ASUS Business Hub

The time has come where governments are starting to open the economy back up for businesses; Germany is already allowing various business types to open, and the UK is now looking to its own plans for reopening. It’s an exciting time for business owners and staff, who are eager to return to work, but with such a rush back to our places of work comes concerns and considerations to be aware of. There are risks and restrictions to adhere to or to put in place so that once your team is back in the office, warehouse, or meeting room, everyone remains safe and exposed to minimal risk. In line with government guidelines, here are the top recommendations for ensuring your business returns as a well-oiled machine that keeps its staff safe, while maintaining business efficiency. Please note that none of the following constitutes professional medical or workplace safety advice, and should not take the place or be followed in place of advice from medical professionals, the government, or your own HR and health and safety measures.

Your Workplace and How to Adapt to Reopening

General Office Guidance Many of your staff members who’ve been working from home will be bringing devices and equipment back into the office with them. The first order of business is to have these properly cleaned, ensuring they’re suitable to be distributed and used by the rest of your team. Laptops, headsets, mice, and other commonly used equipment that’s distributed throughout a team may now be reallocated to other staff, so make sure you have these devices handed in and cleaned thoroughly before sending them back out into the office. Additionally, months of working from home without access to a dedicated IT support system might mean systems are now end-of-life, or in desperate need of system updates and/or maintenance. Your IT department should make it a top priority to not only refresh the systems’ security and operational performance, but also take stock of staff members who are due for an upgrade or replacement device. Your other major consideration should be the new office layout; how will people work in the office with social distancing measures in place? Consider implementing the following:

• Set up the office so that everyone is working at least 1.5m apart from each other
• Try and ensure every member of staff can safely enter and leave their workstation without coming into close proximity with others.
• Shared spaces such as meeting rooms and kitchen areas should be regularly cleaned and there should be minimal staff in such spaces at all times; it may be advisable to put restrictions in place to avoid overcrowding of these areas.

On the topic of meeting rooms, focus on keeping group interactions to a minimum; meetings, group assemblies, and so on should be done via digital apps like Teams, Slack, and Zoom. Warehouse Guidance Teams returning to workplace areas have special considerations to consider. Much of the staff will be on their feet and moving around the workplace regularly. An easy way to avoid close interactions between staff during this time is to divide the team by responsibilities and work areas if possible; dividing your team between areas allows each member to own a section that others don’t need to enter, keeping social distancing measures in place, and staff safe. Sometimes, this isn’t always possible, and workers may have to use the entire area for work. Combat the inherent risks here by maintaining social distancing measures, and have staff regularly clean their workspaces for the next person who might be using it soon after. Additionally, handling of any packages, goods, or products should be done with protective equipment such as gloves and masks, and if possible, cleaned regularly. The same goes for any electronics used and other devices such as forklift controls and the like. Creative Spaces Creative spaces can be an exciting, chaotic place to work, with teams regularly working closely together producing ideas, products, and using various pieces of equipment to create things. As with the warehouse guidance, any tools, electronics, or areas shared by staff should be cleaned regularly, and staff should adhere to social distancing rules and wear protective clothing such as gloves and masks also. Creative spaces often involve regular communication and idea-sharing, and the removal of this can be fatal to such businesses. Minimise the risk but maintain this strong team communication by using digital tools where possible; digital conferencing tools and communication apps come in very handy here. Additionally, any materials usually shared via print-outs and physical documents should be shared digitally. Shared Workspaces and Meetings Rooms As mentioned previously, shared spaces should be used as little as possible. In this time of social distancing, keeping groups of people out of shared spaces is vital. If you can, scale back your team’s usage of shared spaces, meeting rooms, and so on. Meetings should be conducted digitally where possible. If avoiding shared workspaces isn’t an option for your team, try and implement social distancing measures where possible, and any electronics or items shared in such spaces should be cleaned regularly. Other shared areas such as receptions or access points such as stairs and lifts should also be considered:

• Receptions should be equipped with protection, due to their proximity to everyone entering or leaving the premises. This could take the form of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, or plastic shielding attached to the workspace.
• Enclosed areas such as lifts should be avoided entirely where possible.
• Stairs, doors, and other entry points should be cleaned regularly.

  Many have been waiting for this news, and while it’s a sign of life for the UK’s economy, a return to some semblance of normalcy must be tempered with caution and care. Keep your team safe using the guidance above, and enjoy a workspace that’s calm, safe, and ready for business.