Panel Systems COVID Update
With states around the country starting to lift the stay-at-home orders, we know many business owners are working hard to safely transition employees back into the office. Taking precautions to make staff feel safe enough to return to the office takes thoughtful planning. It may include things like making changes to office design and furniture to ensure social distancing and cleanliness of work areas.
The CDC strongly urges employers to to provide essentials for healthy hygiene practices. Things such as ample soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels and even face mask if possible are considered essential. Staggered shifts and non-essentials continuing to work from home will reduce the number of people in the office at one time thereby reducing the possible spread of Covid-19. Unnecessary travel should be postponed or an alternate method of communication such as Zoom, Chime or GoToMeeting should be used.
Here is a list of suggested practices that can be used to make your workplace as safe as possible.
- Like many of you have seen in the grocery store, think about making walkways and stairwells one way. This can be done by using posted signs and vinyl floor stickers indicating direction.
- Add personal protection to furniture such as plexiglass shields and dividers. Panel Systems Unlimited has several options that can be added to existing furniture and furniture to be installed at a later date by Panel Systems Unlimited.
- Remove or restrict usage to common areas such as break room tables, lounge/reception areas and elevators.
- Spread out!! With a staggered staff it’s a little easier to get that needed 6 to 9 foot distance between employees. Panel Systems Unlimited can offer practical advise of cubicle configuration as well as provide CLEAN preowned cubicles.
- Use partitions in conjunction with vinyl floor stickers indicating designated waiting distance to separate areas like printer/copier stations from cubicles near stations.
- Encourage employees to bring in a small refrigerated cooler to store their lunch at their desk.
- Make sure employees have their own personal supplies like staplers, tape dispensers, desktop printers if possible to reduce to likelihood of contamination.
- Reminders!!! Remind employees to wash their hands frequently maintain social distancing and cover their cough with their elbow or tissue. Tissue should be immediately discarded in the trash and not reused. Remind employees to be responsible to each other as well. The more people being aware and reminding each other will do a lot of good as it’s easy to forget.
As business owners and employees alike, we all know how important it is to be as safe as possible. During this pandemic it is a priority. By keeping the above mentioned ideas in mind and thoughtfully planning and laying out our workspace, the new normal will be easier to adapt to. We here at Panel Systems Unlimited are here to help where we can. Depend on us to help you make your office as safe as possible as we navigate this New Normal together.
Click Here to view our full selection of COVID-19 wellness protection screens and accessories.
To view, our Workplace Social Distancing Shields brochure Click Here.