Mapping the door-to-desk journey for the long-awaited return of members to your coworking space

It’s getting close to the time we’ve all been waiting for. With restrictions steadily being lifted in many places around the world, it’s important that your space is properly prepared to welcome back its members. This might be a somewhat daunting task, what with the varying rules and restrictions that undoubtedly be imposed. Fortunately, Nexudus’ range of systems can help automate all the various protocols you will have to implement, with many also providing contactless functionality. This article will go through some of these systems, and run you through some of the most helpful tools to get your workspace ready for the new normal — whatever that might look like. 

1. Checking-in

Obviously, when more members start to return to your coworking space, it will become more important than ever to make sure you know exactly who is in your space at any time, and ensure your space doesn’t become overcrowded. Luckily for you, Nexudus has all the tools you need to make this happen safely and efficiently. 

NexIO is the perfect app to allow members to check in to your space, without having to interact with members or staff. By simply having a tablet running the app by each entrance to your space, members can check in by tapping a button and entering their membership PIN. More helpfully in the current climate, though, is the ability for members to check-in entirely contactlessly. The NexIO app can check-in members through an NFC chip, so all they need to do is tap their phone to the tablet and sign in on the Passport app. 

Another way to monitor the number of people in your space is through the NexClicker app. By having a mobile device running NexClicker at the entrances to your space, members can both check-in, and see how many people are currently in the space itself. This is fantastic for your members who might not yet be vaccinated or are still not fully comfortable being in crowded areas. If the number of people present is too high, they can always leave and return at another time when it is less busy. The number of workers in your space is also very important for space operators to keep track of. With maximum capacity being so important, it will let both you and your community know when your space is full and no more people can be admitted.  

2. Double down on contactless interactions with Automation Tiles

When you begin to welcome increasing numbers back into your workspace, there will be more need than ever for you to keep track of which resources are being used, and how often they need to be cleaned. Nexudus’ Automation Tiles are the perfect way for you to make this process as simple as possible, and their versatility in automating a wide range of processes will allow you to take a big step towards becoming an almost entirely contactless workspace. Every tile contains an NFC chip and a QR code which can be scanned, with members being redirected to the Members’ Portal and asked to log in to complete their request. 

In terms of how Automation Tiles will be able to assist you in mapping out your door-to-desk COVID-compliant policy, the options at your disposal are truly wide-ranging, and it’s up to you how far you take their functionality. You could, for example, stick a tile next to each of your hotdesks, allowing members to check in and out, while also allowing members to see if a certain desk is available for use. In a similar way, these tiles can be used to grant access to meeting rooms and resources, or even to provide members with a way to instantly book a room completely contactlessly. 

Most importantly for workspace operators, however, is the information Automation Tiles can give you about your space’s occupancy, and which resources are being used. This can make it significantly easier for you to implement your hygiene procedures, as you will instantly know which desks, rooms, and resources have been used, allowing you to make sure they are sanitised for other members. In short, Automation TIles are a great way to reduce physical interactions for members and staff in your coworking space, giving everyone the peace of mind they need to safely return to the office. 

3. Purchase with confidence using NexKiosk

When more members start to return to your coworking space, you will want them to feel confident in their ability to make use of everything your space has to offer, safely and securely. The NexKiosk app can make a big difference to this when it comes to making purchases, both for your members and your staff. Obviously, the name of the game here is to minimise contact as much as possible, and one of the benefits of using NexKiosk is that it minimises exposure between your staff and your members. Enabling Kiosk mode on the app will enable members to purchase food and drinks, passes, booking credits, or any of your other products, without there needing to be an operator present. All purchases made are automatically processed and logged in Nexudus, meaning you can keep track of all purchases in the Admin Panel, while members can see all their previous purchases in the Members’ Portal. 

4. Hands-free bookings

One of the aspects of returning to your workspaces that members will be most excited about is the ability to meet with their colleagues face-to-face. While we have all had to get used to virtual meetings, it really is no substitute for all being in the same room together. It’s important we all keep our feet on the ground though and recognise there will still be measures that need to be taken to ensure physical meetings are safe. A big part of this will be to allow members to book and check-in to meeting rooms contactlessly. We have already discussed how this can be achieved through Nexudus Automation Tiles, but if you don’t have these set up for your space, you can still get contactless functionality through the NexBoard app. If you have a resource tablet set up running the NexBoard app, members simply need to tap their smartphone to the tablet to be able to book resources, such as meeting rooms. 

As you can see, Nexudus can offer all the tools you need to make your coworking space as COVID-compliant as possible. The hallmark of these systems is the capability to reduce physical interactions through leveraging our products’ contactless capabilities. Once you have these systems implemented, all that’s left is to make sure your members are aware of them and how they work. Bear in mind that while many of your members will be frothing at the mouth to get back to your space, there will undoubtedly be some who will be more cautious, particularly if they are in a high-risk group who might not yet have been vaccinated. So communicate your policy to your members through the Members’ Portal, and let everyone know the changes you are making to ensure the door-to-desk journey is as safe as it can possibly be.