Site Logo

Shared office spaces tentatively reopen

Across the network of 5,000 shared office spaces in the UK, the task of being able to reopen safely has been a huge one – requiring careful planning and determination in the face of negative press and Government restrictions.

Reopening a shared office space might be one of the most difficult like many public spaces with high footfall. Centres with large open plan shared co-working desks face the biggest challenge – the Government is actively discouraging this type of workspace for now. Centres which are formed from mainly private office suites are obviously an easier option and with only 30 per cent of staff thought to be returning to work over the next few months, keeping a distance is much easier when offices are closed off from each other. Locking down communal spaces within an office building restricts the chance of contamination.

Jonathan Ratcliffe from serviced office provider Offices.co.uk said, "I've never seen an industry pull together like this in face of such adversity - the office space sector has really pulled the stops out to get workspaces reopened for business – albeit slowly and carefully."

With the Government issuing advice to wear face protection on public transport, it is thought that this clear message will help employees feel confident in the transition back to working in a city centre office environment.

The two stages of shared office reopening:

STAGE 1 - June

  • Building access restricted for tenants only
  • One-way systems for tenants accessing and leaving buildings
  • Closing of shared facilities such as kitchens, breakout spaces and sitting areas
  • Closing of meeting rooms, or restrictions for internal use with cleaning between
  • Restricted reception services
  • Cleaning stepped up including daily deep cleans
  • Installation of sanitisers, protective screens, floor markings, disinfectant shoe mats

STAGE 2 – July

  • Access to be open to include visitors, some restrictions may apply
  • External visitors to be allowed access to meeting rooms
  • Reception services resume
  • Café areas to open based on Government guidelines

Jonathan added, "staff across the UK from large City skyscrapers to small regional offices have worked extremely hard to provide protection for staff and clients alike ahead of their reopening schedule. As an industry, we are all hoping that by taking baby-steps we can welcome everyone back to the office safely and inspire confidence for the rest of 2020."

More News
1 month ago
How to prepare for the new changes to employment laws
Employment laws are due an overhaul in April, with changes to flexible working, request amends, and protection for new parents and carer's leave, among other changes. Vivek Dodd, CEO of Skillcast, warns that failure to comply could result in serious consequences.
1 month ago
British Safety Council Keep Thriving workshop to take place in Cardiff
As part of its charitable work, British Safety Council is offering SMEs and micro-sized organisations in Cardiff the chance to attend a 3-hour workshop, delivered by its Being Well Together experts, completely free of charge to explore how to develop a well-being strategy.
1 month ago
Mitel appoints new SVP and Head of International Region
Mitel, experts in business communications, has announced the appointment of Simon Skellon as SVP and Head of International Region.
1 month ago
VIPRE Security Group appoints new General Manager of Business Security Division
VIPRE Security Group, a cybersecurity solutions provider, has appointed Usman Choudhary as General Manager of its Business Security Division, encompassing VIPRE EDR and Advanced Threat Protection for Email, SafeSend for Email, and Inspired eLearning security awareness training.
1 month ago
Ascentae unveils smart workplace experience centre
Ascentae, a UK-based workplace solution and value-added distributor, has announced the opening of a new Experience Centre in the heart of Clerkenwell, London.
1 month ago
IT at forefront of sustainability efforts, but lacks proper tools and expertise
A report commissioned by OpenText has found that IT departments are playing a major role in achieving corporate sustainability objectives and cited the lack of innovative tools and expertise as the primary challenges they face in meeting those goals.
1 month ago
Harrison provides bespoke manufacturing services to B&Q stores
B&Q set out to find a partner that could provide a range of display components, including a new-look dump bin. While the products had already been designed by B&Q, Harrison was invited to tender for the project at a later date.
1 month ago
Leyard Europe LED supports new educational exhibition
A 4K CarbonLight VX LED screen from Leyard Europe forms the heart of a new inspirational and educational exhibition at the headquarters of the European Molecular Biology Lab (EMBL), Europe’s flagship laboratory for research into life sciences.
1 month ago
Crawley Town Centre BID invests in AI visitor behaviour platform
Crawley BID has invested in Place Informatics Visitor Behaviour Platform to help understand, manage, and improve town centre services and events.
1 month ago
Viking re-establishes presence in Ireland
Office supplies reseller Viking is re-establishing its presence in Ireland with the opening of a distribution centre in Dublin, the development of a local sales team, and the creation of a local customer service centre.

Login / Sign up