Giving Compass' Take:

• Here are three essential steps for optimizing buildings before re-opening that prioritize employee safety.

• One of the steps of optimization is to "collect meaningful data." How can donors help with this goal? How are you supporting a safe re-opening in your community?

• Learn how to prepare nonprofits for re-opening. 

As communities move past the first wave of COVID-19, businesses are exploring how they can safely bring employees back to offices and other indoor spaces to resume regular operations. Despite some companies' moves to allow employees work remotely on a permanent basis, most employees who were thrust into remote work during the first half of 2020 will soon be asked to return to their places of employment.

The truth is that for most businesses, keeping team members away from their usual places of work is not a long-term solution. The benefits of employees interacting in offices — fostering collaboration, communication and creativity — is well documented. Unfortunately, these benefits stand to be overshadowed by beliefs that the building where an employee works can be a significant health threat to that individual and their family.

When asking employees to return to the office, these beliefs can lead to consequences including the decimation of employee loyalty and retention, and the threat of lawsuits from employees who perceive that their employers are putting them at risk.

This goes beyond appropriate spacing of workstations and disinfection of doorknobs. The same sort of smart building technologies that have allowed us to make systems more energy efficient and reduce operational risk can also create healthier buildings where workers and visitors feel safe and protected. The time has come to lean into these smart technologies, get employees back at their desks and begin the process of rebuilding economies.

  • Step 1: Shift smart building focus from efficiency to wellness
  • Step 2: Make collected data meaningful
  • Step 3: Develop healthy building certification

Read the full article about making re-opening safer for employees by Glenn Lurie at Smart Cities Dive.