The economy is wide open in some parts of the world, while others are more cautious in their approach to recovery. Wherever your business falls on the spectrum, you’ll eventually have to return to the workplace if you haven’t already. When you do, you need to ensure your staff, customers, clients, and any visitors are safe while on your premises.
De-densification is a crucial step to any reopening plans, as it reduces the number of people in the workspace at one time.
How can you adopt these new protocols to keep your staff safe? Here are some de-densifying tips to help you get started.
Security Access Control
Your security will play a crucial role in your office’s safety, as it gives you the power to control who can access your offices.
An integrated ID card system is an efficient way to maintain this tight control without hiring additional security personnel. Employees just need to swipe or tap their ID cards to gain entry and exit. Those without the appropriate security clearances won’t be able to get in.
If you aren’t sure which card printer will help you achieve your de-densifying goals, a security specialist from Avon Security Products can walk you through your options.
Individual Workspaces
For the past decade or so, open-plan offices and collaborative spaces were some of the corporate world’s biggest trends. Unfortunately, these arrangements make it hard to social distance, and they rely on shared surfaces.
You need to reimagine the office, moving from shared tablespaces to individual desks. Alternating attendance, staggered seating and buffer zones can help maintain a healthy physical distance. You may even want to bring back the out-dated cubicle as you prioritize personal space.
Office Flow Management
No employee is chained to their desk. Outside of the start and end of their shift, they’ll also wander around the office, visiting the bathrooms, cafeteria, printer labs, and more. Before their first day back in the office, send a memo to impress on how important it is to maintain a safe physical distance when they do.
As their employer, you should make it easy for them to move through the workspace safely. Create one-way foot traffic routes, and direct the flow of people with floor decals and signs.
Touchless Technology
High-touch areas of the office are health risks to your staff, even if you have thorough cleaning protocols in place. As a result, many businesses are considering how they can reduce the number of shared surfaces in the office.
Using touchless ID badges, or proximity cards is one way to eliminate the need to touch door handles. Your employees will only need to wave their ID badge over a proximity card reader to access a space. You can also program these prox cards to facilitate touchless visitors and meeting check-ins.
Those unavoidable surfaces (like handrails in the stairwells, doorknobs, and elevator buttons) should have a thorough and regular cleaning schedule. You may also want to look into anti-microbial overlays on these surfaces.
The Takeaway
Things have to change before you get back to business, so don’t return to the status quo when you return to the office. Investigate how you can de-densify your workspace to keep everyone in the office safe.
