This short guide outlines the necessities required as workers around the world look at going back to the office in the post-pandemic era.
As the post pandemic area surges on, a return to the normal world before it seems increasingly further away. But with fingers crossed there will eventually be a shift to going back to the office for many around the world. As and when this happens, many workplaces and individuals are going to need some additional information and support.
Necessities for going back to the office
We’ve sorted out the necessities for returning to the workplace to cover all eventualities and hopefully make it as easy as possible to slip back into the normal working week once again.
Going back to the office: hygiene protocols
Perhaps the biggest change that will need to take place for everyone in this post-corona world will be the uptaking of facemask wearing, social distancing and general PPE or safety protocols. This is therefore an absolute necessity for going back to the office. Sorting out your own safety by applying hand sanitizer, regularly washing your hands and wearing a mask in areas that can’t be socially distanced are key regulations that you are going to need to abide by.
This means investing in your own mask and hand gel. On top of the individual needs, there also needs to be rules and regulations put in place by the place of work to allow areas and places within the office to be effectively distanced and to enforce the rules for everyone to make sure that the people across the office feel safe and happy to be in work.
Going back to the office: staggered rosters
With large offices and open plan spaces, there may be an issue of not enough space to socially distance all the staff members. This is going to be pivotal in allowing the office space to open up. In order to allow this to happen you can expect places of work to open of a blended basis.
This will be a case of working in the office a couple of times a week and working from home the rest of the time, which requires a whole different set of necessities, such as comfy office chairs and a productive set up. This notion of blended working will have to be adopted by both the employers and staff alike. Indeed, the coronavirus pandemic may have changed the way people operate office jobs completely.
Going back to the office: flexi time
It’s hard to see a full return to office work without maintaining a certain level of working from home and less hours being proposed. Things like a 4 day working week and flexi time seem like they will continue to be common around the country and world.
Within this ever changing climate the government is more rapid acting than ever before and with this it is certainly going to have to be a necessity for both employer and employee to remain updated with changes and differences in rules and regulations as time goes on. In order to remain relevant, lawful and obedient there needs to be a constant undertaking of the imposed bans. Without constant monitoring of the changes, places will breach protocols and could face fines and closures. This negligence is the last thing people need nowadays.
Going back to the office: effective support
Asides from the physical presence of protocol and regulations, perhaps the most important thing that should become a necessity upon the return to the workplace for many is the offering of free and effective mental and physical health support. The virus has taken its toll on many, particularly with regards to ill mental health but also physical.
People cannot face this on their own and need support. As a respectable workforce, there should be necessary support networks established for everyone involved in the workplace to attend without stigma or fear. It’s imperative that throughout this tough time, provisions such as these are available to people, particularly upon their return to the workplace.
Whilst the pandemic has obviously monumentally changed the landscape of the working world, not least here at BusinessWomanMedia, with a few easy tweaks people can return to their workplace. This will require some serious necessities and comfort blankets to address issues, but given time I have no doubt workplaces and individuals will fulfill these necessities.
