The COVID-19 pandemic has once again profoundly changed the way we see the office. During the pandemic, offices have had to be remodelled and adjusted to take necessary precautions, so that people feel safe there and can still be productive. The international office expert Bene presents with “THE CORE by Bene” a global office concept on how to navigate these challenging times.

The office is the physical “core” of an organisation, the heart of a company, a place where people and ideas come together, creating opportunities for spontaneous social interaction and collaborative and agile work, and where shared management and fluid leadership can evolve.

THE CORE by Bene is a global concept that can already be experienced at the Bene showroom in Frankfurt; a live, immersive and experiential space to study how our places of work have adapted, and how they will further evolve after the pandemic.

With the ideal mix between open spatial structure and shielded areas, THE CORE by Bene manages the balancing act between distance and teamwork so that people feel comfortable and can work creatively at the same time, comprising:

Hygiene concepts and sensor technology
Innovative technologies and smart room solutions ensure safety throughout the premises. This starts at the check-in area with temperature screening and registering for ‘track and trace’, followed with contact-free hand disinfection. The system then gives a green light to lead the visitor to a prior selected and cleaned workstation.

Spatial awareness
The focus of the entire office space is on teamwork and exchange, while maintaining the correct distance. Anchor points in the form of furniture are placed in collaboration areas to ensure correct distancing. The room configurations are designed so that they can be adapted to changing needs at short notice, giving the office breathing space. Moveable partition walls and partition elements can be used as protective barriers.

Exchange and interaction
There is a wide choice of spaces for project and teamwork, in addition to the team workspace and an informal meeting area. Other areas enable spontaneous stand-up meetings, ensuring an optimal exchange of ideas

“The office is a living organism that is constantly evolving and adapting to changing structures and the latest processes in a company or team. It is important to think about these plans and space concepts on a regular basis and make sure they are still serving their purpose”, says Patricia Möckesch, Product & Innovation Ambassador at Bene. “THE CORE reflects topics and issues that are being experienced across the world and will be rolled out across all our markets.”