Designing Government Offices for the Post-COVID Era

For many amazing government workers, the coronavirus pandemic has not displaced them from their normal workplace. For first responders, it has meant a more urgent-but-similar experience working at field locations or on dispatch and in fire houses and hospitals in close proximity to others. For public health and other officials, it has meant coming into the workplace and distancing as best as possible. But, for thousands of other government employees, it has meant working from home. As we prepare to return to the workplace, whenever that happens, what should public agencies and departments be doing to prepare a workplace that can help people feel healthy? We’ve been giving this a lot of thought, and have been learning lessons from our colleagues in China. We’ve also been consulting with our colleagues who focus on health and wellness and workplace strategy and have been talking to building industry partners and clients.