Over the last three months, the rapid development of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has created an extraordinary impact of the way we live and work.

As the virus continues to spread across the world, businesses have had to change the way they work to keep their staff safe and protected.

Whilst most businesses are moving to a remote way of working from home, some companies require their staff to still attend the workplace and continue working in a somewhat normal manor. Here at WPCS, we specialise in cleaning workspaces and now more than ever we have to take extra precautions.

Our job is to help everyone stay healthy within the working environment and we want to share with you the basic ways you can help your colleagues create a safe and virus free office workspace. We strongly believe that workplace well being is much more than just cleaning a desk, we believe that clear communication within the workforce can help create a healthy office way of life , not just during COVID -19 but going forward after the pandemic.

Plan and prepare

Businesses should be prepared and have a clear plan of what to do if someone becomes ill with suspected Coronavirus. 

This plan should include a designated isolation room in case an employee shows any symptoms of Coronavirus. You should also limit the number of people who have contact with the sick person, and ensure that member of staff goes home to isolate for the governments recommended time period.

If possible, you should allow all staff to work remotely and you should keep in regular contact with your workforce. This can be via phone calls or video calls. The government and local health authorities are currently advising people to avoid public transport and crowded places. Remember that remote working will help keep  your business keep operating while your employees stay safe. 

Hygiene

You should ensure that the workplace is clean and hygienic and regularly cleaned, mainly focusing on objects such as phones, keyboards, desks and tables which are common grounds for germs and bacteria.

The Coronavirus appears to easily spread on surfaces touched by employees and customers. 

You should install hand wash along with antibacterial hand sanitiser. By putting dispensers in prominent places around the workplace is a good practice and encourages staff to wash their hands regularly. You should also put up posters around the workspace to encourage hand-washing and other hygienic practices.  

Work spaces should ensure that face masks and paper tissues are available at all times. Paper masks may not be the most effective way to protect yourself from catching a disease, but it reduces the spread of a disease if you are infected – even if you just have a common cold.

Ensure you have plenty of bins around the office for people to dispose of tissues and unwanted medical waste. Bins should be closed bins if possible to ensure they are disposed of hygienically.

Companies are being advise to brief all employees, contractors and customers that if the Coronavirus starts spreading in the community, anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever should  stay at home and not come to work to avoid spreading the virus through the workforce.

Plan and prepare

If your staff has spent time working from home as a preventative measure, now is the best time to form and put in place regular hygiene practices and solutions that can reduce the spread of viruses and colds. 

By increasing the amount of disinfecting wipes and virus-killing hand sanitisers around the workspace  you should ensure that everyone is made aware  of where they are and who to contact if they need replacing. 

You should encourage colleagues to regularly clean high-touch surfaces whilst continuing to improve professional cleaning and disinfecting procedures within the office to reduce the occurrence of germs and bacteria in the workplace. 

Where possible, use or install touch-reducing facilities, such as double-swinging push doors, motion sensor lights, and other hands-free amenities that reduce germs in high-traffic areas. If seating can be rearranged so people are two metres apart, you should take this opportunity to rearrange the desk plans. If colleagues share desks, you should ensure that everyone is to clean equipment, workstations, and surfaces as soon as they leave or move to a different spot. This should become a habit to do first thing in a morning and last thing at night.

By using these guidelines, you can help your staff and colleagues avoid the challenges that Coronavirus has implemented on us. If you have any questions about the standard of hygiene within your business, please feel free to contact us for further advice.