After being stuck at home for so long, many people are eager to get back in the office. However, before that can happen you have to consider the safety of everyone who’s going to go back. This can range from employees to clients; how are you going to make sure they can stay safe while at work?
Below are a few ideas on how to keep your office safe and sickness-free.
Assign a COVID Task Force
You need a team dedicated to helping people stay safe in the office. Your insurance agent, attorney, and company leaders should be a part of the task force. If you have a small company, then you need to hire a workplace coordinator who can handle implementing and upholding the safety protocols.
This team will be responsible for reviewing the state, local, and federal protocols and making sure that they are followed. They can build a business plan that is based on those protocols and specifically design it to meet the needs of your company. You can also dedicate a team to be in charge of COVID tracking to figure out who came in contact with who should one of your employees test positive after coming back.
Determine Who Gets to Come Back to the Office
There are some people who may not feel comfortable coming back to the office yet, and
you may not even need everyone to come back to the office just yet. It will be easier to implement social distancing if only some people are permitted to come back to the office. If people can work from home, then they should be given the option. Adjust the Work Stations
There are several ways that workstations can be adjusted in order to make them safer. For example, the desks can be spread further apart. You can also install physical barriers, such as plexiglass. Additionally, you should limit the number of people who can be in the cafeteria or break room at one time.
It is also important for you to disinfect the areas that people share frequently. This includes the door handles, keyboards, and telephones.
Have An Employee Screening Process
One of the best things that can be done to keep everyone safe is to have an employee screening process. This will prevent people from coming to work while they are sick. You can have your employees screen themselves by answering a questionnaire. People who answer yes to the questions should be sent home and ordered to take a test before coming to work. You can also install a temperature scanning kiosk. Safely re-opening an office that has been closed for a long time can be quite challenging. Fortunately, you can make your office safer by putting together a Covid task force. You should also decide who really needs to be in the office. Re-designing your workstation is something else that can be done. Furthermore, you need to have an employee screening process.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
