Reopening the workplace safely
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Within recent months, the coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by storm. Among its other drastic changes to normality as we had previously known, the pandemic has undoubtedly altered the way in which we work. As COVID-19 restrictions have now begun to lift across the globe, more and more businesses have slowly started to invite their employees back to the office. With this mind, what are the best preventative steps that business owners should take in welcoming back their staff?
Check for building repairs
For maximum safety, potential hazards in the workplace that have taken place while the building has not been in use should be seen to immediately with a professional repair service. Business owners should thoroughly check for any pressing repairs, including glass scratch repair on windows, electrical or plumbing issues, as well as cracks within the building’s structure.
Decide who needs to come back
Before inviting employees back into the workplace again, it’s vital to determine which staff members are integral to return. Given that social distancing measures will be in place, bringing all staff members back at the same time could present practical issues. It’s highly recommended to continue to offer the flexibility of remote working for those who can efficiently carry out their responsibilities at home, and to stagger shifts to allow for a decreased workforce at any one given time.
Provide additional safety measures
Above all, employee safety is a priority. To kickstart a secure and comfortable workplace again, implement additional safety precautions. This could include new measures such as limiting occupancy in elevators, moving furniture to align with social distancing rules, improving air filtration and ventilation, or creating barriers between workspaces to reduce any possible transmission.
Promote activities such as regular hand washing, provide hand sanitizers in areas that are frequently visited, and educate staff on practicing good workplace hygiene such as keeping surfaces and shared objects as clean as possible. Achieving a safe level of hygiene and keeping employees informed can be achieved through several ways; including seminars and informative posters that are visible to staff.
Listen to employee concerns
After a long period of uncertainty, it may take a considerable amount of time for employees to adapt to coming back to the office. To make the return to normal work life as comfortable as possible, allow staff members to voice their concerns and quickly act upon them where possible.
Even if these are questions that are not currently answerable, actively listen and keep your employees informed about any news that could affect them in both the short and long term.
Create guidelines for office visitors
For businesses that regularly see external visitors, it may be time to implement stricter limits on who can enter the building. If this is not possible, enforcing safety measures such as face masks in enclosed areas and mandatory hand sanitization will be vital. Where applicable, conducting interviews with candidates via digital services such as Skype or Zoom are an additional ideal option to help keep face-to-face contact with others at a minimum.
