An Abbott and Costello Workplace- Managing Who's on First, What's on Second

Organisations are calculating the new maximum occupancies allowable in their workplaces, (1 person per every 4sqm) and which people and job roles should be onsite on any particular day. Echos of Abbott and Costello come to mind, with a requirement to work out 'Who's on First', and 'What's on Second'. Essentially with at least every other position in the office now out of action due to social distancing requirements, a corresponding person will need to be allocated to working remotely.

Workforce Management

There are a number of solutions to achieving social distancing both in the office environment, as well as being mindful of managing the journey into the office. These solutions will most commonly involve implementing a strategy or combination of strategies, from the following options:

• Shiftwork; some workforces could be divided into an extended morning and afternoon shift, with a break in the middle to allow for deep cleaning.

• A rotating schedule; Many organisations can divide their workforce into two or more, allowing for people to be allocated to either working in the office or remotely, depending on the newly devised roster. The roster could be based on either a daily, weekly or bi-monthly system, dependent on the workflow of the organisation.

• Staggered start times; even if a maximum of half of your workforce will be rostered on to be in the office on any particular day, consideration must be given to managing how people reach their final destination. If your workplace is located on the higher floor levels within an office tower, catching the lift may be frought. Busy lift lobbies are to be avoided, and with lift occupancy needing to meet the minimum 4 sqm per person rule, lifts may only be able to accomodate 1-2 people at a time. By implementing staggered start times within your own organisation and in consultation with other tenancies within the building, crippling wait times and frustrations could be reduced. * UPDATE 20 May, new regulations have exempt lift occupancy from compliance with the 4 sqm per person requirement, however many of your staff may be unwilling to enter a 'crowded' lift and staggered start times will still be required.

How you decide who works from the office versus working remotely will be dependent upon both the organisational need, and the individual's particular circumstances. Perhaps there ought to be a representative from shared functions (HR, IT, Finance etc) always on site, to be able to talk to people face-to-face. Perhaps you want your most junior staff and senior staff on site at the same time, in order for younger staff to be mentored. Some organisations may wish to have the keepers of tacit knowledge, and the 'connectors' on site more often, acting as the organisations glue. Certainly, it is critical to examine the organisational objective of why you want people back in the office, and why individuals themselves wish to return.

It is relatively easy to remove every 'other' workstation and adhere to the 1.5m distancing requirements, and limit people onsite. However to ensure that the workplace is being used for maximum benefit, more care and thought needs to be taken regarding how the remaining spaces are utilised, and by whom.

Julia Simmons, founder of Space Matters, helps organisations to think strategically about their space.

Contact Julia at julia.simmons@spacematters.com.au