Thinking of Heading Back to the Office? Here’s Five Things You Need to Know

For some of us, it has been a long time since we stepped foot in our work office. With Covid-19 causing workplaces to shut, many have migrated their work to the online world. Kitchen tables and sofas have become the new work desk, the beloved family pet your new office friend.

However, if you are finding yourself in a position where you need to head back to the office, we have some helpful tips to make the transition that little bit easier. 

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Think Logically

Making the decision to head back to office will take some planning from all parties involved, and every minute detail will need to be considered. It is possible to do but may take a few weeks’ notice to get everything lined up and ready. One major consideration you will need to think about when bringing your team back to the office is preparing for their IT needs. After working remotely using their own computers, you may find that there are some initial issues with your IT systems and equipment. After an extended period without using your office equipment, your team members may experience issues with their software and the IT equipment. Planning for this possibility will help limit any downtime and ensure that the return to the office is seamless. Using Managed IT Services to support your business systems and technology through this time is an excellent way to make life easier for both yourself and your employees. 

Keep a level head and lead your employees back to the workplace with confidence! With a vaccine on the horizon, things are getting a little bit more optimistic by the day.

Implement Socially Distancing

Another set of words that we have heard daily, but something which is vital when wanting to protect your employees and make sure the office is a safe environment. Whether you start by separating workspaces in a safe way or limit the number of people in an office at any one time. This is well worth considering when thinking about the coordination of a safe working environment. Consider implementing a one-way system around your office also. This prevents too many people encountering one another while heading on a well-earned coffee break! 

Offer Flexible Working Options

For some businesses, this will be a whole new playing field to navigate. Offering employees, the opportunity to work from home where possible but with options to head to the office one day a week, is a good place to start. This limits the number of people in the office at any one time, while providing flexibility to your workers; something which is key in this adaptive new work climate. If you are planning to return a wider number of your workforce to the office, then staggering start and finishing times is an excellent practice to implement. 

Keep Your Property Clean 

Ensuring that the office environment is sterile and clean, is paramount. Providing sanitizing stations throughout the office space will ensure employees access to hand sanitizer when needed. Prior to returning employees to the office, you want to reassure the employees that the workplace is a safe environment to be in, with little to zero risk of them becoming unwell. Consider a deep clean of your office with a professional cleaning service against Covid-19, such as this one from renowned commercial cleaning specialists Ideal Cleaning.  

Provide PPE

Ensuring that employees who can wear masks, are doing so, will contribute to reducing the risk of infection in the workplace. Whether you implement a rule that masks must be always worn, or that employees can remove them while at their desks. That part is entirely up to you. Heading into the winter months, this gives you a chance to show off any festive face masks you might have acquired! While thinking about employee’s safety, will you be taking temperature checks upon arrival? If so, you will need to think about acquiring a temperature-checking gun.