For office managers, the Coronavirus pandemic has thrown everything into chaos and left you with many additional tasks to complete. And as the lockdown slowly lifts and offices across the UK begin to reopen, you now face a fresh challenge: safely reopening your workplace.
Office workers will return to a workplace that is very different from the one they left, and they will need reassurance that you have the appropriate processes in place to keep them safe. It can seem overwhelming to consider keeping your team members apart and safe, particularly if you work in a large office, so to help, we’ve put together an overview of some of the most vital safety procedures that every office manager needs to implement and the techniques that they can use to keep their staff safe.
Adapt Existing Safety Procedures
The Coronavirus might be a priority, but if an emergency does happen, then you need to make sure that your existing procedures are up to date. Review everything from your fire safety procedures to your team’s evacuation drills to make sure that they are safe should an emergency occur. In the event of a fire, staff should avoid touching the dirty communal emergency exits. This is important for both emergency exits and Coronavirus protection, so consider using an automatic door closer that will assist with closing doors. Here’s an article on the best door closer which can help you to find the best door closer that meets your needs and keeps your team safe from the virus and any other emergencies that they might face.
Cleaning Procedures
As the Coronavirus is spread through saliva and lives on some surfaces for up to a week it’s vital that you make your office a clean and safe space. That means creating a cleaning schedule and monitoring it to ensure that staff are adhering to it and working to keep your office clean. If your team lacks the time, skills, or motivation to clean your office to the standard that is required to keep your staff safe, then consider outsourcing your cleaning. Work with an experienced team of professional cleaners to keep your office safe and comfortable.
Social Distancing Measures
Social distancing is designed to keep staff apart, and therefore reduce the spread of the virus. Make sure that you create clear social distancing guidelines and put out adequate signage to inform team members, and any office visitors, of where they need to stand to stay safe. You should also set the desks apart, so that team members don’t sit too close to one another. Where possible, use physical barriers, such as partitions or notice boards, to separate desks and reduce the chances of the virus taking hold in your office and causing problems for your business.
Contactless Payments
If your office has a vending machine or cafeteria where staff can order food, then you need to make sure that they can pay for anything that they order safely. Cash and card readers can be a hotbed of bacteria and grime, so install contactless payments to reduce the chances of the virus spreading in your workplace.
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