Hybrid This, Touchless That: Return to the Office
By: Tony Zuniga, CFM, SFP
Our last few months have been a race to prepare for the return to office. Countless nights of research, programming, and planning have all gone into preparing for this moment. We also know that much of this is going to be a learning curve for our returning staff. Many of them will be surprised by the visual difference of their space. Comfy chairs, new lighting, and reduced clutter keep the space easier to clean and disinfect. The touchless motto is prominent, and this is going to reflect in the way facilities interact with returning staff. I am sure you are already thinking of hand sanitizing stations and automated systems, but what about services that require person-to-person interaction?
The mailroom was one service that can be contactless. Smart lockers create the ability for staff to come in at their leisure and pick up their packages. This can also be beneficial to other departments for delivery of equipment (i.e. laptops) or even sensitive documents. There are even lockers for suitcases for the fresh road warriors! Gone are the days of the mailroom person dropping off your package from a cart. No more running to the mailroom before closing time to get that project document. Staff can put items into the locker and receive a code, then share that code with the person who needs to receive the items. The receiver can come to the office when their time permits, enter the code, and the locker opens. No more juggling schedules or hiding checks under keyboards. Now an option for secure drop boxes is available to everyone.
With the many models available in the market (see below for non-exhaustive list), there are many things to consider, such as lead time and reopening dates. These lockers are manufactured to the specifications of the building, so make sure you know your programming. The software requirements (firewalls) require that IT become involved early on in the process. Accessibility to the lockers is key, so location of the lockers should be considered as not all models are weather resistant. Suddenly the choices of said lockers become not as easy as plug-n-play. It is all about creating and elevating the workspace experience, so don't feel overwhelmed. The new hybrid worker comes in for a few hours to work, and leaves for home after lunch. Or maybe they opt to work in the patios, also created to promote outdoor seating and additional meeting space.
As an FM, this is our time to really impact the future workspace experience. While some of these experiences may attempt to revert back to pre-pandemic normal, most will not. Humans are creatures of habit, and we are here to ensure the good habits stick and reflect in their new hybrid spaces. The more we can do to offer enhanced experiences and WOW our staff, the happier our staff will be when returning.
https://go.bellhowell.net/bopis/retail/retail-smart-locker-solutions
https://www.pitneybowes.com/us/shipping-and-mailing/parcels-and-packages/smart-parcel-lockers.html
https://www.packageconcierge.com/
https://www.meridiankiosks.com/solutions/automated-smart-locker-system/
https://smiota.com/package-lockers/
