The end of the open plan office? Workspaces get post-pandemic makeovers

That is a good thing!

The japanese office I am working also changed a lot of things to prevent infection.

I hope they will keep these changes even the Corona Virus is gone!

Good riddance, Japanese office spaces are so old and outdated, there is no creativity or pleasure inside any of them. Maybe some great new innovation will come!

Even better would be to keep as much of the current level of telework in place as possible on a permanent basis. The old system is outdated and, as COVID-19 has taught us, can be deadly. The reduced number of people using transportation would also benefit the natural environment through reduction of emissions related to energy production and usage. It makes no sense to return to the past.

Very good idea.

I always hated working in open plan offices anyway.

For a company there are real financial benefits to teleworking, reduced travel costs, wasted time, downsizing the size/cost of office space, not to mention the expensive and unproductive car parking area. They can also then tout their green credentials (ok mostly greenwash but that won’t stop them). They will also soon realise how much more expensive it is going to be if they can’t cram as many people in to the same space.

The more proactive and agile will react quickly and adapt, others will try to revert to the past, they are the ones most likely to go under and not be able to recruit/retain good staff.

And here come ventilated cages with fax machines in them...

If you end up with one of those plexiglass cubicles will you get your own aircon unit ? Just don't sneeze, apart from the obvious, you may find the doorway being plexiglassed too...

The days of big office spaces are numbered - hugely expensive, and clearly a huge risk at times of pandemic. Companies that have managed to figure out how to operate their employees working from home, are the way forward.

Maybe something good will come out of all this, eh.