them less able to attract the best. Infection control is therefore a new
challenge in the present reality. One that should be taken into account in the design of office environments in the future.
An office space will have to be arranged in a way that its community, safe and creative as ever, is able to carry on the
pursuit of the company’s mission, maintain business continuity, market new products on time, and prevent delays from
happening in the conditions of fierce competition.
The return to our offices after a +/- working at other floors of the building COVID-19. Companies should - if they
3-month period of remote work and in the lobby, transmitted the virus haven’t done it already - equip their
should proceed in the atmosphere of mainly to his colleagues from the same offices with technologies supporting
safety and trust. Administration and floor. According to scientists, the virtual work and retrain or prepare
HR departments face the challenge progress of the outbreak in the Seoul people managing such solutions
of rearranging the available space, call centre showed that the duration and managing change. Individual
adapting the workstations, marking of interaction was most likely the main online training posts, acoustic
the office space as necessary, and facilitator for the further spread of videoconference rooms, open
communicating the taken measures the disease and that crowded office spaces for short meetings - these
accordingly. Tired of isolation and environments can become hotbeds of are the new office tools in the era of
uncertainty, people long for face-to- transmission. globalisation.
face conversations and opportunities
to solve problems together in That’s why increasing the spacing It’s really hard to tell now what
a creative way. To make the most between workstations, restricting the health risks, the government
of their potential, they need to be the use of common areas, and restrictions for public spaces, and the
sure that their employers have done reducing the duration of meetings future effects of globalisation will be
everything possible to provide them are one of the most important like. We do know, however, that there’s
with a safe environment to interact in. measures aimed at minimising the no universal approach to managing
virus transmission. workplace infrastructure. We offer our
Portal Business Insider has recently clients and partners many ways to
covered the findings of research The period of closed borders, rearrange their offices the post-COVID
conducted in March 2020 in Seoul suspended business trips, and way, hoping they’ll help them maintain
(Korean Centers for Disease Control cancelled hotel bookings has called for the continuity of their businesses -
and Prevention). A local call centre other forms of meeting and training. now facing completely new challenges.
became the site of a coronavirus It has turned out that tele- and We believe that upholding ‘office
outbreak. 97 of the 811 employees of videoconferences, webinars, chat culture’ has a point and that if teams
the call centre tested positive for the sessions, and remote work software keep on functioning properly, many
virus. Experts found that 94 of them have all faced up to the challenge, and companies will be able to rise to the
sat on the same — 11th — floor of the as substitutes for the “face to face” new business challenges successfully.
building. The first sick person, despite format, they will be utilised much
frequent interactions with people more often than before the spread of
2
According to scientists, the
progress of the coronavirus
outbreak in the Seoul call centre
shows that the duration of
interaction is likely to be the main
facilitator for further spread of the
disease and that crowded office
environments are likely
to be hotbeds of transmission.
The plan of the 11th floor of the Korean call centre in question (216 employees present in total).
Blue colour marks the workstations of employees who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
3
A NEW
ORDER
I N A N OF F I C E
B U I L D I NG
START WITH A ROOM DIVIDE THE SPACE THINK ABOUT MOBILITY
SURVEY INTO SMALLER ZONES AND THE FUTURE
See if there are rooms that haven’t You can divide an open-space In the near future, office spaces
been used so far for some reason - office into ‘buffer’ zones. Groups should not be designed with fixed
storage rooms, unfinished rooms, halls, of employees could be assigned to solutions in mind but rather as
lounge areas, or waiting rooms, which particular zones and allowed to move something easily rearrangeable,
will see no visitors for at least a while only within these zones. It’s important extendable or reducible in size.
now. Perhaps their original purposes not to let groups from different The ‘shapeshifting’ work environments
are not of utmost importance right zones meet and contact each other of the future need mobile furniture
now? Their ‘contents’ can be moved in person; for instance, employees that can be easily deployed, put
elsewhere and the rooms themselves from floors 5 and 8 should not meet together, or moved.
can be adapted to act as temporary in person. They could communicate
workplaces. by phone or messaging solutions.
Arrange for at least 2 metres of
Learn which rooms are the most space between employees in open-
populated, which require more space environments, meeting rooms,
frequent cleaning, and which are of cafeterias, and lounge areas.
connecting type.
Find a room that could be transformed
into an isolation area for the period of
increased coronavirus threat.
It’s also a good idea to check how
many employees intend to keep
on working remotely. Arrange for
individual meetings with each of them,
feel out their attitudes, talk about the
work conditions they have at home,
consider their recent performance.
4
IMPLEMENT A SHIFT-BASED CREATE A SIGNAGE COMMUNICATE CHANGES,
SYSTEM SYSTEM ACCORDING TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE
THE ADOPTED RULES OF SOCIAL BOND AT WORK
Such an approach makes it possible CIRCULATION
for larger groups of employees to work People are tired not only of financial
on site in shifts. Thanks to assigned Use tape or other visual aids to recession but also of social
workstations it is possible for people indicate the distance to be maintained recession and the lack of normal
on the same shift to maintain social between those present inside the human interaction. They will be now
distance and make the office available building. Circle the areas of personal more sensitive, willing to share and
to a bigger number of employees at space, following the 2-metre physical exchange information and to help each
the same time. It also makes it easier distance principle. other. Keep them informed, motivated,
to plan the schedule of cleaning. nurture the sense of belonging and
Stickers - arrows on the floor can be of a common goal. Re-communicate
Shifts can be daily or weekly, used to manage the ‘traffic’ in narrow the mission statement of your
depending on the needs and goals of corridors, in staircases. Stickers organisation, announce a new business
each organisation. with special infographics will provide vision.
information on where it’s allowed to sit
or what distance to keep when lining in Connect online with the employees
front of a lift or in a reception area. who are about to return to the office
after a longer break and let them
Lifts should have capacity limits know what measures the company has
expressed in the number of people implemented to help them feel safe.
allowed inside or feature touch-free On the first day back in the office,
controls. Automatic doors, motion organise a brief meeting in an open-
detector-activated lighting systems space area and tell your colleagues
are welcome features as well. about the new principles adopted to
make their work environment safe and
their teamwork effective.
5
WORKSTATIONS
I N OP E N - S PA C E A R E A S
REDUCE THE CONCENTRATION OF ARRANGE FOR PROTECTIVE WALLS AND
WORKSTATIONS DESK-MOUNTED PANELS
Cramped office spaces with lots of workstations facilitate Form barriers around workstations using desk-mounted
the spread and transmission of coronavirus. The simplest panels, free-standing walls, cabinets, drawer units, shelving
way to reduce the density of workstations is to space units, large pots with plants.
the workstations further from each other. To help your
employees avoid sitting facing each other, rearrange the
workstations by e.g. turning the desks by 90 or 180 degrees.
6
DESK-MOUNTED PANELS
FOR MULTI-PERSON
WORKSTATIONS
VANK_WALL panels, which can be
either two- or one-sidedly diamond-
patterned (with the other side comes
with a smooth upholstery), come in
two height options: 40 cm and 80 cm.
Vank recommends the second, higher
version for individual projects. They
can be fixed to a VANK_MOVE desk or
to VANK_FOUR tables.
MOBILE AND UNIVERSAL
WALLS
Our high VANK_WALL walls on castors
with brakes or on feet are offered as
single and double units. One side can
be diamond-patterned, the other can
be covered with a smooth upholstery
(you can pin notes to it) or with a white
magnetic easy-clean surface (you can
draw on it or place magnets to it).
Both sides can be diamond-patterned,
of course.
A HIGH CHEST OF DRAWERS
AS A PARTITION
VANK_TOOR, a chest of drawers higher
than a standard drawer unit, featuring
an upholstered soundproofing and
movable front panel and 3 shelves, can
be placed between desks. Bear in mind
that VANK_WALL’s diamond pattern
is not only about acoustics and
protection - it also stimulates creative
thinking.
7
INDIVIDUAL
WORKSTATIONS
LOOK FOR SPACE FOR EXTRA DESKS ARRANGE FOR MORE INDIVIDUAL
WORKSTATIONS
Maybe it would be a good idea to put the now less crowded
lounge areas, lobbies, and waiting rooms to use by setting Do away with shared desks and island units without top-
additional workstations there? Make practical use of excess mounted partitions. Create individual island units instead.
space. Don’t let individual desks be used by many people during
the workday (hot desks). Notice that during the pandemic,
the division into extroverts and introverts is accompanied
by a division into mysophobes and those who consider the
CHOOSE MOBILE FURNITURE coronavirus an ordinary flu. Maybe it’s reasonable to label
workstations with names/surnames to communicate clearly
Use furniture which is easy to move. This way, employees that particular desks are assigned to particular individuals.
will find it easier to distance themselves from each other The adopted system of labels with names/surnames, of
if necessary, and organisations will be able to increase the the division into particular groups, and any changes to this
occupancy rate of their premises in the future once the system should be communicated in a professional manner
threat of virus transmission is smaller. and form to the cleaning company. The staff maintaining
a given floor should know when the shift of a given group
ends to plan the sanitisation of surfaces accordingly.
Adopt a shift-based system if there are groups that work on
different projects. You can reduce the number of their office
hours from 8 to 6 and let them do the independent part of
the job and headwork at home. Making the cleaning staff
familiar with the roster will be of essential to making your
employees confident that the office is cleaned and sanitised
as it should be.
8
9
PODS FOR 1 WITH
A TOUCH-FREE
ACTIVATION SYSTEM
VANK_ WALL, VANK_ WALL2 or MELLO
pods for 1 are convenient solutions to
work alone or take part in an online
training or a videoconference. They
feature an ergonomic laptop shelf
with a connection panel, which is
a welcome addition if the user needs
to charge their device. The lighting
and ventilation systems switch on and
off utilising a touch-free mechanism!
- they are motion detector-activated.
The pods are available with their back
wall upholstered or in glass.
MEDIUM PODS FOR
INDIVIDUAL WORK
Let’s make pods for 2, 3, and 4
available to our employees for
individual work. They can work in
a normal position at a VANK_MOVE
desk, sit on a V6 office chair, or rest
in a half-lying position on CELOO poufs
with a footrest. The featured two-side
glazing increases the amount of the
much-welcome incoming daylight.
10BIGGEST PODS FOR
MEETINGS
VANK_WALL and VANK_WALL2 pods
for 6 with a door will work well as
spaces for low-key meetings of 2
persons working in the same group.
The recommendation is to use pods
wearing masks and gloves due to
limited space. It is advised to switch
on the additional floor ventilation
system (maximum level) and leave the
door open after leaving the pod.
It is possible to make use of tablets
and an app to book acoustic pods,
or simply a schedule of bookings
uploaded to your cloud.
FOLDABLE TABLES
ON CASTORS
VANK_ FOUR and PLIO tables may come
with castors to let them be moved
around. In addition to that, PLIO tables
are foldable, which makes them easier
to store.
11COMMON
AREAS
L OUNGE A R E A S , WA I T I NG R O OM S
REDUCE THE CONCENTRATION PLACE PROTECTIVE WALLS AND TABLES
OF SEATS BETWEEN THE SEATS
Huge partitionless sofas for three should be put out of use Create barriers around the chairs, use taller backrests,
for the duration of the coronavirus threat. They can free free-standing walls, shelving units, tall plants. Make use of
up some space for furniture for one or modular systems. the modularity of sofas with an additional table separating
Waiting areas, relaxation zones, and creative work areas the seats. You can put pots with thick-growing plants or
should be arranged at least 2 metres away from each other. disinfectants on the tables.
Maybe it would be reasonable to remove partitionless
furniture from common areas? Bear in mind it serves both cognitive and emotional
purposes. Reception areas near the entrance should
additionally feature partitions, and deliveries should be
contactless in order not to put other people working in the
building at risk. It is also recommended to keep a register of
visitors and to restrict visits in general.
1213
VANK_ WALL OPEN PODS
Reception areas and lobbies are places
where you could put free-standing
acoustic open pods with seats and
tables; they can act as workstations
or let your visitors wait for their
appointments in safe conditions.
Available options: diamond-patterned
on two sides or diamond-patterned on
the inside and smooth on the outside.
VANK_MELLO PODS
AND SEATS
Semi-enclosed MELLO open pods
with a pouf can work well as waiting
furniture. The pod’s wall can feature
a connection panel, which lets its
user charge their phone or laptop.
MELLO phone booths act as a perfect
cover if we want to have an on-the-go
conversation in a corridor, in a lobby,
in some open space exposed to noise
and traffic.
VANK_MONT SHIELD-LIKE
BACKRESTS
These are acoustic seats for
one, designed to act as ‘oases of
silence’ and places to rest from the
surrounding noise. The side of the
seat may come with a plywood table,
where you can place your laptop, a cup
of coffee, or a set of disinfectants. It
is also possible to have a connection
panel fitted on the front of the seat.
14BELONG AND
WOODI_TRAWERS SOFAS
These are modular sofas designed to
be arranged linearly - you can connect
seats and tables as you like. They’ll
help you make your waiting rooms and
corridors less crowded.
VANK_CELOO POUFS
WITH A FOOTREST
A large pouf, a footrest, and a table
make for a perfect workstation to
let you get some solo creative work
with your laptop done in half-lying
position. Such ‘sets’ should be placed
at a distance of at least 2 metres
from each other or separated by walls.
There’s a connection panel fixed to the
front of the seat. The table provides
enough room to place a set
of disinfectants on it.
VANK_ DRONN CHAIR
DRONN seats with broad wing-like
armrests offer personal space and
room for disinfectants.
15CAFETERIAS
A ND OF F I C E C A F É S
Common areas - cafés and cafeterias - have been designed to bring people closer together, which today increases
the likelihood of transmission of infections, unfortunately. In the times of the coronavirus threat, the way to minimise
gatherings is to close them down or:
• to remove some tables and impose a limit on the • to impose restrictions on leaving the office at
number of people present in the kitchen and in the lunchtime,
lunch area, • to bring own food to work,
• to separate tables using partitions with information • to use single-use, biodegradable plates and
about the adopted social distancing policy, cutlery.
• to recommend eating ‘al desco’ - eating lunch at
one’s desk,
16VANK_WALL - A UNIVERSAL SOLUTION
Our high acoustic walls on castors with brakes or on
height-adjustable feet are offered as single and double
units. One side can feature our trademark diamond
pattern, the other can be covered with a smooth
upholstery (a possibility to pin notes to it). Both sides
can be diamond-patterned, of course.
17MEETINGS
C ONF E R E NC E S , T R A I N I NG S E S S I ON S
ORGANISE SHORT ARRANGE FOR
MEETINGS IN OPEN INDIVIDUAL PODS FOR
SPACES VIDEOCONFERENCING
Open spaces can become new Switching to remote training requires
conference rooms. Create a space appropriate furniture and rooms with
where your employees can distance a sound system and video display
themselves naturally from each other. units. Such solutions make the
The duration of interaction is the main organisation perform better in the long
facilitator for the further spread run and are not a one-off investment.
of the virus.
That’s why meetings should be kept
short and brief. It’s enough to sit for
a moment and deal with top-priority
issues. Keep in mind that standing up
and moving increases the level
of creativity by even 60%.
18ARRANGE SMALL OPEN REARRANGE
SPACES FOR CREATIVE CONFERENCE
BRAINSTORMING ROOMS
Adopt individual workstations - sets In the case of conference rooms,
composed of a small laptop table and impose limits of people allowed inside.
mobile seats, which can be moved For example, 4 people seated 2 metres
freely and quickly. Separate these away from each other - instead of 8
workstations from each other using people. Make sure to get some better
walls with a magnetic glass surface to videoconferencing equipment - video
draw on. display units and loud-speaking
devices.
19REMOTE WORK
I N T HE L ONG R UN
Some employees will work from home longer than At present, companies may find that employees who work on
expected. It’s important to check up on them. Learn about a project-based basis, who are required to perform creative
their attitudes and their home conditions, check their tasks, who need to really concentrate on what they do and
effectiveness. do not clock into work may successfully keep on working
remotely. In the case of such persons, who visit the office
Maybe some are not able to get motivated to work in their once in a while to consult some projects, agile meeting
everyday environment, surrounded by family members. environments will be a perfect solution. An ergonomic ‘home
But some will surely appreciate the possibility to continue office’ will be also of great importance to them.
working remotely from their studies. Also those more prone
to infection or having family members with poor immunity
may wish to stay at home for some longer time. Companies
may lend their employees some of the furniture remaining
unused after the rearrangement of open spaces.
2021
VENTILATION
HE A LT H Y A I R
ARRANGE FOR A GOOD VENTILATION
VENTILATION SYSTEM IN VANK PODS
Make sure to open windows and The WALL_JUNGLE pod features
ventilate rooms frequently. Changes a ventilation system and a potting
that can be implemented in a short system with a watering solution.
time include e.g. increasing the volume The plants being part of the system
of incoming outdoor air, extending the purify the surrounding air. Such an
uptime of the mechanical ventilation acoustic garden will work well as both
system in the office, and reduce the as a workspace and a relaxation zone.
use of air conditioners. Surrounding oneself with greenery
reduces stress levels, optimizes blood
pressure, helps one achieve emotional
and physical balance, improves one’s
sense of well-being and concentration,
and naturally counteracts depression.
In addition to that, the wall-mounted
sound system lets you listen to
podcasts and recorded training
resources while inside.
2223
KEEPING IT CLEAN
D I S I NF E C TA N T S
KEEP COMMON AREAS STATE-LEVEL SANITARY EXAMPLES OF
CLEAN AND MAKE SURE RECOMMENDATIONS DISINFECTANTS
THAT DISINFECTANTS ARE
AVAILABLE The Public Health Inspector of OTTIMO, manufacturer of cleaning and
Wielkopolska Province has notified us sanitising agents, has tested their
A very important thing to keep in that the process of sanitisation of the product named OttiSept on VANK’s
mind is the procedures concerning floor space in office buildings should upholstery fabrics. After the agent
the rules of cleaning and sanitising be carried out with the use of biocides was applied on the fabrics, the fabrics
office interiors. There should be listed in the current valid register of remained intact and unaffected,
a hand sanitising stand to be used by biocides, available on the website of i.e. no discolouration and no damp
people coming in, next to each building the Office for Registration of Medicinal patches were observed. The product
entrance. The surfaces of items such Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal has a bactericidal, fungicidal, and
as table tops, front office counters, Products: http://urpl.gov.pl/ virucidal effect. It is composed of ethyl
armrests of chairs found in common alcohol (70%) and an active mixture
areas, acoustic pod brackets, office The disinfectants in use should offer (30%) containing natural essential
equipment, coffee machines need to a wide range of effects - including oils enhancing the biocidal effect of
be cleaned and sanitised frequently, on virucidal effects - to be effective ethyl alcohol. The agent has been
a regular basis. It should be a duty of in neutralising e.g. SARS-CoV-2. authorised by the Ministry of Health
not only the cleaning staff but also of When carrying out the process of to be marketed as a biocidial product
the employees using such items. sanitisation, it is necessary to follow (authorisation no. 0219/TP/2020).
manufacturers’ recommendations
The interiors should now have regarding e.g. the concentration of The product is to be used in its pure
dispensers of sanitary products the agent in use, the duration of the (non-diluted) form. The application
such as tissues and hand sanitisers effect of the agents in use, and the of the agent can reduce the risk of
featured in all crucial points, e.g. next personal protection equipment to infection and minimise the spread
to conference rooms, lifts, or inside be used by the staff carrying out the of the virus. For the agent’s biocidal
acoustic pods. process. According to a technical properties to take effect, the agent
report by the European Centre for needs to be sprayed on the surface
It’s also good to arrange for glove Disease Prevention and Control (ECD), to be sanitised and leave the surface
dispensers and additional waste in order to sanitise different types of wet for 60 seconds. In the case of
bins to be featured in the office. The public areas, spaces, and rooms, it virus prevention, the agent should be
said sanitary products can be placed is necessary to use e.g.: 0.1% sodium left sprayed on the surface for 120
conveniently on VANK_CO mobile tables hypochlorite, 70% ethanol (after seconds. Notice! The agent should
on castors, on CELOO, SITI, KRAK, cleaning the surface using a neutral not be applied on wooden furniture
BELONG, TRI coffee tables. detergent). because it contains alcohol and may
damage the layer of varnish (mostly
Employees moving between desks, The National Institute of Public Health water-based) that covers such
going to the kitchen or the restroom, finds ozone treatment of office spaces furniture.
meaning anywhere where they can acceptable as well. The process needs
come across other people, should to be, however, carried out under strict Let’s bear in mind that the exact
follow the rules of behaviour in public supervision and in a controlled manner. lifespan of viruses on surfaces is still
places. If it is obligatory to wear Sanitisation may be also outsourced to an unsettled matter. We’re not able to
a mask and gloves in public areas, they a specialised external entity. guarantee that the available virucidal
should wear them when moving inside agents provide 100% protection
the office as well. against all viruses.
24APPLICATION
If you intend to use surface
disinfectants, we suggest trying them
out on a small, less-visible part of the
surface of the upholstered piece of
furniture you want to sanitise.
This is also to inform you at the same
time that the responsibility for the
effectiveness and the impact on your
health of such agents rests with the
manufacturers of these agents.
SITI pouf in easy-clean MARLIN upholstery for lounge areas
and waiting rooms
SPECIAL UPHOLSTERY
FABRICS
When you consider buying new
furniture, you can decide to go for
smooth fabrics, which are easy
to clean. You can select special
fabrics with anti-microorganism and
protective coating. Consider materials
that do not degrade and wear out
due to frequent use. The range of our
finishing solutions for larger-scale
projects includes the SILVERTEX
fabric, designed with medical
facilities in mind. It features special
antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-
stain coating. You can choose from
10 universal colours.
VANK_RANZ armchair upholstered with graphite
SILVERTEX fabric.
25SEE MORE:
WWW.VANK.PL
VANK SP. Z O.O. | ŁOWĘCIN, UL . SARBINOWSK A 1 1 , PL- 62 - 020 SWARZĘDZ | VANK@VANK .PL | E XPORT@VANK .PLYou can also read
