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Companies Have to Do Better Than Return Office Life to Pre-COVID Normal

With the widespread and increasing vaccinations and a yearning to see our colleagues again, we’re still counting the days to some kind of a return to normal. The truth is, normal may not end up being what it was.

Working from home — or more precisely, working from anywhere, is a new model. As we have learned ourselves — and as experts on workplace design for clients around the globe — there are more questions than answers.

• How many will come into the office every day?
• Will it be lifeless if we’re not all there?
• What if workers won’t or don’t come back?
• What will make the workplace compelling enough — and “safe” enough — so our colleagues will make the trek downtown?

The answers lie within flexible furniture and architecture, human resources protocols and policies and technology to connect us.

However, the conversation starts with fundamental questions for executives who are under pressure to declare what they intend to do now.

Leaders want to accelerate their business. Workers are anxious to know their future fate. The question on every worker’s mind is, “Will I have flexibility to choose where and when I work?” Our advice to all leaders is to consider these four things before declaring what’s next.

Read more about the four things in the Houston Chronicle article “Make Office Life Better Than Before COVID” by Lauri Goodman Lampson and Larry Lander.