Many Houston workers are returning to the office for the first time in months as Texas Governor Greg Abbott's phase two of Reopening Texas takes effect.

Two organizations preparing for their employees to return to the office are Neuhaus Education Center and JLL. Neuhaus is a nonprofit organization that works with various school districts and populations to provide educator training, adult learning services and more. JLL is a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management.

We asked Neuhaus President and CEO Dr. Tracey Weeden and Anya Marmuscak, Vice President of Office Tenant Representation at JLL, to share when and how they're reopening their offices.

What is the current situation for your client or company’s office workers? How has that changed since the pandemic started in this past month?

Marmuscak: The JLL Houston office initiated the first phase of its re-entry plan on May 18. It includes a return of approximately 25% of employees, primarily those with private offices. If someone is unable or uncomfortable returning to the office, they will not be required to. We have implemented robust new protocols to maintain a safe and healthy workplace, including closing all breakrooms, prohibiting visitors and food deliveries, limiting circulation within our office space and enhancing cleaning procedures.

Weeden: We were ahead of the stay at home orders and started working remotely in mid-March. With many school districts shutting down, we couldn't physically deliver many of the services we offer. In order to stay afloat, we retooled our professional learning and coaching services to be available virtually. We are limiting the number of people at the office. Right now, we are testing only one tech person and an instructor for each virtual learning session are reporting to the office. We’ve contracted cleaning services and instructed employees on how to enter the building, sanitize equipment, and assign bathroom stalls to people, even with as a few as four people in the building. The kitchen and communal areas are also off-limits. 

How will these changes impact business operations and office arrangements moving forward? 

Marmuscak: JLL manages 4.6 billion square feet of commercial property and transacts for another one billion square feet of leased space, so we see a broad spectrum of impact. Several years ago, JLL initiated a massive investment in technology as we saw the real estate business becoming more dependent on data and virtual capabilities. As a result, we were well-equipped for a transition to work from home and to serve our clients remotely. We see this as an opportunity for companies to better understand what makes their people most productive and for the workplace to evolve. 

What’s the number one thing other companies need to be aware of as they allow employees to return to the office? 

Marmuscak: While many are eager to return to the physical office, companies should adopt a holistic approach to ensure their buildings and space are safe and ready for re-entry. This includes implementing new guidelines and protocols that promote health and wellness for employees and visitors. The more a company can mitigate uncertainty and safety concerns, the quicker their employees will be able to settle into the “new normal” and be productive. 

Weeden: My biggest recommendation would be to think of your employees with preexisting health conditions and ask your staff to give anonymous feedback about their concerns. You need to create that safe space for staff to be able to communicate with leadership about how they are being impacted. My goal is to prioritize safety and make sure there is PPE available to those who go into the office. Until the availability and reliability of testing is there and a critical mass of people are being tested, I don’t feel comfortable sending my full team back into the office. 

What does this new normal for the office workers look like for your organization? 

Weeden: Our new normal is refining our virtual instruction and resources, expanding our footprint by connecting with our clients remotely and rethink how our employees work. Our teleworking success opens the door for potential talent who may not be located near our physical location. An option to work remotely could certainly reduce the wear and tear on employees located in Houston.

We've also seen greater participation from our board. I think we could have a more blended approach to board meetings in the future, which would be a mix of in-person and virtual gatherings. Cutting down the commute time for our board would enable members to have more time to participate in the meeting itself and serve our community.

What’s the biggest opportunity?  

Marmuscak: This is an opportunity to challenge the status quo of the workplace. I hope that companies use this time to truly understand the way individual groups and business units work and then develop a strategy to use real estate and physical space to create the most uplifting, productive, and safe work environments. 

Weeden: This is our COVID chrysalis – our time to look at how we can expand our reach with virtual programming and reinvent how we work. We are reframing this time as an opportunity to evaluate how we serve our educators and families and how we can evolve to better meet their needs.  

To aid companies planning to reopen or expand their operations, the Partnership is sharing Work Safe principles to help businesses protect the health of their employees and customers, minimizing the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Visit the Partnership's Work Safe page for guidelines and resources to support businesses across the greater Houston region as they reopen and remain focused on the steps needed to resume work safely, sustainably and successfully.

Read the Reopen Houston Report, a resource guide containing industry-specific best practices to aid businesses in reopening or expanded their operation and guidance for employers. And sign up for Partnership's COVID-19 Resource email alerts as the situation develops.