As the world continues to adjust to the presences and prevalence of COVID-19, business owners are asking ‘What can I do to keep my staff safe at work?’ As an employer, doing your due diligence and taking care of your team and customers is absolutely crucial at this time. So what are some of the best ways you can keep your staff and customers safe?
Educate
- Educate your team and your customers on how to spot the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and what to do if they think they are affected or have been in contacted with a suspected or confirmed case.
- Install clearly displayed COVID-19 signage that identifies the risks of COVID-19 and the measures in place to minimise the spread. Floor markers or indicators are a great tool also for easy-to-follow social distancing instructions.
- Hold training sessions for your staff where appropriate and give employees the opportunity to contribute ideas on how to keep each other safe (in addition to Government guidelines and requirements).
Policies and procedures
- Create clear policies and procedures specific to your workplace and your State’s guidelines on how to deal with COVID-19– including scenarios such as when a staff member should not come to work, hand washing policies, etc.
- Create a sign in and reporting systems that allow both staff and customers to log their details in the event of needing to be contacted for tracing or reporting potential cases correctly to management.
Provide aids
- Provide hand sanitizer and masks (where appropriate) to staff and customers. Have anti-bacterial wipe dispensers and sanitizer stations installed.
- Where possible and appropriate, consider installing clear screens to reduce face-to-face contact when staff are working in close quarters or in customer-facing roles.
- Rearrange the workspace furniture to better meet social distancing guidelines.
- Improve ventilation wherever possible.
Be flexible
- Have compassion for your staff, customers, and yourself. This is a tough time for everyone and you’re doing the best you can.
- Allow staff to work from home where possible. Chances are they will perform better from the comfort and security of their own home at a time like this.
- Be flexible with shift times and work hours where possible to reduce the amount of time that staff are sharing a communal space such as a shared office or lunch room.
Call in the professionals
- There is a range of professional services available right now for businesses, workers, consumers and individuals in general. If you think your business could benefit from getting some additional support, visit business.gov.au for Coronavirus information and support for businesses. For more COVID-19 information for workplaces, click here.
- If your office experiences an outbreak, or you just simply want to prepare your workplace for a post-COVID return of staff, engage a reputable professional cleaning company who offers a deep cleaning service that incorporates best infection control practices as well as meeting any additional COVID-19 specific recommendations from the Government and Department of Health. Your new professional workplace cleaners should also be able to suggest an appropriate periodical cleaning schedule to suit your business’ needs and budget.
At Keen To Clean, we understand that keeping up with the latest on best practice guidelines for COVID-19 can be daunting and confusing. We’ve taken the guesswork out of meeting and exceeding health and safety legislation in workplaces through best cleaning practices, and our solid infection control policies and procedures reflect this. Want a little bit more reassurance? Keen To Clean are a triple ISO certified company and all of our staff have undertaken the appropriate and current COVID-19 training. We’ve got your back.
Keen To Clean currently service businesses in commercial, child care, education, industrial, hospitality, retail aged and health care sectors. Our team attend clients in both regional and central Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Get in touch for a chat and a free quote today!
