We are currently in a context in which we must take care of the health and integrity of our collaborators and for this we have been obliged to apply some changes in the management of our companies. Undoubtedly, the pandemic has been a great challenge for all of us and we have had to undergo an accelerated learning process that has been transcendental. We have had to adapt to new ways of organizing our work.

In this process of adaptation we have discovered that there are many tasks that can be performed more efficiently virtually using technological tools, which although they were always available, we preferred not to use them. We have also seen that telecommuting can be a very good and efficient option for some types of work and people.

Although every company and culture is different, as well as the circumstances of each employee, one thing is very clear: the work experience will continue to be very different from what we experienced before.

As employers, we must be clear that our offices will have to adapt to a new reality where the new ways of working that have emerged during the pandemic will continue to be an option. In addition, for work to be carried out directly in the offices, there must be collaborative spaces that comply with the distancing and hygiene standards required to avoid contagion.

The first thing that each company must do is to reflect on the way it works and evaluate the importance of interaction and collaborative environments for the fulfillment of its objectives. Each organization is different and it is crucial to understand its culture, its maturity, as well as the functions to be performed by its collaborators in order to define the best way to face and solve the challenges imposed by the pandemic in the work environment.

Not all companies and people are the same, so we cannot think of a general rule. For many people teleworking has been a marvel, however there are others who may feel emotionally drained.

Not all functions within a company lend themselves to telework and virtuality; another very important factor, which we cannot leave aside, is the importance of the face-to-face interrelationship in the training of personnel and the generation of a company's culture. This difficult balance between all these factors is the great challenge we entrepreneurs face today when determining our new ways of working and therefore our new needs for workspace.

Every entrepreneur, after defining how his new form of organization will be, must analyze well his workplace. It may be necessary to remodel and make changes in the office. Similarly, protocols will have to be established so that people comply with sanitary standards. This is something new for everyone, but definitely, as long as there is no vaccine that is really proven, we must adapt to a different way of life, where leaders and employers must generate a culture of responsible and supportive work that ensures the health and welfare of all. To the extent that we all collaborate, this situation will find stability more quickly. 

What will be the new trends in office construction by 2021? 

• In terms of construction, there will be an increasing tendency to use prefabricated elements, and construction will have to be much more of an assembly process than on-site construction, to avoid exposure of workers as much as possible.  
• In terms of offices and their design, trends are aligned to more open and ventilated spaces, spaces where common areas avoid contact as much as possible.
• Use of more automated systems in elevators, door handles, knobs, doors to avoid physical contact, which is what generates the spread of the virus.
• Offices should look for environments where there are green areas, where people can walk, aspects that are more people-centered and not just work or office-centered. 

All these points mentioned above will make a positive change for people and for the planet. Being surrounded by more open spaces, ventilated, illuminated and in contact with nature brings many benefits to workers, allowing them to work in calm and relaxed environments.

The project we are developing with Saxum, Luz Centro Empresarial Escalante, is very much focused in that sense, and will comply with all office design standards looking for safety in terms of the new normal. The project is located in a place that allows its users to walk around Barrio Escalante and enjoy its parks, stores and restaurants. This environment makes the workplace a much more pleasant space as it is located in a point with an ideal environment and with many transportation and entertainment facilities.

The pandemic has forced us to be more efficient, we have been subjected to conditions that have forced us all to use technological tools and also to make better use of our time; the conjunctions can be many, also the way the work is organized, therefore the needs that you will have in the office can vary. But the most important thing we have learned is that people are the most important thing. If we start from this fact when defining our new ways of working and designing our work environments, we will be able to provide workers with a great well-being, not only at a health level, but also by promoting positive work environments, which will undoubtedly generate better results.