Navigating the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic is by far the biggest business challenge of all time. To keep the lights on – in other words, to run operations responsibly in extreme circumstances – it’s necessary to minimise the health risks to employees. As a responsible company, you must look after the health of workers, who represent the most important assets. The workplace environment needs to be hygienic and safe for everyone. The question now is: How can everyone stay safe in the office while sharing common workplaces? Given that COVID-19 is taking its toll on businesses and will continue to do so once restrictive measures are lifted, it’s necessary to make health and safety a priority. In this article, we’re going to show you how to make the office safe for returning to after the coronavirus.
Schedule deep cleaning services in addition to your recurring cleaning services
The coronavirus can survive on surfaces for about 28 days. Basically, it lingers on surfaces more than we initially thought. No matter how careful you are, you risk coming in contact with the dreadful virus during normal activities. Your employees spend a great deal of time in the confinement of the office, where they share spaces and interact with one another. The high traffic areas in your organisation can become vectors for spreading the virus. Good cleaning, as well as disinfecting routines, can reduce and even eliminate the risk of contracting COVID-19. It’s necessary to act quickly.
The ongoing cleaning service at your office isn’t enough to keep the space free from bacteria and viruses. Your office needs a deep cleaning. It’s recommended to schedule deep cleaning services. Innovators have been working hard to develop effective eco-friendly cleaning services for commercial spaces. Companies such as Eco Green Cleaning & Maintenance deploy safe, natural products, playing an important part in looking after the future of the environment. Between all the snow and slush that make their way into the office this year, a deep cleaning is of paramount importance. The workplace should be fully sanitised. Make sure to carry out regular cleans.
Use signs and posters to raise awareness of good hand washing techniques
The COVID-19 virus is transmitted via direct contact with respiratory droplets from an infected person, not to mention touching contaminated surfaces like desks, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, keyboards, and so on. To prevent the spread of germs, it’s necessary to wash the hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Experts agree that it’s the most effective way to stop viruses. The virus is made up of genetic material that is wrapped in a greasy coating. What happens is that soap molecules can destroy the lipid membrane, so it disintegrates.
Handwashing should become a corporate activity. Consider placing signs to raise awareness about good handwashing techniques. They will remind people what they need to do. If people know the right handwashing technique, they can prevent contamination in the facility and stop the disease from spreading. Have the signs placed in the restrooms, near sinks and basins, so that they’re easily visible. In spite of common knowledge about hand washing, there is plenty of room for improvement. Offer workers hand sanitisers to decrease the risk of getting sick. They can be placed at entrances, exits, desks, and other high traffic areas.
Barriers between desks are a good solution
It’s not possible to move the furniture around to ensure social distancing. So, how are you going to keep people safe? One solution would be to create barriers between desks with the help of large pieces of cardboard or wood. Close the gaps and create a sort of cubicle separation. The barriers provide an additional layer of safety by significantly reducing the chance of a person to person spread. Colleagues don’t share airborne particles through coughs and sneezes and they can even maintain visual contact. The barriers should be big enough to protect both parties who are interacting.
The key to making the office safe to return to post-COVID-19 is to redesign and reconfigure the layout. If you’re looking forward to creating a work environment that fosters safety, installing barriers between desks will have an enormous impact. Update the office design with separators between desks. Make it safe for employees to share community spaces without feeling scared. Adding partitions enables you to transform the space without having to make great modifications. You simply install the dividers and that’s it. You’ll instantly create a safe and private environment for workers.
Maximise ventilation and air quality
You can’t keep the doors and windows open during wintertime to increase air circulation and flow. So, keep the AC running as much as possible. At lower humidity, the droplets evaporate because they get reduced in size. Plus, they can’t travel long distances. Good ventilation eliminates pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and mould. Maximise ventilation and air quality to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the office. Concentrate your attention on the minimum efficiency reporting value when it comes down to the company’s filtration system. The higher this number is, the better it becomes at eliminating particles.
If there are ventilation blockages, employees are most surely dealing with discomfort (allergy attacks) caused by the closing registers and vents. See if they are blocked by pieces of furniture. It may be necessary to do some rearranging. Most importantly, have the filters replaced on a regular basis. Dirt and debris can obstruct the airflow and increase the workload on the air conditioner. If the AC unit is too hot, that’s a clear sign that the filters need to be changed. Reach out to your HVAC technician to get you a supply of new filters.
All in all, safety must be your top priority for returning after COVID-19. There’s no better time than now to create a reopening plan for the office and welcome people back. Prevent germs and viruses from spreading through deep hygiene and cleanliness. The simple measures enumerated above can help tremendously in terms of preserving health and well-being.
