As we all got used to COVID-19 being a prominent topic of conversation, the Smart Planning office underwent some drastic changes! Smart Planning’s office (The Old School House) wasn’t originally designed to house a business and for that reason we had very small communal areas and facilities. Our Principal Director took the initiative to have the downstairs space re-configured into a more COVID-19 friendly environment. A filing room was removed (now that we are going paper free as a company) allowing for the installation of a new toilet. The existing toilet was then removed, creating a larger and more modern kitchen space, handy for grabbing a much-needed coffee! This allowed for further social distancing between members of staff. Here are some before and after photos of our lovely new kitchen space.
Before: Work to remove the old WC and Kitchen
After: The finished Kitchen complete with new units, tiles, flooring, fixtures and fittings!
Even stricter cleaning regimes have been implemented and the Director’s PA ensures that all regular touch points are cleaned thoroughly every day. We have wipes and hand sanitizers available on each desk and reminder about social distancing. Staff have been adjusting to the phased return to the office. Room densities have been implemented to ensure we are all able to feel comfortable within our working environment. Furthermore, staff currently adhere to a weekly rota. This maintains sensible room densities and ensures that all staff get to see each other again!
Luckily the UK got to experience a handful of sunny days this Summer and our staff had the opportunity to make the most of the sunshine with our newly landscaped garden. The garden features benches for staff to sit on at lunch time and plants and birdfeeders to encourage wildlife to visit. So far, we have had visits from squirrels, pheasants, bees and ducks! Offering a space for staff to have a moment away from their computer screens is vital to their wellbeing so that they can re-charge and hit their next task head-on.
Before: The early stages of garden improvement works
After: Our newly landscaped garden with a new lawn, substantial planting and bird feeders!
To further staff wellbeing, we have enjoyed a team building afternoon in the sunshine collecting litter from the streets surrounding our office. We hired litter-picking equipment from our local council and managed to collect over 7 bags of litter including many discarded masks, plastic bottles and even a large petrol canister! Staff really enjoyed the experience, instilling a sense of local pride. We hope to hold many more events like this to strengthen the bond between the team!
Everyone at Smart Planning is looking forward to life post COVID and we hope to soon have all members of staff visiting the office when ready and safe to do so.
16 September 2021