How to Minimize the Spread of Germs in Your Office

With the ongoing pandemic and the coming cold and flu season, minimizing the spread of germs right now is vital. Those whose jobs require them to share public space while working should take adequate safety steps to reduce the risk of spreading and coming into contact with germs. Here are several reminders about recommended safeguards that can help to keep all of us healthy.

Social Distancing

Workspaces should be configured to maintain at least six feet of distance between employees. The same distance should be arranged for break rooms and conference areas as well as the reception area. Restrooms can be organized with signage so that people can use the stalls without waiting inside the restroom area. Clients or visitors should also be reminded to keep a safe distance from employees and others with floor footstep placement reminders and wall signs.

Sanitized Surfaces

The maintenance crew should clean and sanitize all the office areas at night or on a designated work shift. Basic sanitizer wipes or sprays that can be safely used by non-maintenance employees can be placed in cleaning stations on each floor to be used as needed between regular office cleaning shifts.

Face Masks

When entering or leaving the building or when congregating as a group for meetings, everyone should wear a mask. This is true even when employees are social distancing. Zoom calls from employees’ desks or when working remotely from home would not require masks, of course. Anyone who will be within six feet of employees or clients should have a mask ready to put on as needed.

Sneeze Screens

Also called sneeze guards, sneeze screens are lightweight plexiglass screens that can be suspended or mounted on a stand in key locations. These areas might include workstations, visitor areas, or other places where people meet face to face to do business. It might be a good idea to install them around every employee’s desk or work area to keep germs from sneezes, coughs, or even speaking from reaching other people nearby.

Staggered Schedules

Many companies are reorganizing their employees’ work schedules to let them work part-time at home remotely and other days in the office. This reduces the workforce each day of the week to limit interactions and potential germ exposure in the office. With employees working onsite less often, they will have a lower risk of catching germs from their coworkers.

Basic protective steps like these can keep everyone safer from COVID-19 at work. Keep you employees informed of safety requirements and monitor them occasionally to ensure compliance.