In Compliance Fewer people in the office can create challenges for maintaining the level of fire safety outlined in NFPA 101. GETTY IMAGES NFPA 101 Life safety in new and existing structures Office fire and life safety in the age of the hybrid workplace By Kristin Bigda T he COVID-19 pandemic has changed the look and feel of the traditional office building environment, most notably in the way many companies have managed a series of workforce 56 | NFPA JOURNAL * WINTER 2021 transitions. Workplaces have shifted from most employees working full time in the office to fully remote at the peak of the pandemic to a more recent hybrid model, where employees split their week between in-person days at the office and other days working remote from their residence or another off-site location. This new way of working in office buildings impacts the fire safety features and plans of these buildings, and new risks may need to be considered when evaluating the fire safety features addressed by NFPA 101® Safety Code® , Life . Emergency fire drills In all business occupancies that are occupied by more than 500 people-or by more than 100 people above or below the street level-periodic instruction and fire drills must be held for employees and other supervisory personnel. The purpose of emergency egress and relocation drills is to educate the participants in the fire safety features of the building, the egress facilities available, and the procedures to be followed. Drills are to be designed in cooperation with the local authorities and held with a sufficient frequency to familiarize the occupants with the drill procedure. Because of the now-common hybrid work environment, there is an increased likelihood that a percentage of employees will be working remotely on any given day. To sufficiently drill and educate all occupants, the