Workplace Planning Post COVID-19

Workplace Planning Post COVID-19

By: Stephen Odzer

You may have been dreaming about the light at the end of the tunnel for some time now. That’s how many of us have stayed positive during the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Now that the future’s looking brighter, it’s time to consider how to get employees back to their work places safely. Managing any kind of change means having a plan that’s well thought through. You may also need to combine several different tactics.

 

Read on to find out about three strategies you need to consider for a safe post COVID return to the workplace.

Appoint a Communications Champion

When there are changes made in the workplace, excellent communication is paramount. It’s a safe bet that employees will be wondering what their new future at work will be like. What they shouldn’t have to do is second guess the changes.

 

Choose an employee who is your best communicator. Work with them on a plan to reassure and inform staff about changes such as social distancing.

 

The art of great communication means listening as well as informing. There needs to be a mechanism through which staff can let you know of concerns they may have. Your plan should therefore include:

 

  1. Compiling a list of staff concerns and solutions
  2. The delegation of passing on information to your communications champion
  3. Consideration of how your company communicates information
  4. A COVID information kit for all staff with regular updates

Ensure Excellent Workplace Sanitization

Staff need to see how you will sanitize the workplace. High visibility reinforces reassurance. That means having a range of specialist cleaning products and PPE equipment on hand at all times. These are available from BuyLifeGuard.com.

 

Make it someone’s job to check regularly that there is plenty of hand sanitizer and other cleaning agents in the right place.

 

Explain the shared responsibility which all staff have to keep their work stations clean. Make sure staff see and get to know the cleaning specialists who will carry out the sanitization processes.

Reconfigure the Workplace

Space is going to be a primary concern so that employees work at a safe distance from each other. There are plenty of other things to consider too. Here are some essentials:

 

  1. Placing signage with occupancy limits in common areas
  2. Making paper towels and trash cans available near doors
  3. Removing machines such as shared coffee-makers
  4. Installing extra fans or other devices for better ventilation
  5. Limiting the number of guests who enter the workplace
  6. Increasing virtual meetings
  7. Replacing faucets with a non-touch variety

 

You should communicate actions you take such as these in your staff COVID information pack.

Taking Care of Staff

A duty of care to your staff involves considering all options which will keep them safe in a post COVID world. Everyone is trying to figure out the best, most efficient path forward, but in the meantime, prioritizing employee health and wellbeing is paramount. Stay healthy!