ADVICE & OPINION
BACK FOR GOOD
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
$s lockdown eases and people travel back into the offi ce, Leanne Beeken, Head of Business
Communications Technology at 5emark Group looks at the range of technologies available to
support worker wellbeing
With the roadmap out of
lockdown underway, reassuring
occupants that the workplace is
a safe place will be essential for
FMs to consider when planning
the reopening of the workplace.
Adjusting to both returning to the
workplace and the way it must now be
organised, may present challenges for
the wellbeing of the UK workforce, so
as businesses begin to operate their
return-to-the-workplace strategy, FMs
should not only address the physical
space but consider how to make the
transition as stress free for occupants
as possible.
The current Government guidance for
o„ ices is to consider the mental health
and wellbeing aspects of COVID-19,
alongside preventative measures,
such as making sure everyone is social
distancing. To sustain this, businesses
can look to technology solutions to help
them adapt their working practices.
WELLBEING ZONES
Employers want employees to feel
safe and comfortable in the workplace;
however, some groups of workers may
feel a sense of anxiety regarding their
return to work, aœ er getting used to
working at home. It is no secret that
access to nature can help reduce stress
16 MAY 2021
levels and help improve our overall
wellbeing; but for those commuting back
into cities and built-up areas, being no
longer able to experience nature can be
hard, particularly during the working day.
This is where it may be worth
considering the use of Soundscapes
to create acoustic comfort. Wellbeing
Soundscapes enable employees to listen
to sounds inspired by nature as they
work and are the perfect way to provide
employees with a sense of wellbeing and
comfort. Installing Soundscapes in open
plan o„ ices, or to create wellbeing breakout
zones is a great way of benefiting
from nature’s soothing e„ ects to help
make your employees feel more at ease.
When blended with Sound Masking
they can have the additional benefit of
enhanced privacy.
COMPENSATE FOR WORKING HABITS
When employees return to their
familiar working environment, due to
overfamiliarity with the space they may
find that they slip into old habits like
standing too close to other occupants.
To overcome this and support social
distancing, you can reduce the risk
of COVID-19 by integrating network
cameras into Social Distancing Detection
technology. This solution detects
hotspots to help identify places where
improved social distancing methods
should be implemented, such as busy
corridors or queues within breakout or
catering areas.
The data provided can help decide
where other measures, such as stop
and go Occupancy Systems or health
and safety Digital Signage (see below)
should be integrated. Employees will
ultimately be reassured that provisions
are being implemented to support
their return to work.
OCCUPANCY LEVEL MANAGEMENT
Scheduling breaks to minimise
bottlenecks in shared spaces may be
one behavioural technique to achieve
occupancy level management. This
will be particularly useful during highfootfall
periods, when more people
will be moving around the premises.
However, hybrid and flexible working
may present challenges for FMs
attempting to monitor and sustain the
advised occupancy levels.
Electronic people counters can help
control occupancy levels in any area of
your workplace and help to determine
how many people are in an area at
one time, reassuring employees that
the risk of over-crowding is reduced.
The solution can be integrated to
display real-time notifications on
digital signage displays, which can
signal clear stop and go instructions,
which is ideal for high tra„ ic spaces like
canteens and the front-of-house.
Digital Signage could even be linked to
the cleaning schedule, to communicate
that rooms have recently been cleaned
and are available for use.
CONTACTLESS ACCESS CONTROL
Controlling access to your premises
during COVID-19 is crucial to making
your employees, visitors and clients feel
safe. Pin codes, fobs and card readers
have been popular forms of access
control systems in the past, but now
users will want a completely contactless
solution to reduce touch.
QR Codes and biometrics are popular
solutions for a contactless entry system.
Upon a successful registration, the
system will trigger the lock to release.
This can be integrated with an automatic
door that will open immediately,
creating a contactless experience.
Temperature checks are integral to the
health and wellbeing of all your visitors
and employees, helping them to feel
safer amongst their peers. Contactless
Temperature Screening Cameras
utilise facial recognition to measure an
individual’s temperature in real-time.
The solution can be integrated with a
Contactless Access Control System for
contactless doorway access to limit
unnecessary contact with surfaces in
high tra„ ic areas.
Upon arrival, if an individual is within
a pre-set healthy temperature, your
access control system will be alerted,
allowing the visitor or employee to enter
the building. This allows for a seamless
and quick fever detection without any
physical contact.
Employees will certainly be looking
to their employers for reassurance and
guidance during the next stage of leaving
lockdown. As measures are introduced
to keep employees safe at work during
this crucial period, the right technologies
can help you achieve this, with the
added reassurance for sta„ that they’re
safe to be back.
FAST FACTS