Businesses all over the world have been through unprecedented challenges with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the continued rollout of vaccines, there’s hope that the worst will be over soon. Many businesses are considering reopening their offices after months of employees working remotely. If you are one of them, you must keep in mind to prioritize the safety of workers. Here are some of the ways you can safely reopen your business office.
Consult with employees
Before you decide to open the office, it’s essential to hear from all the employees and get their take. Going back to the office after working from home for a long time will affect them as they need to re-adjust their life again. From the employees’ views and suggestions, you can gauge what worked and didn’t work while working remotely and redefine your workspace. You also get to understand how their return to the office suits their health.
Reconfigure your space
Before the pandemic, offices could host many people. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, one safety protocol includes observing a 1.5-meter distance between each person. As you reopen your office, it’s necessary to reconfigure it and determine how many individuals you can have daily. You can consult with professionals to change your medical clinic design to increase your office outlook and quality while enhancing safety for individuals.
Plan for safety
Apart from ensuring employees and individuals who come into the office observe social distancing, you must make sure they adhere to other protocols, such as wearing personal protective clothing and washing or disinfecting their hands. As such, plan for safety in stationing areas where employees can wash or disinfect their hands, measure their temperature, and provide PPEs. Also, put up signs and posts as reminders to observe the set protocols while in the office.
Open partially
You don’t have to reopen your office fully; it might be challenging. The partial reopening of your office is an excellent idea as it allows you to determine what works. Also, you can gauge the number of people who can come into the office daily. This way, you can create shifts where a few people come on different days or specify a particular group; for example, top management can come in daily as the rest continue working remotely.
Utilize technology
Technology can come in handy when people need to keep their distance from each other, especially in the workplace setting. Technology such as automated taps and sanitizer dispensers can help reduce contact with surfaces and people. Communication technology in the workplace is equally vital; you can enhance communication via e-mail, phone calls, and messages instead of physical interaction. It is essential to increase the internet connection and add more electronics like monitors and telephones in each office for maximum enhanced communication.
Although the COVID-19 vaccine rollout brings hope, it doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Safety should still be a priority for you, your employees, and their families if you’re to reopen your office. Consider opening partially, reconfigure your office, and plan for safety. Make your business more efficient by consulting with employees and utilizing technology.
