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Navigating the Workplace in our Post-COVID Reality

We are always open and willing to take on new challenges, and some of the best ideas can come from the unexpected.
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Rachel Zsembery
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As a Design Collaborative, Bergmeyer regularly creates social and experiential environments for the places where we live, work, eat, shop, learn, and gather. We are always open and willing to take on new challenges, and some of the best ideas can come from the unexpected. Having to re-think what a social environment means from a health perspective was certainly not expected, and over the last few weeks there has been no shortage of thought-provoking pieces on what it could mean to return to the office. Using our own office as a test case, we set out to create a plan that turns the theoretical into actionable for Bergmeyer and for other businesses to move forward.

Download our our workplace re-entry brochure, "Navigating the Workplace in our Post-COVID Reality"

This workplace re-entry plan is of paramount importance to us, because it allows us to address the physical and psychological needs of our staff as they begin to contemplate returning to the office environment. At Bergmeyer we value people above all else – our team, and our clients and partners who entrust us with their business. Through this challenging time, we have relied on the strength of our internal community and culture to support each other and make empathetic, transparent, and clear decisions relative to our company’s business response to the health crisis. After polling the office to better understand their needs, concerns and unique situational challenges (be they childcare, transportation, or health) related to returning to the workplace, we set about to create a specific plan that would provide the flexibility to address the wide range of readiness that our team members are experiencing.

We are following local, state, and federal guidelines for the timing of our office re-entry. The office re-entry plan is completely voluntary, as we are well equipped to continue to support our employees working from home for the foreseeable future. While some employees will choose to remain at home, we recognize that there are many people who are eager to return to the office as soon as it is safe to do so. Our plan incorporates temporary visual and physical cues to support in-office physical distancing, reduced occupancy levels, enhanced cleaning protocols, and self-regulated health precautions.

We believe deeply in the open exchange of ideas and best practices across communities. As such, we are sharing our workplace re-entry plan as a resource for everyone who is facing the daunting task of crafting their own path to return to their workplace. It is part of our commitment to be supportive within our global community.

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