How to get your office ready for the return of employees

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

By Henry Brown

As a business owner, you are already well aware that the way in which companies operate has been permanently changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With safety measures meaning that many office spaces were forced to close, traditional workplace structure and culture have undergone a seismic shift.

However, as we move forward, it is essential that you put a plan in place that will allow you to safely open up your office to employees in the coming months. Here are ways in which you can make this transition a little easier.

Use this time to improve the facilities you have on offer. 

If your office is currently empty, you have the perfect opportunity to schedule some renovations or changes when it is safe to do so. Perhaps this could mean a fresh coat of paint on the walls or applying new flooring.

Both office and warehouse flooring are subject to a large amount of wear and tear and will therefore benefit greatly from some TLC. Furthermore, it is important that you select the appropriate flooring for your needs. For example, if you work closely with chemicals in your warehouse, you should purchase chemical resistant flooring. Companies such as ImpactFloors, provide a wide range of flooring to choose from, such as flexible flooring – click here to find out more.

This will help you create a more welcoming space for your returning employees.

Focus on cleanliness 

When undergoing renovations, you should also ensure you set up several sanitization stations throughout the building, where employees will have access to the products they need, such as hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes.

In addition, you should also ensure that your office spaces are cleaned more frequently every morning or night. Additionally, you should encourage your employees to take personal responsibility for their health and hygiene, by keeping their workspaces in good working order, cleaning any items after use.

Consider a flexible approach.

You may feel that to succeed, you need all of your employees to return to the office as soon as possible. However, it is important that safety is prioritized above all else during this time, so this may not be realistic.

Instead, take a flexible approach to how and when employees return to work. For example, allow them to alternate between working from home and spending time in the office – so that only a few people are in contact at once. If you are planning on holding group meetings, host them online using platforms such as zoom.

Change the layout of your office. 

The layout of your office can have a significant effect on employee productivity. Therefore, it is vital that you take the time to create the right layout for your business. However, this may need to be altered somewhat, given the current situation. For example, you may need to ensure that the desks are separated, to avoid employees working too closely together. If this is not possible, install partitions that help keep employees safe.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.

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