The global pandemic really changed the landscape of working. Remote working became more prevalent than ever before and led to a significant boost in the gig economy.
We acknowledge, though, that this work setup is not ideal for everyone. There are also job positions that simply can’t be done remotely.
We must not allow this crisis to let us live in fear as well. There are steps in order to cope with the new normal that doesn’t put your health and safety at risk. In fact, below are steps that both employees and employers can keep in mind in order to keep the office COVID-free.
Employer’s Responsibilities
The first thing that you should look into is to confirm whether your company is following pandemic protocols such as performing temperature checks, enforcing face masks, installing dividers between workstations, having disinfection stations, following social distancing procedures, and more.
Protections for Workers in the Office
Those who have roles that require them to face the public must also ensure that their employer is going to provide them adequate personal protective equipment (or PPEs) and that they wouldn’t get in the way of your safety.
For instance, those who are operating heavy machinery may find face masks as an occupational hazard. Meanwhile, face masks and shields can cause breathing issues for those who work outdoors for an extended period of time such as those in construction.
Maintain Social Distancing in Common Areas
As mentioned above, social distancing is a protocol that must be strictly observed during the pandemic. It is an effective step to prevent disease transmission, after all.
Avoid Crowded Elevators
The company must make an effort to decrease the number of elevator passengers per trip. Placing floor markers is a must to give the passengers an idea of where to stand, how far they should be from each other, and how many passengers the elevator can take at a time.
Usage of stairs is also encouraged, especially if you’re only going up or down a couple of floors.
Just remember to disinfect your hands after using handrails or pressing elevator buttons to prevent cross-contamination.
Sharing Public Facilities
The elevator is not the only high-risk spot in offices. So are public facilities like pantries and recreational rooms. Rotating shifts and breaks are recommended to decrease the number of employees using these areas at a time. You can also proactively distance yourself or avoid these areas altogether if they are crowded.
Open Office Plans
There are mixed opinions regarding open office plans. Some say that they are ideal during the pandemic since they increase the ventilation within the space. On the other hand, the free-flowing, collaborative nature of this space can discourage social distancing procedures. The spread of disease can be difficult to control in areas like these as well.
Regardless of the layout of your office, though, the most important thing to keep in mind is the distance between workstations. They must still follow the distancing protocol of being at least six feet away from each other.
How to Clean the Office
Keeping the office free from the virus is a responsibility that both employees and employers must share.
Clean the Personal Workspace
For instance, it is your part to keep your workstation clean. Having disinfecting wipes and sprays on your desk is helpful for quick disinfection. Avoid lending your office essentials to others. Refrain from borrowing other people’s things as well.
If it simply cannot be avoided, then make sure to disinfect your hands after doing so.
Cleaning Public Areas
You can also be proactive in keeping public areas clean by washing your hands before and after using high-risk objects like light switches, fridge handles, and coffee maker machines.
Meanwhile, it is an employer’s responsibility to get each area disinfected regularly. You can invest in training your staff and disinfecting equipment or opt to seek the services of professional disinfecting companies instead.
Rearranging the Working Space
Finally, rearranging the working setup is a must regardless of the size of the space. Here’s a quick guide to help employers to do so:
- Create a quick sketch of the current layout of your company. Making an effort to get the measurements accurate to scale is ideal but not required.
- Use your illustration as a guide to cut out paper markers that would represent the current work stations. Another idea is to illustrate your plan on a whiteboard instead. In this way, it would be easy for you to erase things and move them around as needed.
- Mark the work stations that can accommodate employees. This will give you an idea of your office’s current work capacity.
- With the capacity in mind, list down the employees that are going to occupy your marked work stations. You can free up unnecessary space for the moment (such as receiving areas) or rotate shifts to create more workspace.
- There are also online tools that assist you in making seating charts conveniently especially if you manage multiple teams and workspaces.
To Sum up
We all have our roles to play as employees and employers to keep workspaces virus-free and safe. Following social distancing measures, wearing PPEs, and constant disinfecting are already big steps towards a COVID-free future.
