As the world starts reeling from the impact of the pandemic, employers must take utmost care of the hygiene and safety of employees returning to work in the offices. Not only is it crucial right now to provide a clean work environment but also necessary to prevent the workplace from COVID19 scare.
Although a lot of businesses have given up their office space and moved to the remote work setup permanently, a lot of them cannot function without a dedicated office. Those who have resumed work are facing the challenge of constantly ensuring employee physical as well as mental health.
When you are getting your workplace ready to start daily operations, here are some simple ways to provide your employees with a safe office environment:
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Ensure a high level of cleaning & sanitization:
This is the most basic and most important step. Regular cleaning is no longer enough for the workplace. It is important to get all frequently touched surfaces in the office sanitized routinely to prevent breeding and spread of the virus.
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Practice Social distancing:
Employees travel from various locations coming in direct contact with multiple people during their transit and sit together with other employees in the office. Even if one of them is carrying the virus, all others are directly at risk.
It is important to emphasize the importance of social distancing and assign work stations at least 6ft apart. If possible, change the office design to add partitions between workstations so the contact is as minimal as possible.
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Advocate personal hygiene practices:
For a safe workplace, every person working there is equally responsible. This makes it vital to promote good personal hygiene in the office. This can be done through printable posters and emails that convey occupational safety standards and etiquettes.
To set a good standard, ensure that no employee is allowed in the workplace without a mask. At the same time, provide paper tissues and sanitizers at every intersection along with closed trash bins for proper disposal.
You can also purchase an upright vacuum cleaner to always make sure that germs are not setting in and causing any health problems.
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Monitor air quality:
This is a highly important step that must not be ignored. Since evidence shows that the virus spreads through respiratory droplets amongst people sitting in close proximity, poor ventilation can accelerate its spread.
To ensure a clean indoor environment, conduct air quality tests frequently, and adopt the use of air-conditioners with additional filter options. A well-maintained air-conditioner can drastically reduce the spread of the virus by enhancing the rate of air filtration and reducing the recirculation of indoor air.
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Convey the importance of being alert:
When employees are aware of all the symptoms and are alert about their own health, they are able to identify the risk that comes with them not disclosing their illness. Create an environment where employees feel safe to inform in case they feel sick. Employees need to know that t’s important to get tested so they can know if it’s time to quarantine. What they can do is get a rapid antigen test in Miami and other US cities with a service such as Drip Hydration for fast results and peace of mind. They can provide tests at your workplace for your convenience.
Devise a well-thought plan to execute if anyone falls sick with suspected symptoms of COVID19 and allocate space for their isolation. This area should be covered so none of the other employees come in contact with the potential carrier. Inform their family and local health authorities at the earliest.
Conclusion:
To build a culture of hygiene, provide guidelines clarifying the new policies to make employees aware of the standard procedures and etiquettes to follow on a daily basis as well in case they feel unwell. This ensures employees are alert and proactive when it comes to their own health and do not hesitate from declaring if they show any possible symptoms of the COVID19 virus.