RALEIGH – North Carolina will enter Phase One of the state’s three-part plan to “reignite” the economy on Friday, and companies and public institutions – big and small – are following suit.

Around the Triangle, businesses are cautiously rolling out their own controlled re-start, alerting workers currently working from home of what to expect when they finally return to the office.

For nearly all, there will be a new set of principles and protocols to ensure safety and compliance with public health practices. However, each is tasked with writing their own scripts to navigate this “new normal” and none are exactly the same.

In a town hall meeting conducted via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon, Duke University’s Vice President for Research Larry Carin outlined how and when the university’s research labs will begin to reopen. Some may be up and running as early as next week.

But things will look very different. Among the new rules: mandatory use of face masks at all times, 15-foot spacing between workers, staggered shifts and lab sanitizing protocols between shifts, among others.

Workers must also complete a short, confidential daily questionnaire about their health before coming to work.

“I know this sounds kind of like ‘Big Brother,’ and I apologize for that,” Carin was quoted as saying in Duke Today. “We’re doing this for everybody’s best interest, to assure safety for all.”

UNC Health, meanwhile, will continue to have non-clinical employees working from home “indefinitely.”

Its 11 hospitals across the state have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with “no visitors” policies still in place, and face masks required.

There will also be a heightened emphasis on transforming as many in-office appointments as possible to virtual visits.

“Patients are already becoming accustomed to this change, and many find the ease of access preferable,” said UNC Health spokesperson Phil Bridges.

No ’one’ master plan

Despite the official May 8 start date, companies are scheduling reopenings to their own timeline.

Co-workings spaces like HQ Raleigh, Durham’s American Underground and WeWork, with several offices scattered around the Triangle, have kept their doors open throughout the pandemic. However, most teams have decided to work remotely.

As such, the spaces emailed members this week with updated protocols. They include changes to building access, social distancing practices and heightened cleaning and sanitation practices.

“In the future, we have plans to continue these measures by installing touch-less features such as paper towel dispensers, toilets, and sinks,” said HQ Raleigh founder Jason Widen.

WeWork has also introduced single-occupancy work nooks, reconfigured meeting rooms and signage to remind workers of safe practice.

“We are committed to supporting our members and will continuously evolve our plans,” said a WeWork spokesperson.

North Carolina Biotech Center’s RTP office is reopening on May 18, in alignment with Durham County’s order. However, it is waiting to open fully to the public, and this includes its conference center.

Meanwhile, Walk West, one of the fastest growing digital marketing agencies in the area, has pushed back its reopening until early June.

It will be a phased reopening with staggered schedules and updated visitor procedures. Face masks and hand sanitizer will also be available.

There’s also some flexibility.

“We will continue to encourage employees that are high risk or have compromised immune systems, have child care concerns or any general discomfort with returning to continue to work from home,” said its CEO Donald Thompson.

Other companies, like IBM and Fidelity Investments, with a large presence in the Triangle, and local companies like Precision Hawk, Pendo and Dude Solutions, are continuing to encourage employees to work from home at this point in time.

“We plan to eventually open the office in phases, but don’t have a set date,” said PrecisionHawk’s Vice President of People Erin Miller. “As we think through reopening, we’re looking at a full sanitization of the office before employees come back including checking the air quality of our building.”

One thing is for sure, she added: “As a company, we believe that flexible work and working from home will always be a part of our culture.”