How To Provide a Safe Workplace for Employees During the Pandemic

As many of us make our way back to our offices during the COVID-19 pandemic, things can be scary. Employees worry about the safety of their loved ones as well as themselves, so it’s essential to make them feel comfortable with the proper precautions in place.

Keeping your workplace clean and organized isn’t only crucial for keeping your team safe and healthy, but for overall morale as well. An organized office means higher productivity and satisfaction — plus, it will benefit you in cost savings. To obtain a clean office, you should consider commercial cleaning services.

When your employees are healthy, they can regularly come to work and be effective, while sick employees miss work, thus costing you more money and leading to potential project setbacks. Here are four ways to provide a safe workplace for your team members during the pandemic.

Keep Social Distancing Practices in Place

Social distancing is the first step to keeping your employees healthy. Depending on the location of your company, social distancing is likely a public health guideline already.

Make sure to arrange the office and desks so that employees sit at least six feet apart from each other. If your office is too small, install protective equipment such as plastic or glass partitions. 

Consider having employees come in on opposite days. Example: implement an A/B schedule split so your office only uses half of the desk capacity. Half of your employees can work from home until it’s their turn to come back to the office. Most companies implement weekly schedules so that the commercial cleaning services can clean and disinfect the area before another group comes in. This process will limit the number of employees exposed if you do have a COVID outbreak.

If you have more than one restroom or common area, try restricting certain sections of your office to these areas. For example — one floor can use restroom A while the second floor uses restroom B. This can keep the potential spread at bay.

Reminders are also an excellent method to keep your employees aware of the situation at all times. Have infographic posters installed around the office — keep your team alert and informed about the ways the virus can spread, reminding them to distance themselves and how to wash their hands properly. There are plenty of creative and smart infographic designs that you can print and hang on the walls. 

Hire Commercial Cleaning Services

A professional cleaning service is the best way to keep your office safe and clean for employees coming back in. When you start looking for a cleaning company to hire, make sure they are knowledgeable and reputable for cleaning during COVID-19. The company should be certified and follow CDC guidelines.

Commercial cleaning companies that specialize in hospital cleaning are usually certified in COVID-19 procedures. To make research easier and more reliable, you can check with local private practices and hospitals about which company provides cleaning services. Other than disinfection and cleaning, you’ll want your cleaning company to cover air quality by cleaning ventilation (HVAC systems) and disposing of trash.

No matter how detailed the cleaning team is, you will also need your employees to participate. To keep everything sanitized and safe, encourage your employees to use sanitization products frequently. It shouldn’t take away much time from their work, and it will increase the safety of your workspace considerably.

Provide Cleaning Products and Protective Equipment

You’ll still need in-house cleaning practices on top of hiring a commercial cleaning company because a cleaning service team will not be there 24/7 to clean up after your employees. A cleaning company can handle most of your cleaning needs, but you and your employees must still do your due diligence to keep areas clean during the workday.

Here are some tips for your team on what should be frequently cleaned (at least once every two hours): high touchpoints (doorknobs, light switches, etc.), meeting rooms, restrooms, kitchen and shared spaces, and any reception areas. You should vacuum carpets, drapes, and furniture at least once daily. 

Offer masks, gloves, and sanitization products. It should be as easy as possible for your employees to wipe up areas and get back to work quickly. 

If it takes up a lot of their time and effort to clean, they likely won’t do their part. Don’t make them walk across the whole office for hand sanitizer — make sanitization products available throughout the office. Each desk should be equipped with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and a wipe. That way, your employees will be more likely to contribute to the team’s safety.

Encourage proper hand-washing and put reminders up in designated areas.

Continue Utilizing Virtual and Touchless Tools

Even if your employees started coming back to the office, it doesn’t mean the virtual assets you’ve implemented need to go by the wayside. The safest practice is to keep only the employees you need in the workspace while the others work from home whenever possible. 

The same goes for your clients. Try to minimize the influx of people that visit the office. Instead of having clients come in, try virtual meetings. It keeps both parties as safe as possible against a potential COVID-19 case.

You can even implement online meetings between teams in the office so multiple people don’t need to sit in one room.

Implement any touchless processes you can — like foot pedals on doors so knobs don’t have to be touched, mobile devices for keyless entry into offices, motion-sensor lights to avoid contact with switches, and more.

Looking for a Commercial Cleaning Service?

Keeping your workplace clean for your employees was very important even before the pandemic hit. For obvious reasons, keeping your office safe has never been more crucial.

Employees feel hesitant to come back, and rightfully so. That’s why it’s vital to make your team feel safe and taken care of. 

While the majority of employees will follow the guidelines, there will always be someone that lets things slip. Don’t hesitate to hold them accountable, as they can endanger the well-being of others as well as their own. Implement in-office practices and do thorough research so you can choose a professional cleaning company that fulfills your workspace needs and keeps your employees safe and healthy.