Workplace distancing - the suggestions for Microsoft based CTO's
Updated: Jul 24, 2020
So the new normal has arrived for some and will arrive for others between now and January 2021.
The conundrum the CEO wants us back at work, however with a safe workplace!
The Chief Legal Counsel is warning we had better assess the risks as litigation and reputation risks are high.
The Human Resources lead is saying, safety is primary for the workforce and transparent safety at that.
What do you do? The Balancing Act!
Here's the first issue the CTO will be asked to help with, "50% reduction in desks" that have to be spaced out and deemed safe, santised and manageable."
Microsoft Teams
Plays a huge role in dealing with what is now a shortage of seats as those that can't come in can still meet, work and collaborate.
However, you cannot afford this!
Gensler Article signals a change
1. Rethink desk density to prioritize physical distancing.
2. Plan phased scenarios for returning to work.
3. Identify essential workers.
4. Reconfigure flex spaces.
5. Reconsider the use of free address seating areas.
6. Track who sits where.
7. Introduce shift work.
8. Designate isolation rooms.
9. Plan and communicate cleaning regimens.
10. Screen for admittance to the office.
However, desks were in ratios of 1.2-1.8:1 (people to desk) and are now in a world of "we haven't got enough". It's now a practical matter of a minimum of 2:1 and in some cases 3:1 and we need a management system, to enable desks to be booked, disabled after use and cleaned, reinstated and returned to be bookable.
What's more that process has to be visible and deemed safe by your own team!
Suggestion - you haven't got that much time to organise this:
We'd suggest looking at Microsoft Gold Partners like Condeco who:
Operate on Azure with all of its reach, scale and security assurances.
Are heavily Integrated with Microsoft and have Exchange Synch deep Office 365 APi integration.
Are market leaders in both Meeting Room and key in this era Desk Booking
Have a simple Microsoft store add-in.
Who can deploy a software only, Cloud based answer in weeks.
Who can scale globally across your corporate footprint
Pre Coronavirus
This Pre Coronavirus environment, has gone for a while, till antibody testing and vaccines are widespread.

Now you want to know the safe workplaces that are bookable!
And you want to ensure they are easily booked, with find a colleague enabled.
And Afterwards you need the peace of mind that each occupied seat has been sanitised prior to released back to the booking pool.
The beauty of Condeco is you can extend its events and triggers to other complimentary services like:
VPOD Visitor Management and Wayfinding - now with touchless voice activated check-in.
Proxyclick Visitor Management - touchless check-in
Smart Spaces - desk and room management
And for those that like to "forge the new norm frontier", then VPOD are launching their new Condeco Desk booking integration, in the next 2 weeks.
Why does that matter?
If your team member hasn't booked and arrives at reception, they can voice activate the kiosk and book a desk, then find their way there.
That means you don't have to operate a 100% "locked down booking in advance system, if you want that flexibility"
Reporting on Workplace Safety and Policy Control

If you want to know more, talk to Jeff more and Pandemic Dashboard Blog
Relogix offer multiple data source reporting that caters for every stakeholder view
Incorporate every concern area and data source you'd like to incorporate.
Better still they have a key team of very experienced Corporate Real Estate planners who know what to look for in the data.
Jeff is on a US timezone so if you want a UK information source that isn't commercial, talk to Simone at Ricoh UK.

If you need any of the solutions, try david willoughby

Glossary of Terms and meanings
Microsoft office 365 enhanced
Condeco extends office 365 so that simplistic bookers can find rooms and their charecteristics easily.
The safe workplace o365 enhanced
Condeco delivers a safe workplace through its social distancing of meeting room seats and desk spacing and sanitisation features.
The safe workplace office 365 enhanced
The safe workplace with distancing and sanitisation can be added to office 365 via the add-in.
Microsoft workplaces on demand,
Condeco adds desk and room booking on demand to office 365.
Microsoft smart workplace
We believe Condeco enhances Microsoft to deliver a smart workplace through its features and their benefits and their partner integrations.
A safe Microsoft enhanced workplace
Condeco enable the Microsoft productivity suite to deliver a safer workplace.
Microsoft workplace experience
Condeco and their partners help deliver a better Microsoft powered workplace experience with more efficient processes.
Workplace experience re-engineering
Condeco and their partners enable a re-engineered workplace to be delivered using technology to deliver a digital workplace.
Microsoft workplace efficiency
Condeco and its partners enable the more efficient processes to be delivered by enhancing Microsoft's core productivity suite Outlook.
Microsoft digital transformation
Those looking to digitally transform the workplace can do so extending and enhancing Microsoft.
Microsoft safe check-in
VPOD an Proxyclick extend Condeco and Microsoft to deliver a safe check-in through faster processes and less congested reception areas.
Microsoft touchless check-in
Proxyclick and Condeco deliver through the Integration with Condeco the touchless check-in to Microsoft customers.
Microsoft express check-in
Proxyclick and Condeco deliver through the Integration with Condeco the express check-in using their invites and QR codes for Microsoft customers.
The safe workplace
Condeco enable the safe workplace with their core desk and room products and their integrations with partners like VPOD and Proxyclick.
The safe workplace assigned seats
Assigned or bookable seats ensure no one is allowed to just sit where they like and not safe distance, without the use of tape.
The safe workplace hot desk
This is now delivered through the Condeco desk booking, safe spacing and sanitisation feature.
The safe workplace meeting rooms
delivered by using Condeco to safe distance seats and sanitise the rooms with its vendor management feature queuing work orders to cleaning vendors.
The safe workplace visitor management
Delivered Through the Condeco VPOD and Proxyclick integrations.
Covid-19 back to the workplace,
Term for recovery to the workplace post lockdown but prior to vaccination.
Safe workplace distancing
Term used for Meeting Room and Desk seating efficient 2 metre spacing delivered using the desk and room booking Condeco APP.
Safe reception distancing
Delivered by decongesting the reception area with invites delivered to visitors with QR codes, enable pre registration, touchless and express check-in. This decongests reception areas using the Condeco VPOD and Proxyclick check-in.
Desk booking check-list
Complying with the Covid back to workplace and call centre guidelines.
Mobile and Web booking
delivery of safe booking through own device booking, removing surfaces that you need to touch and sanitise.
Desk status free busy
delivered by the Condeco APP so the desk booker knows what's free, busy and available, whilst also seeing safe distancing from the floor plan.
Desk status unavailable sanitisation required
delivered by the Condeco APP when the desk is finished with but suspended from use requiring sanitisation and release.
Desk vendor message cleaning list
Delivered through the desk booking vendor management module.
Vendor change status
Delivered by the Condeco APP when the cleaning or catering vendor change the status of an order.
Desk GPS check-in
Delivered by The Condeco desk booking APP that delivers touchless check-in to your desk through the GPS HQ association triggered by your mobile device.
Desk GPS checkout
Delivered when a user leaves the building for a certain time, checking them out of the desk.
Desk integration Vpod
New module delivered by VPOD's desk integration with Condeco. Enables Desk booking from VPOD.
Desk way-finding
Delivered by VPOD and its integration to Condeco
Desk booking integration
VPOD feature enabling desks to be booked using the VGreet kiosks, useful for Post Covid or unscheduled bookings.
Desk spacing
Achieved with The Condeco App deploying safe distancing of desks and room seats and blocking out other seats to demonstrate safe distancing.
Desk spacing transparency
Delivers safe distancing by blocking out desks in between, opposite each other and deploying that on the booking app to deliver psychological safety to the desk booker.
Desk booking day of week phasing
Delivered by the Condeco app allowing day of the week booking if you've a phased use desk policy.
Desk booking close area.
Delivered by the Condeco APP which allows areas or zones to be closed and auto-cancels forward bookings pushing notifications to those that have booked to rebook.