COVID-19 is mostly spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person when they are coughing, sneezing or simply talking and breathing. It is claimed that the Omicron variant can spread multiple times quicker than Delta and the previous forms of the coronavirus. What is more, it is so contagious that it can spread even before the first symptoms of the illness appear, which makes stopping the virus almost impossible. The most effective way not to catch it is prevention, including physical and social distancing.
Social distancing at work
Although advice and recommendations on social distancing at work may vary depending on the country, there are several rules that all employees should follow to reduce the potential spread of the virus. The most important of them is always maintaining at least a two-metre distance between people in the workplace. Therefore, every office should be arranged to ensure the proper distancing, and employers should do their best to encourage their staff to always obey the rules of distancing.
Over the summer period, we all experienced the loosening of COVID restrictions and many employers still haven’t prepared their offices for the new coronavirus wave, which is now spreading quicker than ever before. Check what you can do to protect your employee’s health and make your office safer.
Encourage employees to stay home whenever they feel under the weather
It is advised that employees who feel sick should under no circumstances show up at work. Taking into consideration that the symptoms of COVID may vary from person to person, and many of them are rather specific, including mild fatigue, brain fog, bone pains or headache, you can never know what ails your employee.
Isolate employees who present worrying symptoms
If you observe that one of your employees is beginning to exhibit symptoms of an illness, e.g. they cough, sneeze or constantly blow their nose, don’t let them stay in the office. Instead, ask them to go home or seek medical help.
Reduce the number of employees working onsite
Do all your employees need to work onsite at the same time? Is it possible to let some of them work from home? Or maybe introduce flexible working hours? If so, do everything in your power to limit the number of people who meet one another in the office.
Set up new workstations
Whether or not employees follow hygiene and social distancing rules greatly depends on your actions! If your office is well prepared for COVID-19, for example, desks are rearranged to maintain the recommended distance, it is much easier for them to adhere to the new rules.
If there are plenty of desks in your office and you have nowhere to shift them, you should clearly label the desks that are unavailable to employees. You can introduce a desk booking app to help you manage your office space.
The desk booking system, Deski, is a true revolution in workspace management. The application enables your staff to reserve their desks and book office rooms. It also features several functions that make it easier for you to manage your office space during the pandemic, e.g. it enables safe desk booking in accordance with social distancing measures.
Don’t let your clients wander around the office
In offices where clients are present, introduce new measures to support physical distancing for visitors. You can indicate areas where your clients should wait and mark them with floor tape. Attend your client in a place with few employees and restrict the number of clients allowed in at any one time.
Keep an attendance list
Although physical distancing can significantly suppress the spread of the virus, it is still possible for an outbreak to arrive in your office. Always expect the unexpected and keep a detailed attendance list of your employees to warn them about the possibility that they have caught the virus when one of their colleagues tests positive. The list can also be kept in Deski – our revolutionary desk reservation app.
Choose a desk-booking app with a simple, yet powerful interface. We can help you find an optimal configuration for your office. Booking a desk should be nothing but a single click! Get familiar with Deski – a desktop and mobile web app with real-time reservations. Set your own reservation rules and separate office space – it’s all up to you! If you have any questions about our hot-desking solution, let us know!