It’s not hard to believe that you can get sick from your office! How many of us work in a building with dozens of other people? With so much going on in this covid-19 era and the potential for viruses to spread around, it is easy to catch something. We have all been there – feeling great one day and then feeling miserable the next. It might be tough to stay healthy when you’re at work, but there are a few things that will help keep those pesky illnesses away and have a safe post-Covid return to work.
Invest in Professional Cleaning Services
One way of keeping your office clean and have a safe post-Covid return to work is to invest in a professional cleaning service. We all know it’s essential to keep our homes clean, but most people forget about their office space being just as important. As highlighted by the team behind Sydney Covid cleaning services, professional cleaners have all the cleaning supplies necessary to keep your office clean, especially for the deadly coronavirus disease. They are also trained in handling dirty services and can do better than even the best office worker.
Professional cleaners will make sure every surface, nook, and cranny is clean, including the desk space that could be teeming with viruses waiting to attack you. Furthermore, if you have any special requests, such as high-level disinfecting or deodorizing for specific areas of your office, a professional cleaner can do that too.
Set a Welcome Station
Another way to ensure your office stays clean is by setting a welcome station for all employees. This will help you create the right environment from day one and train everyone to do their part to keep it that way. A good example would be to set up a booth with PPEs, including facemasks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. This way, employees will know how to stay healthy in the office when they walk in for work and have easy access to the PPEs they need.
Also, there should be guidelines posted around the office so everyone knows what they should and shouldn’t be doing. For example, you could have a sign that says “Please don’t cough on your hands” to remind employees about one of the most common ways germs are spread in an office setting.
Create an Infection Control Plan
A great way to keep your office clean in this COVID-19 era is by creating an infection control plan. Each workplace should have a written document that outlines how it will disinfect and prevent viruses from spreading around (or at least try). This includes things like what you would do if someone near you is coughing or sneezing, how to clean your desk area and phone each day, the proper way to wipe down surfaces before they are touched by others, etc.
When you do this, the employees in your office will feel more comfortable knowing that there is a plan of action to take regarding germs and viruses. If they know the steps, then their confidence level increases, leading to better job performance overall. This is important for those who are already sick and those with compromised immune systems.
Create a Healthy Workplace Culture
Our health is now more vital than ever in workplaces, and everyone must be mindful of this. In addition to creating an infection protection plan, employers should also work on building a healthy workplace culture that encourages employees to stay well and be proactive about their health at all times.
For example, if your office has a break room where people eat lunch together during the day, you might want to consider making it a “no-touch” zone. That way, employees are not tempted to touch the fridge or microwave with their hands and potentially spread germs around. You can also serve packed lunches instead of bringing in meals from restaurants that could spread germs.
Leverage Touchless Technology
Touching everything in our work environment has become a huge problem during the COVID-19 pandemic because it can spread viruses around quickly – even if you are not sick yet. Touchless cleaning products, high-tech appliances, and other devices that do not require hands are a way to keep the germs out.
For example, you can install touchless soap dispensers and hand dryers in your office bathroom that people will be able to use without touching anything with their hands. You can also consider touchless door locks, touchless water faucets, and other products to make the workplace a cleaner environment.
Follow Recommended Guidelines
COVID-19 has been a global pandemic, and as such, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have put together guidelines on how to stay clean during this time. Whether you are an employer or employee – you must follow the set recommendations so we can all remain healthy.
For example, employers should require employees to wash their hands after using the restroom and before eating lunch. They may also want to encourage people not to travel during COVID-19 outbreaks (if they can afford it) or at least avoid public transportation that could be full of germs. If you work in a large office, it’s best for anyone coughing and sneezing to stay home until they feel better.
It’s essential to take as many steps as possible to clean your office environment during this COVID-19 era. From creating an infection control plan and building a healthy workplace culture to leveraging touchless technology that will protect employees from germs, employers no longer have any excuses for not keeping their offices clean and have a safe post-Covid return to work.
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