There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the business landscape across multiple industries. Many businesses have taken this time to reflect upon and improve their existing business practices and company cultures, oftentimes for the better.
Culturally, we’ve become glaringly more aware of our surroundings, our personal behaviours, and how our actions can directly or indirectly impact the people around us. Companies need to be more hypervigilant about protecting their employees and ensuring their overall health and safety. But how can we accomplish this in the midst of a global pandemic?
If you’re in need of office space for rent in Ottawa or Mississauga during this time, then you can rest assured that Innovative Professional Offices has taken concrete steps to ensure the overall safety of your employees and customers.
Leasing an Office Space during COVID-19
As businesses slowly begin to reopen and Ontario cautiously moves into stage 3, it’s understandable that many employees might be a little hesitant to return to work. At IPO, our staff is working hard on a daily basis to make short-term office space rentals as efficient and comfortable for your business during these trying times. Here are just some of the things we’re doing to improve your office space rental experience.
Increasing Hygiene Practices
Right now, nothing is more important than ensuring the health and safety of everyone who uses our short-term offices spaces. We take great pride in implementing stringent hygiene practices including thoroughly sanitizing all shared spaces and surfaces multiple times a day. We also provide fully stocked hand sanitizing stations that include disinfectants, sanitizing wipes, face disposable face masks, tissues, and other sanitary products for employee use. Our goal is to help make the transition of going back to work as safe, seamless, and comforting for you and your employees as possible.
Onsite Cleaning and Maintenance Staff
At IPO, we’ve always taken great pride in providing top-notch cleaning and maintenance services for everyone who uses our short-term office space. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, however, our cleaning and maintenance staff are going the extra mile to help reduce the risk of transmission by upholding high-standard cleaning practices and rigid schedules.
Rearranging Seating
Another important step we’re taking to ensure your absolute physical and mental comfort while using our short-term office spaces for lease is that you have the option to rearrange our seating arrangements as you see fit. Understandably, the last thing you want to do right now is to sit too close to other people, even if they are your coworkers. We understand that it’s nothing personal; it’s about maintaining high health and safety standards while lowering the risk of spreading germs. As we all learn to adjust to this new normal way of doing business, it’s important to respect the personal space of the people around us while striving to boost efficiency.
Restroom Upgrades
Certain necessary restroom upgrades are also in the works. For instance, we’ve automated all of our faucets, toilets, and hand dryers using touchless mechanisms, so that you don’t have to make physical contact with any of these fixtures. We’ve also automated our restroom doors so that you can enter and exit the bathroom without having to touch a potentially germ-infested metal door handle or door plate. As part of our commitment to maintaining high hygiene practices and standards, we also have our cleaning staff carefully sanitize and clean our restrooms frequently throughout the day.
Regulating the Number of Guests in One Space
Many businesses have taken the necessary step of regulating or limiting the number of guests who can occupy a single space at any given time. IPO takes the health and safety your employees and clients very seriously. That’s why we humbly ask that you work with us to restrict the number of employees and customers who are using our office space rental units simultaneously. We also ask that you and your guests maintain physical distancing and other hygienic standards such as frequent handwashing and sanitizing and refraining from touching your face.
Additionally, we ask that anyone who isn’t feeling well and exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, dry cough, fatigue, sore throat, aches and pains, headaches, etc.) to avoid coming into the office, get tested, and self-quarantine for at least 14 days.
Contactless Deliveries
Shipping and receiving items such as products and important documents are a big part of your business, which is why we haven’t completely suspended this service. Contactless deliveries help us ensure that your business can still operate on schedule while still minimizing the risks of spreading COVID-19. All deliveries will be dropped off outside the building. You’ll be immediately notified when your package arrives as well as when and how you can safely retrieve it.
Offering More Virtual Services
COVID-19 has made it more important than ever to consider the advantages of going virtual. IPO offers extensive digital platforms that allow you and your employees to work safely and remotely while still remaining connected with one another. Through a strong and reliable virtual network, you can maintain email communications as well as teleconferencing and videoconferencing meetings with employees and clients around the globe in real time.
At Innovative Professional Offices, we fully understand that you’re eager to get back to business as usual. Even though it may take a while for that to happen, we want to make your transition into the new normal as easy as possible. To learn more about the changes we’re making to help give you the peace of mind to return to work safely, contact us today.
