Solving Infrastructure Challenges in the New Work Environment

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic fallout has exasperated the challenges and opportunities that businesses face.  Balancing employee health and safety, digital and telecommuting policies and the re-evaluation of the need to occupy physical space are just a few of the challenges rising to the forefront. As many businesses now re-think what the future of work will look like we want to examine “workplace 2.0” from the lens of facility connectivity.

Reconfiguring the Office Environment

One area of immediate concern is employee concentration.  Promoting healthy de-densification of the office will most likely require altering the physical space the employee occupies.  While various strategies are being employed to protect employees, an overlooked, yet core aspect of work productivity is connectivity.  It is not as simple as determining where an employee will sit.

Wired connectivity is by far the most reliable, secure, and fastest way to connect employee computers to local area networks, intranets, or the internet.  Depending on the industry it might even be required to comply with regulations.  To accommodate de-densification measures, some of the wiring requirement could including, moving wall plates and jacks to new locations, rewiring infrastructure to accommodate new locations, testing, cleaning up and labeling of existing wire infrastructure, and dressing cables at the desk.

Wireless connectivity is the most convenient way to connect employee computers.  It offers autonomy and doesn’t require end user’s computers to be hard-wired into the network.  Besides the IT issues surrounding wireless connectivity, one issue that can immediately deflate the advantages of wireless is signal quality throughout the building.   This can especially be true in large warehouses.  Deploying the right combination of wireless access points and antennas to ensure even coverage can be a challenge.  Adding to the complexity of the wireless network setup is the fact that even the most sophisticated wireless networks require cabling to make the initial connection.

Leaving the Office

While some businesses are reconfiguring their offices, some businesses are electing to close offices.  Whether this is out of financial need or telecommuting opportunities, the requirements to deinstall cabling and IT hardware are common.  Many lease agreements include language stating that the property must be returned to the original state and most local building codes require removal of the cables.  Just as it takes expertise to install the cables, it takes just as much expertise to remove them.

The typical cable removal process usually involves the following steps:

  • Cut the cable at the conduit stubs
  • Remove all cable back to the MDF
  • Remove or blank out faceplates
  • Cleanup
  • Take before and after photos of the work

For IT hardware removal the process is slightly different as most companies want to retain their assets.  It often includes the following steps:

  • Consultation to determine what items need to be removed
  • Scope creation to detail the removal project
  • Removal of hardware
  • Safely package and ship equipment via UPS/FEDEX

As you evaluate your new normal working environment, keep in mind facility connectivity is vital to productivity.  Wired and wireless solutions have pros and cons that must be weighed.  Either solution requires physical cabling.  If closing facilities is part of your future working plan, most leases or local building codes require cables to be removed, which requires professional help.

If you are considering reinventing your office space or need help removing obsolete cables, please email us call one of our knowledgeable representatives at 888-519-9525 to discuss.