Health and safety have always been essential in the workplace. Employees need to feel safe and welcome to reach their potential and work productively. Of course, the recent Coronavirus outbreak has provided a fresh perspective to workers and employers alike.
What everyone once took for granted, such as washing hands for less than twenty seconds and cleaning down surfaces, is now an integral part of the day. As a leader, you need to bridge the gap between maintaining a healthy workplace and coaxing staff back to the office.
Some people will come willingly, whereas others will need extra encouragement. For the latter, you should try the following.
Make The Space Look Different
Lots of workspaces will appear the same, and that doesn’t mean they’re automatically unsafe. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Still, it’s good for morale to make a concerted effort to highlight the changes. Screens, while bulky and cumbersome, prove that you’re not putting profits above the wellbeing of your workers. Even strategies that aren’t scientifically-proven or are ambiguous – face masks – will do more good than harm. Remember that it’s about perspective, which is why you must go the extra mile whether the tactics make a huge difference or a small one.
Kill Bacteria Regularly
Part of the issue with the virus is that it grows quickly on several surfaces. In a place where there are tons of different materials close together, this is problematic. You can wipe down surfaces regularly to kill the bacteria, yet it’s not a long-term solution because it’s costly and time-consuming. Instead, the answer is an antimicrobial coating for furniture as it offers effective 24/7 resistance to the growth of bacteria on surfaces. In conjunction with additional cleaning, this method could ensure that your workspace is biosphere-like. At the least, it will be less of a hub for germs.
Compromise
The transition to remote-based working has been an integral one for businesses around the world. Of course, it’s not the ideal solution for all companies but it’s less hassle to having everybody under one roof. Currently, it’s an option, particularly as 70% of employees have a reason not to return to the office, so you need to mix and match your strategies. Allowing people more freedom to work from home when they want to will remove some of the tension of going back to work. Yes, they’ll need to be in the office a couple of days a week, but that’s better for their mental health as it’s not every day.
Recognize Their Efforts
Employees value recognition because it proves that they’re doing a good job and are valued by the company. The need for validation skyrockets by 30% in challenging times, according to this research, which highlights the importance of saying a kind word. You will be busy and snowed under with everything on your plate, yet that’s not an excuse. All it takes is a meeting at the start f the day or an email to show your gratitude.
What will you do to keep anxious employees calm?
[avatar user=”mike” size=”thumbnail” align=”” link=”file”]Mike Gaudreau is the owner of The Wealthy Boomers, a site devoted to helping seniors make money online. Mike resides in Montreal Canada.[/avatar]
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