The COVID-19 hysteria has thrown everything off its axis. As we try to settle into the new normal, some parts of the world are struggling to pick up where they left off. Many services have been compelled to reopen due to demand, and the emphasis on workplace sanitation and social distancing is stronger than ever.
If you and your team are gearing up to go back to work, there are non-negotiable guidelines designed to safeguard everyone’s well-being and safety. The two main areas of consideration are Social Distancing and Sanitation:
Social Distancing
For now, social distancing is synonymous with safety. Some facilities pledge to operate at lower capacity, where only 20% of the staff will come in and or people will work in shifts.
Beyond limiting traffic, take a look at some social distancing best practices:
- Use signs to indicate where people should stand or sit in order to maintain distance.
- Physically remove all chairs and desks to only accommodate those who will come in.
- Encourage no more than two employees to attend meetings and have others call in from a distant work station or from home.
- Get rid of any shared resources (printers, furniture, telephone, etc.).
- Clearly display a map of the office floor plan in commonly visited areas so employees can easily see where they should sit and meet. This also saves time and minimizes unnecessary contact and interaction.
Sanitation
Sanitation is key to minimizing and preventing the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the importance of handwashing and other hygiene practices has been morbidly understated, especially in South Asia and Africa.
Now we have all the information we need to stay clean and safe, all that’s left to do is apply what we know:
- Make sure everyone is following proper handwashingand hygiene guidelines in your office.
- Promote a workplace culture where it’s okay to work from home or to take a day off when someone feels sick. Now’s a good time to discourage driving to work.
- Make sure sanitizers, wipes, paper towels, and trash cans are readily available and accessible. They must be located in high-traffic areas without disrupting movement and operation.
- Keep your cabinets fully stocked and marked clearly for easy access.
- Encourage everyone to contribute to a cleaner workplace, whether by making upgrades to your current cleaning practices, monitoring supply availability, or wiping down any surface they use even if they’re healthy.
- Regularly ask for suggestions to improve sanitation practices.
- Better yet, hire preventive sanitation services for utmost safety and cleanliness. Professional cleaning techniques have anti-virus and anti-bacterial properties that will keep your workplace protected for 30 days.
To make sure everyone is aligned and readily cooperative, be specific about any changes to your policies in response to the pandemic. Help your employees help you by easing their concerns and working out special arrangements for them if necessary.
There is no telling when or if we’re transitioning back to the old normal, but as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. Our state of health and safety is more desperate than ever. With all these precautions in place, you’re steps ahead in enforcing and ensuring a clean and healthy workplace.
