How the COVID-19 crisis will end is still uncertain. We are all learning how to co-exist with it and follow safety measures. Many of us are in the return phase, where we will learn to experience a new level in the new normal.
While each organization plans its return to the workplace, it is crucial to know how we can best implement preventive measures. Every organization will have unique needs, but the essentials of social distancing will apply to everyone.
As the virus is likely to spread through social contact keeping 6 feet distance away from any other symptomatic or asymptomatic person can avoid the spread of the virus.
Here are five best practices that will help your people succeed at social distancing.
Set up virtual meetings with your managers and colleagues to plan attendance and control your occupancy. Understand who needs to return to work during each phase of the return-to-work plan.
Collect employee feedback to understand how comfortable they are with returning to work. Start with standard self-screening procedures:
Inform your employees about this beforehand so they can prepare.
Organize virtual meetings even when all your staff is in the workplace. If there is a need for a live face-to-face meeting, plan it in a large room where each of you can keep 3-6 feet distance from each other.
Staggered shifts and limiting your visitor policy only to those that are most critical can help reduce exposure to infection.
Have a team monitor all your attendance and occupancy practices.
A Personal Protective Equipment policy can reduce exposure to infection or infectious persons, places, or surfaces. This policy involves equipping your staff with masks, gloves, goggles, gowns, safety helmets, respirators, and shoe covers.
Analyze your employees’ vulnerability to infection while interacting with customers or outsiders and provide them with the necessary PPE.
Some of the things you need to be mindful of are:
Office and workspace modeling are one of the vital parts of implementing social distancing. Here are some of the ways you can model your workplace to make sure all your employees stay safe at work:
As a part of workspace modeling, you should also have a clear-cut plan on workspace cleaning.
Clean. Clean. Clean to Disinfect
Frequent cleaning of surfaces that are touched by individuals touch must be a mandatory practice to prevent the spread of the virus. US DHS has an online calculator you can use to estimate how long the virus remains viable on various surfaces.
You need to decide on a cleaning and disinfecting protocol which should involve:
Monitor travel, such as using public transport that can increase the risk of exposure. Ensure your people use safe commuting while coming to and leaving your workplace.
Speak with all your people to understand their challenges concerning commuting to the workplace. If any of your staff is not sure of their commuting plan, give them some time to plan and get back to you. Consider approving those who request more time to work from home.
Reduce the shuttle capacity to 2 - 3, depending upon the vehicle.
Communicate with your staff about avoiding taking breaks together. Monitor cafeteria visits and lunch time to make sure everyone is following social distancing rules. You can also allow your people to have their lunch at their desks, which can help you avoid social interaction and food sharing.
Returning to work in such uncertainty can be too risky where you are handling the entire responsibility of your people. It might need additional efforts from the leadership and team, so you can plan and implement return to work in the safest way possible.
Consistent communication with all your staff and supervision across your office and workspaces alone can keep you and your team safe.
We hope our inputs on social distancing helped you to kick start a safe Return to Workplace program.
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