The prime minister Boris Johnson recently confirmed that 19th of July will be our new “freedom day”. This means a lot of the rules and restrictions we lived by for over 6 months are now coming to an end. Including the advice to work from home.
According to the government, people can now safely return to the office and as an employer you have the right to require your workers to be on site. However, before you issue a back-to-the-office call, there are certain measures you need to put in place.
Office Size to Number of Employees Ratio
Although there’s no legal requirement to work from home and social distancing rules have been reduced, the PM stressed several times during the last press conference that people should still exercise common sense. So, if your office is not too spacious, maybe you should think about bringing only some of your staff in and gradually ask everyone else to return. Customer facing roles, of course, will be the first to come back to their workplace.
Large office spaces should not have this problem, however, every effort for eliminating hot desks must be made.
Getting Used to the Old Normal
Some people have been working from home for more than a year. It is only natural that a portion of them will need time to adjust back to what was their normal pattern in pre-COVID times. As an employer you can consider some mental health and wellbeing activities, presentations and incentives for staff who have spent such a long time away from the office.
Don’t forget that some people suffer from anxiety and they will need extra support and reassurance to feel safe in the office.
Regular Cleaning and Disinfection
Regular cleaning for the workplace has always been a must, but in the current climate, it is absolutely essential. The level of it also needs to be upgraded. Apart from vacuuming and dusting, cleaners need to disinfect the desks, electronics and common spaces. Air vents should be regularly cleaned too.
Professional cleaning companies use virucidal and antibacterial products with high efficiency and low or none toxicity levels. This is important for the safety and long-term health of all employees, customers and visitors. One of the best, yet absolutely harmless methods for office disinfection is dry steam cleaning. EV systems are perfect for this and help increase productivity at work. They purify the air, eliminate germs and allergens, and require no drying time.
Ventilation
Summer months provide a better opportunity to keep the windows at the workplace open and ensure better ventilation. This is one of the requirements for providing a safe working environment and minimising the spread of the coronavirus or other infectious diseases. Once it gets colder, it is best to invest in air conditioners and good ventilation systems.
Safety Reminders
Social distancing and mask wearing will no longer be required by law, however, good personal hygiene is never to be overlooked. Workplaces should still provide enough hand washing and sanitising facilities. Reminders in the form of posters and stickers placed sound the office are a good idea too.
Are you feeling anxious going back to work or calling your employees in? Professional commercial cleaning is one of the best solutions, providing a good level of reassurance for everyone. Book a reliable company with experience and understanding of the industry to have a much needed peace of mind in such stressful times.
