Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the professional world has been a turbulent and unpredictable place.
But with the discovery of a vaccine, suddenly there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
So, what does the future look like for coworking in Tucson as we work to put the pandemic behind us?
Here are our predictions.
On-site changes when coworking in Tucson
The first thing you can expect to see — and are probably already seeing if you’ve been coworking in Tucson — are some on-site changes intended to keep you and your fellow members safe.
At The Post, this is taking the form of:
- NanoSeptic skins: These surfaces utilize mineral non-crystals which create a powerful oxidation reaction to naturally sanitize high-touch areas like door handles and light switches.
- Foot-operated hardware: You’ll notice foot-operated hardware on many doors, giving you the option to use your foot to open doors rather than your hands.
- Sanitizer stations: As is a best practice, we’ve installed hand sanitizer stations all throughout the space.
- Placemat-based sanitization system: Each day, members will take a placemat from the front desk and, upon departing, will leave the mat on their workstation so that our staff knows to thoroughly sanitize it.
- Limited amenities: We’ve scaled back the volume of amenities we’re currently offering, asking members to wear gloves before touching any disposable cups and condiments and to wipe down anything they’ve touched with antiseptic wipes, and limiting kitchen access to one person at a time.
- Mandatory touchless sign-in: All guests are required to sign in upon entry at a touchless iPad station and complete a questionnaire before entering.
- Social distancing stickers: As a gentle reminder, we’ve placed stickers on the floor to remind members to say six feet apart.
- Canceled events: We’ve thrilled to be able to host events but we abide by all CDC guidelines to ensure our attendees remain safe.
- Air Purifiers: We run high-quality air purifiers around the clock which help kill airborne viruses and bacteria.
- UV Disinfectant Lamps: In each of our meeting rooms, we’ve installed disinfectant lamps that use UV light to kill bacteria.
- Air Vents for Natural Air Circulation: When we were building out our building, we had fresh air vents installed. These vents allow natural outdoor to be pulled into the space. This type of ventilation helps natural air move from indoors to outdoors and visa versa, keeping the air from becoming stagnant and ridding the environment of mold, bacteria, and viruses.
We are also making a few requests of our members including refraining from coming into The Post for 14 days if they’ve traveled for business, socialized outside their household, or are displaying illness symptoms.
We’re also asking that all members:
- Wear masks in common areas
- Cover their mouth and nose fully with their elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing
- Use hand sanitizer before and after using printers
- Refrain from accepting mail or packages for other suites
- Avoid entering each other’s offices
- Sanitize and disinfect their surfaces at the end of the day
The immediate and mid-term changes you’ll experience with coworking in Tucson will largely follow this type of trend.
But what will the longer-term implications be?
Long-term implications of COVID-19 on coworking in Tucson and Oro Valley
While those operating coworking spaces in Tucson have done a great job of tackling immediate safety and sanitation issues, we expect to see some longer-term changes taking place for coworking in Tucson.
Here’s what we anticipate.
Coworking in Tucson will lean towards private office space
You can already see it happening: remote employees, particularly those who are new to it, are starting to feel the itch and getting tired of working from home.
Many remote workers don’t want an office at all times, but they want somewhere they can go for even a few hours per day, a few days per week.
We’re seeing that they don’t feel comfortable going to overly public places, like coffee shops, to work, so they’re beginning to seek alternative options.
Demand for coworking in Tucson will skyrocket
With many industries now realizing that remote work is possible for their employees, we predict that the need for flexible off space will increase as enterprise teams adjust their day-to-day operations over the next twelve months.
We believe that organizations will begin slowly transitioning their remote staff back into the office but, due to social distancing requirements, won’t be able to accommodate their full teams.
Employee sentiment will also factor into this decision, with a high likelihood that staff will feel a level of trepidation as it pertains to heading back to their company office.
On account of that, organizations will likely utilize coworking spaces for their employees and small teams to avoid possible future disruptions.
Companies will seek coworking space in suburban locations
As companies look to acquire flexible office space for their remote employees and small teams, we anticipate that suburban coworking locations will become extremely popular due to their affordability, ease of accessibility and reduced commute times, and less risk of exposure to COVID-19.
This means we can expect to see an increase in popularity in coworking in Tucson.
Coworking operators in Tucson will need to embrace ongoing adaptability
The reality is that the pandemic is evolving on a daily basis, making it almost impossible to accurately forecast what the future will look like.
In light of that, coworking operators should expect to be adapting on the fly for the foreseeable future.
Ongoing operational changes will be required to continue attracting new members, and new initiatives will need to be undertaken, including:
- Mandating social distancing and safety measures
- Requiring that PPE be worn in shared open areas
- Implementing distancing between desks
- Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch areas hourly
- Conducting nightly deep-cleaning and sanitizing of the entire workspace
- Addressing the need for “clean air” in spaces
The desire for human connection will fuel the demand for virtual office services
We can expect to see people remaining hesitant to interact closely with one another for a while.
But at the end of the day, human connection is essential. And while we will likely see a decrease in the number of people wanting offices full-time, the demand for part-time virtual office service will rise. To learn more about why this will be critical, check out our article on the topic: 7 Reasons to Use Virtual Office Services in a Pandemic.
While it’s hard to say exactly what coworking in Tucson will look like in the wake of COVID-19, The Post Workspaces is staying in contact with experts and remaining up to speed with all necessary best practices for keeping our members safe while empowering them to achieve their best work.
Want to learn more about The Post and what we’ve doing to keep members safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Our team is here to answer any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to reach out.