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RECOVERY READINESS
A How to Guide for Reopening Your Workplace
Over the next several weeks and months, as areas stabilize from the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home restrictions are lifted, organizations will begin to bring workers back into the physical workplace.
The migration of a furloughed and Work From Home (WFH) workforce back to places of business will look different for every organization. The mix of returning employees will vary, and in some cases, a segment of the workforce may continue to work remotely.
One thing is clear, however—the management of the process is without precedent. Below is an executive summary at the link (button) below for the awesome 34 page How to Guide for Reopening Your Workplace.
Six Readiness Essentials
From big organizations to small ones, from those with one location to those with hundreds—each in their own way will be focused on the following six Workplace Readiness Essentials:
1. Prepare the Building: cleaning plans, pre-return inspections, HVAC & Mechanicals checks
2. Prepare the Workforce: mitigating anxiety, policies for deciding who returns, employee communications
3. Control Access: protocols for safety and health checks, building reception, shipping, and receiving, elevators, visitor policies
4. Create a Social Distancing Plan: decreasing density, schedule management, office traffic patterns
5. Reduce Touch Points and Increase Cleaning: open doors, clean desk policy, food plan, cleaning common areas
6. Communicate for Confidence: recognize the fear in returning, communicate transparently, listen and survey regularly
Faced with common challenges, owners and occupiers have a unique opportunity to come together in the true spirit of collaboration. We are already seeing it play out, and we believe there is no better path to successfully manage the complexity of the road that lies ahead.
Three Final Things to Note
First, the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the respective health organizations and government bodies within each country, are the primary sources for guidance on COVID-19 and other health-related issues.
Second, while the practices and recommendations in this guide at times reference office environments, they are largely applicable to other types of workforce environments and properties.
Finally, the intention of this resource is to establish the foundation of ideas and recommendations upon which we can build—in collaboration with clients and partners—and this article and useful guide was produced by Cushman & Wakefield.
We’re certain the coming weeks and months will teach us new things, and we look forward to sharing more ideas and updates to help you move forward through unfamiliar territory. In the meantime, we look forward to connecting with you to learn more about how we can help.
Image and content for this article along with the guide are courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield. For a pdf of their 34 page How to Guide for Reopening Your Workplace, please follow the link (button) below:
Work at Home Checklist for Employers
While it’s not necessary to replicate the office setting, below is a link with an excellent 2 page guide on how you can help your employees to set up a work home environment that is comfortable and functional – and supported with the right toolkit to ensure business continuity.
A 3-Part Approach for Facility Managers Amid Concern over COVID-19
Below is the link (button) to a great article by Lori Strazdas who is a Public Health Liaison with CloroxPro’s Clinical & Scientific Affairs team where she provides thought leadership in the areas of public health and infection prevention.
Strazdas received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, and her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, from the University of Arizona. She is a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA), ISSA, the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI), and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).