Offices after COVID: Wider hallways, fewer desks

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Many companies are rethinking their office space in COVID’s wake and making changes to help employees feel more comfortable about returning in person. Food and pharmaceutical company Ajinomoto overhauled the plan for its new North American headquarters last year because of the coronavirus, and now it has wider hallways and glass panels that separate cubicles. Steelcase, a Michigan-based office furniture maker, found that employees wanted to reconnect, so it built more cozy meeting spaces. Designers say companies should treat this as an experimental year and consider what their workers need, both for in-person and hybrid work.