It is no news that Corona virus today has influenced several aspects of our lives, some even permanently. Naturally then, it has also greatly changed the way businesses operates. Talking on a macro level, enterprises have been compelled to divert a good share of funds toward hygiene and now take this aspect into account much more seriously than before. With compulsory face masks, better office ventilation, staggered seating and the stress on using ergonomic office furniture, employee health has suddenly bagged the front row. Is this a lasting new change or a trend that will soon fade out - is for us to wait and watch. But right now, things look poised for a change. At HNI India, there are 4 workplace aspects we think might experience irreversible change during and even post the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Significant developments in practicing health & safety standards

Before you punch in, before you even enter the premises, you are confronted by the security guard who points a gun straight to your forehead or sometimes your wrists. Only this time, the gun is a harmless temperature sensor and the process is just a usual pre-login. A slight rise above normal body temperature, you won’t even be allowed further. While this process, in general, may not sound very appealing to all, it is indeed a great buffer to protect all inhabitants of that place from any kinds of viral, not just Covid-19. Furthermore, sanitizers parked strategically, toiletries refilled more frequently, desks cleaned more fervently and coffee cups washed more thoroughly will become a mandatory daily ritual. All these hygienic habits would be so embedded into our subconscious that it might become hard to completely do away with all of these.

2. High Demand for Work from Home Services

Working from home which was once a privilege of a few has become a headache of the lot. What started of as fun activity is now nothing more than a dull task. However, we think that once offices start fully functioning and work from home loses its status of ‘compulsion’, the negativity around it would diminish, giving it back its lost glory. In fact, having experienced the possibility of efficiently working from home, a more global workplace might demand full time resources to work for them in the absence of a local office. Many companies have already started utilizing the potential of remote working for a few departments wherever possible. While this trend certainly won’t replace office working, it would surely narrow down to a niche of its own. As per a study by the global workplace analytics, 25% - 30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021. This essentially means that a home office might occupy a permanent space in your residence. So, make sure you have a home office desk ready as you open up your room for global opportunities!

3. Heavy reliance on technology

Mobile technologies are playing a significant role in this area. GPS and Bluetooth, which before helped us find our way through traffic or get a seat at that new restaurant can be used to track the spread of COVID through the community. At work, Managers can get online notifications to help identify ‘pinch points’ or other spatial or process challenges in the workplace. In case of large offices, users can be directed to common rooms that currently have less density to maintain social distancing. On the other hand, restrictions on moving around freely have increased our reliance on the internet, high-speed cloud servers and high resolution video conferencing tools to name a few. Business meets, interviews and team meets have shifted online already. As such, we would need faster internet, a greater bandwidth and more sophisticated tools to facilitate a decent communication.

4. More emphasis on employee health

As health awareness increases, companies would automatically lay more emphasis on the well being of their employees. In order to maintain a smooth flow of work, a company would require healthy employees, a strong virtual connectivity and yes, a disinfected office table and chair set. The modern office will have fewer touch points which means less chances of spreading any germs. They will have to make social distancing comfortable by placing transparent barriers between each office workstation. This is the time when cubicles might get back into fashion.

What changes and what remains the same is for time to tell. At HNI India, we already live by the motto of ‘work happy’. Certainly then, all our office furniture is aimed towards promoting a healthy and happy lifestyle – be it your workplace or your home office. If you are intrigued by the prospect of a better workplace, begin by investing in better furniture. Visit HNI India – the leading ergonomic office furniture manufacturers and check out our range of office and work from home furniture. You can also order from our e-store online, and get online office furniture delivered right to your doorstep! Visit HNI India, today.

It might be that ‘work-from-home’ is working for you or it might be that you are utterly done with experiencing what feels like an “endless cycle of working from home”. Whatever the case, getting back to workplaces now seems an inevitable, somewhat exciting reality. This means that finally we will get back to our chairs, and tables, and systems and will be finally able to clearly separate working hours from our lives! Ah!

But the change is not going to be so seamless. For a smooth transition, the process needs to be rather gradual with a little bit of mental preparation and a few lifestyle changes. We share a list of exercises that will make this crossover smoother. This will not only make sure that we get back to our offices fully prepared, but will also prepare ourselves one step further by being resilient to such dynamic changes in the future.

1. 1. Start rehearsing your return

As you continue working from home, take out some contemplation time out to imagine the day you will get back to your office and try to visualize yourself having a good time with your colleagues, conversing with them while simultaneously working and try to develop a positive feeling about all of this. You will slowly start gaining confidence about yourself to the point that you will want to hasten the day you go to work and replay all those thoughts you had played out in the heart of your mind.

2. 2. Mimic your workplace habits

Mere visualizations are of no avail unless followed up with actions. Actions are really important to set a firm tone to your desired outcomes. If all this time you have been getting right out of your bed straight to your laptop, you will have to get rid of this habit. This means you will have to freshen up, have breakfast and also dress up like the professional you are before you log in to your office workstation. Also, if you have developed a new found habit such as a post lunch nap, get rid of this at the earliest - in your actual office, there won’t be a pillow to your rescue!

3. 3. Do not stretch your working hours

Working from home has blurred the line between professional and personal life. Since we have the entire day to our disposal, we tend to stretch our work to fill in much more hours than the typical 9 hours. This practice will certainly not work when you get back to your actual office environment (which is so good btw!). Instead, finish up your work before time and make time for other essential activities like exercise, reading books, cooking, catching up with your family, etc.

4. 4. Avoid unmonitored eating

Working home alone plunged quickly from being comfortable, more productive and time efficient to being just the exact opposite. Limited and healthy eating habits (that were partially due to the fear of running out of food during the lockdown) quickly went south once the shops started functioning normally. Blame it on the frustration, fear or boredom but right now our eating habits have probably turned worse if they were already bad. As such, start replacing your habits with better ones such as not eating anything at anytime. Instead, drink more water and eat only during fixed intervals such as lunch and snacks. This way, you would train your brain into not craving food during actual office hours.

5. 5. Take timely breaks in between

Breaks should neither be underestimated, nor overestimated - but they should be an essential part of your work routine. Breaks enable you to switch out of redundancy, relax your mind and body and refresh your brain to start over anew. Your muscles need to be flexed every so often and one of the best ways to do it even while working is to use a height adjustable table such as the Avail HAD by HNI India. They allow you to transition your postures from sitting to standing without having to leave your work-desk.

While you are preparing returning back to your offices, you cannot deny the possibility of working from home becoming mainstream. The COVID-19 adversity has opened up the possibilities of making the offices of the future geographically distributed, connected virtually. This implies you should be prepared to work from home if need be. One of the important aspects of working from home is that you need to equip yourself with the right set of home office furniture. HNI India is a brand that works towards creating happy workplaces by using ergonomic furniture engineered for a healthy working lifestyle. At HNI India, we believe that the best work- from-home places are those that have the best work from home furniture. At the HNI India e-store, we have a range of work from home furniture you can even order online. Here are 3 of the best ergonomically compliant chairs that you can order right away for your office or home!

Verta - Verta is an internationally designed chair, now manufactured in India with the Asian body type in mind. Its V shaped design give it a minimalistic look yet by the virtue of its design it has all functionalities that you would find in chair that is truly ergonomic. You can check it out here: https://hni-india.com/product/verta-executive-conference

Fluence - an ideal solution that’s elegant, cost effective and can be accessorized and personalized beautifully; a must for workplace health and happiness. You can order here https://estore.hni-india.com/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-products-listing/product/157-5fluence

Ativo - If your need is a supremely comfortable, exceptionally stylish office chair, you should opt for Ativo. Order at https://estore.hni-india.com/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-products-listing/product/154-5ativo