29 Apr Tips for Social Distancing at Work
Covid-19 has changed many processes, guidelines, and rules in the workplace. These changes are to keep all staff members, clients, and customers safe but they can be challenging. One obstacle that thousands of companies are currently facing is social distancing at work. While each company will look a little different in how they follow this guideline, here are several ideas to make this process a little easier and more convenient.
Limit All In-Person Meetings
One of the best ways to practice social distancing at work is to limit as many in-person meetings as possible. Rather than meet in a large conference room, consider virtual meetings using applications such as Skype or Zoom. If little needs to be discussed, consider sending an email or making a phone call.
If in-person meetings cannot be avoided, do all you can to make the meetings short. Ensure all attendees are spread out around the room — at least 6 feet apart. If there are several attendees to the meeting, you may need to ensure you have a large enough space for the meeting to occur. Also, do not shake hands with one another as you enter or leave the meeting.
Encourage Employees to Eat or Take Breaks Outside
The cafeteria or break room can be dangerous areas and difficult to monitor social distancing. To help with this, encourage employees to take breaks and eat their lunch outdoors. Set up extra tables and chairs around the exterior of the building to provide for more space for employees to spread out while they eat and relax.
Be Mindful of Popular Areas
There are going to be areas around your workplace that are more frequently visited than others. For example, the copy machine or supply closet may be on this list. Place signs around these areas reminding your employees to stand six feet apart. You may also set temporary guidelines so if an employee is already using the copy machine, others cannot come up to the machine until other employees are finished and have left the area. It is also wise to leave sanitizing wipes or spray near these items to ensure all buttons and frequently-touched surfaces are wiped down often.
Be Flexible With Working Environments
Let employees work from home as much as possible. This is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in your workplace. However, this is not possible for every business. In these situations, you may need to be a little more flexible with working environments. For example, if you have cubicles that are empty in a far corner, let an employee with a high-risk family member temporarily move there. Spread out work stations as much as possible. Give employees their own sets of office supplies as well as cleaning items. These are small things that can make a big difference in the health of your employees.
Caring for your employees’ health must be a priority. By implementing the above social distancing at work ideas, you are taking the necessary steps to keep employees and their family members safe from the virus.
