Home-Office in the Alps?

An Excerpt from an Interview with Daniel Rutishauser from Our Swiss Partner, Inacta

COVID-19 Related Solutions in Switzerland

2-minute read

How Is Switzerland Handling Workplace Safety?

Last month, Spaceti partnered with Inacta, our new Swiss partner. We sat down with Daniel Rutishauser, Head of Blockchain Services and Head of Financial Services at Inacta, for a short interview. When asked about Switzerland’s response to COVID-19 in the workplace, he noted that many companies are following social distancing guidelines and flexible work policies. However, he shared three interesting observations:

Bringing People Back to the Office

Some companies are trying to encourage employees to return to the office by implementing split teams and social distancing measures. Others are offering free meals or after-work training to rebuild social life in the workplace.

"As a team, you grow together when you work together—we are human beings at the end of the day."

Trust in Workplace Safety Measures

Employees need to trust that workplace measures are effective. They must believe that air quality is good, especially during colder seasons when flu and colds become more common.

"You need to prove that working conditions are safe, and we are not there yet."

CO₂ Levels and Ventilation: A Classroom Experiment

Two weeks ago, a Swiss teacher demonstrated a CO₂ meter on a TV show to highlight poor indoor ventilation. The experiment was conducted in a typical 45-minute classroom setting:

• With windows closed, the maximum CO₂ threshold was exceeded within 10 minutes.
• With windows half-open, the limit was reached within 20-25 minutes.
• The only way to maintain safe air quality throughout the lesson was to keep windows fully open.

However, with winter approaching, keeping windows open is not a practical long-term solution.

Winter Workspaces: More Clothes?

In response to poor ventilation, Swiss kindergartens are advising parents to dress children in warmer clothing. However, this isn't a sustainable workplace solution.

"We can't expect employees to work at desks in gloves. We need better measures."

Co-Working Spaces in the Alps?

Co-working spaces are expanding in Switzerland, including in alpine villages. A new facility in Engadin, a high-altitude plateau, is designed for remote workers who want to ski and work in a shared space.

"They call it a home office, but it's really co-working. Employers must implement more flexible work schemes."

If you want to book a workspace in Engadin St. Moritz for your next work vacation, visit: www.coworkengadin.ch.

Left to right: Daniel Rutishauser (Head of Blockchain Services and Head of Financial Services at Inacta), Max Verteletskyi (CEO of Spaceti).