The pandemic has surely adversely affected not only the social lives of people but also their professional lives with workflow being interrupted and businesses being crippled by a sinking economy.

However with the gradual decline in positive cases and the stats leaning towards a flattening curve, it is time to ease ourselves into a routine.

Here are some handy guidelines approved by the government and NHS to give you a head-start to working again but during an ongoing pandemic.

Why are precautions important?

Although the number of affected people has gone down considerably there still lingers a few traces here and there. The virus is still a threat and has not been eradicated completely. It may survive on surfaces and then be airborne!

These precautions will help to keep not only you safe but also your workforce and family members from contamination.

It is better to be safe than sorry!

1) Get Tested:

It is important to be sure you do not carry any trace of the virus as you may not only endanger your life but also of those around you.

First and foremost before going in to work, you must take a Covid19 test and only proceed if you are a confirmed negative. Do not endanger yourself and others by ignoring your symptoms!

Ensure you follow all guidelines issued by the government and health organisations, ignorance will only lead to problems. If you are in charge, implement a work policy for testing to encourage your coworkers to stay safe. Disallow workers that do not comply with set guidelines.

If you feel under the weather, inform the appropriate authorities and do not ignore any symptoms!

Do keep testing equipment on hand (such as thermometers) and disallow anyone who shows symptoms.

2) Personal Hygiene:

Maintain cleanliness at all times! Wash yourself thoroughly pre and post work.

It is advised to prepare a kit containing sanitary equipment such as sanitisers, pocket hand washes, masks and gloves. The protective gear is important to avoid possible contamination. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently for at least a minute.

Do not touch your face with dirty gloves and do not eat with your protective gear on. Switch to disposable cutlery to be extra cautious. Also dispose of all used, protective gear appropriately.

Before commencing work, make sure to wipe down all surfaces (especially metal) with disinfectant. Clean thoroughly to eradicate all germs and possible viruses.

3) Social Distancing:

It is important to maintain a good distance from fellow co-workers and is suggested you avoid meetings and lunches as much as you can. Try alternate methods like online apps to compensate!

Avoid touching other people and minimise contact as much as you can. It is necessary to draw some boundaries and force others to follow them for your own and their own safety.

Do not excessively exchange/share items. Give them a swipe of disinfectant if it is really important.

If you’re in charge, plan efficiently and impose strict guidelines to minimise contact between co-workers.

Do update a risk directory and include all that are most vulnerable to acquire the virus, such as asthmatics, old people and those with compromised immune systems

4) Work Strategies:

Now that you’ve don your gear, it is time to get working! Here are some efficient tips to get back on track.

Digitalise all work! Give assignments, charts, and statistics through apps. It is easier, safer and more compatible. You can even give out detailed instructions with images and voice notes! Talk about innovation.

Be creative to capture your staff’s attention. No socialising is bound to create a very dull and exhausting workspace. Try to ease workload by giving frequent breaks to relax!

Remember it is not a piece of cake to work during an ongoing pandemic so take it easy

5) Returning home post work:

After work make sure to wipe down your surfaces and items you take home such as briefcases and folders. It is suggested you discard all used protective gear and do wash yourself thoroughly if possible.

Walk if you must as it is better not to use public transport and commutes. Avoid crowds while waiting on red lights.

Have a shower as soon as you can after arriving home, do not come into contact with anyone or anything.

Do not endanger the lives of your family members!

Enforce work protocols:

If you are in a position of importance, do implement some guidelines for safety.

Restrict/ minimise contact
Switch to online meetings
Have regular/ hourly cleaning of toilets
Keep drills to encourage washing hands
See through every transaction and avoid contact
Disallow entry without protective gear and Covid19 test results
Impose fines on failing to follow rules
Create strategies for coworkers to balance work and socialising without contact.
Be flexible with deadlines and mass employee absences
Mark floors to encourage maintaining a distance among crew.
Prepare emergency plans and procedures

It is also necessary to change the layout of your office/workspace. Assign specific parts of the place for different purposes. A testing area, a sanitised and clean canteen to pick up food, an accessible area for hand washing frequently and separate work tables.

Also a place to dispose of used gloves and masks safely.

As you’re in charge, it is your duty to look after the well-being of the staff that is risking their lives to work. Make sure you prioritise their health over everything.

Make sure to not exhaust yourself and take frequent breaks. Read up this brilliant piece for more information: Safety Tips when heading to work post lockdown

Conclusion

The ongoing pandemic has disrupted the whole routine of life, it will be exhausting to adjust to new rules and regulations however it is necessary for one to do so.

Make sure to follow all these rules when heading to work, be extra cautious and remember you’re not overreacting or doing extra, these are basic NHS guidelines for a pandemic.

Stay safe and keep others safe!

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/team-work-business-cooperation-4503157/