5 Important Questions to Ask When Reopening Your Offices

In the wake of COVID-19, people across the country have had to adapt to a new work environment. Consequently, companies have had to reimagine their workspaces in response to what many are calling the new normal. Lease management software is a valuable tool during the normal business cycle but has now become an indispensable asset to manage and forecast liabilities.

Lease management software tracks people, places, and assets. Combining floor plans with data makes systems like this extremely powerful by consolidating information into one system. Department, personnel, and asset information can work together with your CAD drawings to create plans and reports which inform your decision-makers moving forward, saving your company valuable time and expense. As companies begin to reopen their offices, there are several factors to consider. Here are 5 important questions to ask when reopening your offices and how implementing a lease management system can help:

1. Will your workforce continue to work from home?

If so, will your company look to shed space to save money? A benchmarking report that returns the rentable square footage (RSF) per person, and RSF per capacity of each floor and building, can be used to calculate potential reductions in your real estate portfolio. For example, if you decrease 10% of your in-office workforce, you'll be able to calculate the corresponding square feet should you decide to reduce it. Once these portfolio reductions have been determined, a lease management system would be essential for planning restacks and portfolio consolidation. Moves can be scheduled in phases and set to future dates.

2. Are employees returning to work part-time?

Some companies are bringing their employees back into the office part-time or on a split schedule, with the remainder of their workweek spent at home. A lease management system can help you track which employees work Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays and those who work on Thursdays on alternate weeks.

3. How are you implementing social distancing at your offices?

Floorplans are a great way to ensure employees remain six feet away from each other. When combined with work schedules, these floorplans ensure all employees remain safe and meet office requirements. Furthermore, directional arrows help guide employees through common areas such as hallways and corridors when posted on floors and walls.

4. What about employees that will still be working from home?

Maps can help managers identify where employees are based, which assists in tracking mobile devices, laptops, or other company equipment.

5. Do you need flexible space planning?

Flexible space planning is a great way to manage headcount and space allocation during uncertain times. Designating workstations as free space, hotelling desks, and permanent use desks is helpful for occupancy planning.

Conclusion

There is a lot to consider when reopening offices post-COVID-19. However, the right lease management system can help managers more easily make decisions and remain organized during times when it's difficult to forecast the future. Hive Spaces is the easiest, simplest, and most affordable way to manage your lease portfolio. Whether you're a tenant or broker and oversee fifty leases or just one, Hive will save you time and money while keeping you organized.

To learn more about Hive, visit us at crehive.com.