Serviced-office firm Iconic sees half of office workers returning by summer
The Irish firm that is in the top three suppliers of serviced office space in the capital anticipates it will accommodate about half of the people on any single day when companies return to work in late summer.
Chief executive Joe McGinley of Iconic Offices has offices at 16 locations, including a Thomas Street building that opened this year just before the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, with a capacity for 900 workers.
Mr McGinley said all the premises remained open since March but companies have kept their staff at home nonetheless.
He said that Iconic has spent hundreds of thousands in preparing the offices for a full return to work, including installing temperature cameras in the lobbies, providing health packs, and designating one-way traffic through the buildings using lifts and stairwells.
At an early stage, it has stopped recruitment viewings.
With capacity for 3,000 workers, Iconic is the second or third largest services office supplier after WeWork in Dublin.
Half of the companies are foreign-owned tech firms.
However, Mr McGinley estimates only half of the companies will return fully to the premises in the first phase of the summer reopening of offices.
Its other measures taken include screens at reception, and disinfectant shoe mats, and sanitiser stations.
Meeting rooms and breakout areas will be reconfigured to allow for social distancing.
He said that most offices will have to adapt quickly by the end of the summer.
