As society begins to open up after the COVID-19 related lockdowns businesses need to make sure they are still taking the necessary steps to keep everyone safe. One of the most important things that can be done is continue with reasonable social distancing measures for the foreseeable future. Social distancing will help to minimize the risk of the COVID-19 virus from spreading within the workplace. It will also help to reduce the spread of all other communicable diseases (flu, colds, etc), which will contribute to an overall healthier workplace. For this reason, it is a smart business decision to continue practicing some level of social distancing as long as possible.
Continuing Social Distancing Measures
There are quite a few things that employers can do to help keep employees at last six feet apart while in the workplace. The following are some options that can be continued indefinitely:
- Arranging Desks – If you run an office environment, make sure to position desks in a way that will keep employees at least six feet apart.
- Desk Partitions – Offices that use low or no wall cubicles should consider installing floor to ceiling cubical walls. This way desks can be closer than six feet apart while still maintaining the safety of social distancing.
- Flexible Shifts – Having employees work flexible shifts can help to minimize the number of people in the office at any given time. This will make it much easier to practice social distancing.
- Stagger Breaks & Lunches – Staggered breaks and lunches is another practice that will help to minimize the number of people in the breakroom at a time.
- Install Plexiglass Partitions – When it is not possible to stay six feet apart, installing plexiglass partitions is an effective alternative. This is especially helpful in keeping customers and employees separated while still letting them interact.
The specific social distancing strategies that will work best will vary from workplace to workplace. Now is the time to look at what options are available in your workplace and how they can be used as a long-term solution to the risk of COVID-19 and many other illnesses.
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