Getting ready for the great office comeback? See how we’ve done it

We’re HB Reavis, an international workspace provider focused on creating spaces that enhance people’s wellbeing and productivity. We believe that people working in our premises feel good and are more productive, creative and happier in general.

It’s as simple as that. We could talk for hours about our people-centric approach, but we have some highly practical stuff to share, so let’s keep moving! Shall we?

We’ve all been through pretty challenging times due to the global pandemic and have started thinking and using established terms in totally different contexts and perspectives, right?

What used to be a pleasant morning routine of having a coffee with the team in the common kitchen will perhaps be skipped forever. Instead of continuing to enjoy a carefree office life, we’re choosing disinfectants, creating social distancing guidelines or working on go-to-office schedules with our Origameo and Symbiosy teams.

It’s your turn to return

Companies are now wondering how they can prepare to bring people back into the office once the strict quarantine rules are gradually relaxed. To be able to offer a helping hand, we’ve already started implementing some of our own measures. See what we’ve done in our offices to ensure the healthy return of our teams and get inspired.

Practical solutions for staying safe

We’re committed to providing spaces that are healthy and safe for the people who work in them. We’re implementing definitive steps that will support all the efforts of the companies operating in our buildings as well as our internal teams.

Check out the extensive summary of measures we’ve taken in our own office and feel free to follow or get back to us if you need any more advice!

Cheat sheet: List of short-term actions we’ve taken in our office

1. Staying safe when getting to work: bikes, parking

Temporarily provide increased parking capacity using available, unused space to increase car use instead of public transport.

Bike sharing – bikes are going to be disinfected after each use.

Promoting the use of the building’s bicycle facilities.

Bike cage – disinfection is provided in front of the entrance to the cage.

2. Staying safe when entering and moving around the building: lobby, reception and lifts

Antimicrobial surfaces / coatings in all interior elements are implemented.

Body temperature measurement for everyone who enters the office.

Hands-free dispensers with sanitiser are available in the lobby.

No-touch garbage bins.

We have identified high-touch surfaces (lift buttons, door knobs, badge readers…) and manage them by implementing a cleaning schedule (meaning the frequency and extent of cleaning and disinfection). The cleaning services had a training program in the premises and were informed about the cleaning schedule (hourly periodicity implemented).

Rules of circulation in the lobby to prevent people from running into each other (e.g. clockwise movement).

Create visual cues for people to distance themselves in lifts.

Mark staircases so that people can find their way around.

Create social distancing cues for people waiting to go through turnstiles.

Create spots for people to stand when waiting for lifts.

3. Staying safe when working: workstations and meeting rooms

Keeping an eye on humidity – the right level of humidity can significantly reduce the infectious capacity of airborne viruses.

Increased ventilation rate.

Use high-efficiency air filtration systems. Our filter in Nivy Tower can capture more than 80% of airborne viral particles thanks to our preparation for WELL certification.

We clean the HVAC system semi-annually, and in the event of a confirmed infection within the premises, we disinfect and perform maintenance on the open cooling towers, filters, purifiers, air vents, air handling units, surface coolers, heating and cooling coils and other equipment/components of the HVAC system.

Increased supply of outdoor air. No recirculated air. Fully air conditioned with fresh air to prevent cross-contamination.

All HB Reavis buildings are designed to have openable windows that provide access to outdoor air. A study published just last year found that ensuring even minimum levels of outdoor air ventilation reduced influenza transmission as much as having 50 to 60 percent of the people in a building vaccinated.

Real-time air quality measurements – CO2 levels indicate the air quality in general.

4. Staying safe when eating, socialising and relaxing at work

Dedicated spots for food delivery; combined food deliveries so that the number of delivery people is reduced to a minimum.

We encourage socially distanced eating outside.

5. Staying safe and mentally healthy

We are in a longer term discussion with the League for Mental Health in Slovakia about having a community centre in the Nivy zone. We are considering involving the league soon.

Facilitate COVID-19 volunteering. The WHO has said that being supportive of others helps reduce the psychological burden on people.

Use our public screens to amplify positive and hopeful stories and images of people who have recovered from COVID-19.

Use our screens to pay respect to certain careers and healthcare workers that are helping people with COVID-19 stay healthy.

Do you want to learn more? We’re happy to discuss your safe office comeback with you. Just get in touch: