Some things will never be the same after coronavirus and your office may be part of that. After all, how do you ensure 6 feet distance in the workplace where you normally work close together, have lunch and meet in small meeting rooms? The 6 feet economy requires a redesign of the workplace. Creating a safe working environment for employees, visitors and suppliers is currently on top of the agenda at many organisations.
Is your workplace ready yet for the new way of working? We give you a few practical tips. And some examples of how we've made the CTOUCH office corona-proof.
1. Stairways to heaven, uh... to the office
When entering the office building, you must be able to reach your workplace in a safe way. Taking the elevator with a bunch of colleagues isn’t such a good idea. Clearly indicate at the entrance of the elevator that you must keep your distance. A better and healthier way is of course to take the stairs. Pay attention to 'oncoming traffic' and keep to the right. Unless you are in the UK, then of course you keep to the left 😉
2. The 6 feet workspace
In most offices, the space between desks is less than 6 feet. Unfortunately, this is no longer an option. Therefore, pull the desks apart and create individual workspaces. Is office space limited? Then take some desks out of use. Or put screens between them to reduce the risk of infection. Also make sure that the walking routes to the workplace are at the right distance. And don't forget the other facilities, such as the coffee machine, printer room and elevator. Here too: keep your distance!
3. Let's work in shifts
Who’s working from home and who’ll be at the office today? Determine the maximum occupancy and divide the teams into shifts. This way there are fewer people in the office at the same time and those who work there have more space. Alternate so that everyone has a chance to be at work at least once a week. Hey Joran, you’re supposed to come to the office to work, not to sleep…
4. 6 feet? Make it visible
It’s important that employees are aware that they have to keep their distance. Make it visible. Use lines on the floor to indicate the size of the personal workspace. This makes it clear to everyone. In addition, indicate the walking routes with arrows on the floor. In this way you stimulate one-way traffic so that you do not run the risk of bumping into each other.
5. Keep it clean!
Personal hygiene and a clean workplace are essential in a 6 feet office. Inform all employees of the following tips:
- When entering the office, make sure you clean your hands with hand sanitizing gel.
- Clean door handles and banisters at least 4 times a day with a disinfecting cleaner.
- Make sure there is enough soap at all sanitary facilities.
- Replace towels with kitchen paper and discard the papers after use.
- Emphasize again how important it is to cough and sneeze in the inside of your elbow.
- Close the toilet lid when flushing. Then any virus particles will not float around.
- Make sure there is sufficient air supply from the outside. Open a window once in a while.
- Clean your mouse, keyboard and phone twice a day with disinfectant spray.
- Don't forget to clean other office equipment immediately after use and at least once a day. For example printers, copiers, coffee machines, remote controls, meeting tables, beamers and, last but not least, touchscreens*.
*TIP: Wipe and make your touchscreen shine!
When cleaning a touchscreen, make sure that you never use aggressive or abrasive cleaning products. These may damage the screen. CTOUCH Wipe & Shine is a professional touchscreen cleaner, specially developed for cleaning touchscreens. For the best result, spray directly on the screen. Clean the screen with a dry, lint-free, microfiber cloth. Make soft, circular movements without applying too much pressure. Et voilà, your touchscreen is clean and ready for another killer meeting.
6. Implement digital collaboration solutions
It will take some time before everyone can go back to the office again. And that we have external client meetings. Or catch a plane for an appointment abroad. The need to meet and collaborate remotely is and remains great.
Make sure your office is prepared for this. Replace those old-fashioned whiteboards and flipcharts with interactive touchscreens and provide your employees with equipment that makes online collaboration possible. Digital collaboration platforms are essential in the future. Not only do they enable employees to communicate with each other from any device, from any location, at any time. These tools also provide positive interactive knowledge sharing, which enhances collaboration. A win-win situation. The sooner you embrace the new way of working, like flexible working, the sooner you experience the benefits.
Is your organisation future-proof yet?
CTOUCH helps organisations to create a modern workplace in which their people work together more efficiently. Wondering how we can make your organisation future-proof? Feel free to contact one of our specialists.