Returning To The Office After Lockdown: Ultimate Checklist
Over the last few months, the country has been shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have suffered and have had to make difficult decisions in order to manage the situation; the most common being making the switch from the office to working from home. The Office for National Statistics reported in June that almost half of the British population were now working from their homes.
As a ‘new normal’ is established, the move back to the office will seem daunting for many business owners as they are once again asked to navigate unprecedented situations. In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable return to the workplace, we have put together the ultimate checklist to help your business provide for your staff.
Monitor current guidelines
Any current business decisions should be done alongside current government guidelines so that your business can be confident that it is acting responsibility and accordingly. That being said, return to the office does not have to be immediate and should be decided in consideration of your business and your employees’ best interests.
Clear direction
There will be a number of new implementations to the office to ensure safe working for everybody. This could be social distancing measures, or regular disinfecting. Whatever the regulation, make sure that it is clearly communicated to your team. At Office Options, we offer a number of systems to ensure the highest level of safety, including signage and antiseptic divider screens.
Good Communication
Effective communication is an integral part of any business, but recently, it has become even more essential as teams have been required to communicate virtually. The same will apply during a return to the office. There are a number of ways to ensure good communication throughout this process:
- One-to-one meetings – just as a ‘back to work’ meeting may take place following a period of illness, taking the time to speak with employees returning to the office to understand their concerns or needs will help to dictate any necessary adjustments or processes.
- Provide options – each business is unique and so are its employees. Flexibility will be key during the transition period as some staff may not be in the position to comfortably or safely return to the office. Ensuring good communication continues between those working remotely and those in the office will be important for both the transition period as well as a contingency for a potential second wave in the near future.
Create a safe environment
There will be pressure on business owners to provide a safe and clean environment for all returning staff. Whilst this is a big responsibility, there are a number of systems that can be put in place to instill confidence in your employees.
PPE
Depending on the nature of your business, it may be prudent to provide PPE such as face coverings or gloves for your employees.
One-way system
To aid social distancing, a one-way system could be introduced to lower the risk for your staff.
Sanitisers
Prioritising hygiene for your employees is a must. Sanitising dispensers or stands placed throughout the office will provide a friendly reminder and resource for those in the office to maintain good health and safety.
Deep clean
It is worth considering a deep clean of the office environment prior to return so that your staff can be reassured that precautions are being taken. You may even want to introduce routine deep cleans until further notice.
Get Started
There is a lot to consider when managing a return to the office after lockdown. At Office Options, we want to take as much of that stress away from you as possible by managing the process from start to finish.
We have developed a ‘back to work’ package to assist our clients through this transition. If you are in need of some guidance with returning your staff to the office, contact us today for a personal consultation.