The Office Will Never Be the Same. It Will Be Better.

Designing a new normal for the workplace isn’t just a practical challenge — it’s an emotional one.

With signs of hope beginning to appear — from flattening curves to gradual reopening scenarios — much of our discourse now turns to what flavor of “normal” we might expect in the weeks and months to come.

At a macro level, society won’t likely return to a pre-corona state for some time. But companies large and small are plotting the next wave of transition, determining how to shift back from lockdown mode into something resembling traditional office life.

The practical concerns of such a working environment are still being hashed out. For many organizations, social distancing requirements may force new seating configurations, even split shifts. School closings and childcare concerns add even more complexity to a 9-to-5 model. Even elevators in high-rise buildings pose tricky questions.

Less discussed — but just as important — is the emotional terrain in which employees will make the transition. It’s natural to wonder: now that we’ve been through such a challenging time, how will we work together afterward?

The design of the phase to come may not be recognizable as “normal” in the least. In…