Wayfinding design has always been a workplace necessity. However, as offices and headquarters continue to transform because of COVID-19, it has become more important than ever before to utilise wayfinding design to ensure a safe and pleasant work environment.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about the role of wayfinding in the COVID-era workplace.
1. Wayfinding needs to prioritise safe movement.
The purpose of wayfinding is to ensure that those who are travelling through a space are able to do so in a safe and efficient manner; however, in the COVID-era workplace, this has never been more essential.
As individuals start returning to the workplace, wayfinding strategies must be utilised to ensure that everyone feels comfortable about their time in the office.
The best wayfinding systems help guide a visitor or an employee through the space effortlessly by providing them with all the necessary information they need at the exact moment they need it. By implementing an efficient wayfinding system, individuals can find their way to where they need to go quickly and easily.
No matter what type of workplace you have, you need your wayfinding system to be intuitive, as this will help to reduce any confusion and anxiety that a visitor or employee may have. The more intuitive your wayfinding, the less likely you will have corridor traffic or long lines, which are extremely important to reduce amidst the global pandemic.
Therefore, you must be considering all the needs of those who are spending time in the workplace. What are they thinking? How are they feeling? By thinking through the entire journey in their shoes, you will be better equipped to produce the optimal wayfinding system.
2. The tone of wayfinding signage sets the standard.
During COVID-19, it has become more critical than ever for brands and organisations to be communicating with workers and customers in a friendly manner.
This also is true for wayfinding signage as you want visitors and employees alike to have a positive reaction when they interact with your workplace. Therefore, all new wayfinding and signage design must work to help support an uplifting ambience regardless of the current crisis.
In some cases, this may mean incorporating friendly messages such as “Welcome Back” at your workplace entrances. Additionally, your workplace will want to add COVID-related wayfinding signage such as “Let’s wash our hands to keep each other safe” signs in restrooms and the kitchen.
In areas where there are often multiple people, physical distancing floor decals are required. If your workplace has added COVID-related features such as temperature checks and individual lockers, these also need to be included in your updated wayfinding design.
In addition to the tone that is used, the design and the colours must also feel friendly and warm in order to make individuals who are using the system feel comfortable.
Everyone who enters the space should feel a sense of community with other individuals who are there, and you can help facilitate that by ensuring your wayfinding signage is friendly and welcoming. This will help to set an example for the behaviour that you want (and expect) on your premises.
3. Your wayfinding system should be flexible.
Expert wayfinding design is particularly crucial for companies and organisations that are growing their employee count as well as those who are implementing a flexible work model.
In both of these cases, you can presume that the office is in a constant state of change which is why a wayfinding system is vital for maintaining order and comfort.
For example, if employees are coming into the workplace in shifts, or only on certain days, then they need to know where teams are being relocated and what areas are safe for them to use.
Additionally, if you are no longer employing assigned seating, you still want to make sure that workers and visitors can locate their colleagues or the individual they want to see.
When designing your wayfinding for the COVID-era workplace, make sure you are creating design standards that are flexible enough to be used no matter what other potential changes may need to be made in the future.
To set you up for the long-term, stop considering wayfinding as a system that is separate from the design of your workplace, and instead view it as an integral part of the design of the office itself.
Final Thoughts
Whatever changes or upgrades you are making to your workplace wayfinding system, remember that the primary purpose is to help create a positive experience for employees and visitors from the moment they arrive on your premises to the minute they leave.
As long as you are focusing on that and are working with the best signage and wayfinding consultants in Dubai, you will be on your way to a workplace that is enjoyable for all to experience.
Reach out to Dezign Technic today to learn more about what we can do to accomplish your wayfinding goals.
What do you think are some of the most critical ways that wayfinding can be utilised in the COVID-era workplace? Have you started incorporating any of these strategies, or are you doing something else? What do you wish your workplace was doing more of when it comes to wayfinding and signage design?
Let us know your thoughts and insights in the comments below!
