3 ways office life in Manchester could change in a post COVID-19 world

Whilst we all try and navigate our way through this pandemic, we have been speaking to several clients about changes they are considering for the post COVID world. From office size to hygiene, there are plenty of considerations to factor in before we return to our workplace.

Will businesses move out of Manchester City Centre?

With City Centres across the UK being hit hard in the early stages of the pandemic, some offices may be considering an office less central. One particular area attracting developers and businesses is Stockport – not only does the area have great links to the city centre and other cities in the UK (2 hours to London on the train!), the surrounding towns and villages are home to many areas of natural beauty. The acquisition of the iconic ‘Stockport Pyramid’ by Eamar Developments will be instrumental in developing office accommodation in the area. The Pyramid comprises of 86,000 sq ft of office space over five floors with 426 on-site car parking spaces.

Will flexible working become the new norm?

The long-term introduction of flexible working for many businesses in Manchester may also influence a lot of decisions when it comes to the office. Working remotely has – almost overnight – become the new normal. At Workspace we were used to working and delivering in one way. Now, we must rapidly adapt to new ways of thinking, team dynamics, structural changes to the working day, the impact on our wellbeing and more. This is something that is expected to continue beyond the pandemic, so with people working from home more often, the need for a big city centre office may be less significant.

Will office hygiene change forever?

An inevitable part of getting back to the workplace is the increased focus on hygiene. This is something we expect to continue far beyond the pandemic and for many years to come. From hand sanitising stations in receptions, to accessible cleaning products for all staff to use throughout the day, there will be plenty of hygiene measures introduced throughout Manchester.

Office life will inevitably change in many ways – and sooner than we might have thought. These are just some of the many things being considered in the dynamic Manchester office environment.

Please get in touch if you’d like us to review your office space, or if you just need some advice!