How to Prepare the Office for the Return of Employees?
Some companies are already operating in standard work mode and welcome their employees every day, while others are gradually preparing for their return to the office. This presents employers with a new challenge related to ensuring health and safety at work in line with the latest guidelines of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. Katarzyna Bończewska, HR Consultant, and Dorota Kuśmierz, Finance & HR Specialist from the recruitment company Michael Page, discuss how to prepare workplaces for new norms and precautions.
How to Ensure the Sanitary Safety of Employees?
Sanitary Safety in the Office
New sanitary norms pose a difficult task for entrepreneurs: to ensure the safety and health protection of employees in the current situation while maintaining business continuity. When deciding to open offices, the employer is obliged to provide employees with appropriate means to disinfect their immediate surroundings and the places where they stay, as well as to pay attention to the special precautions that should be observed in the current situation. Offices must be adapted to current recommendations so that they can be used safely.
– At the moment, the easiest situation is for companies where it is possible to work in separate rooms and the office space is naturally divided. So-called "open space" is divided into individual employee workstations to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5-2 m (5-6.5 ft) between them. It should be remembered that employee moods may vary and not everyone feels comfortable outside the home. In such cases, it is good to disinfect the immediate surroundings at least once a day and to greet colleagues from a distance or by touching elbows. In many companies, metal cutlery and reusable plates are being replaced with disposable ones. This not only constitutes an additional cost for companies but also conflicts with the popular trend of running an eco-friendly business. Some decide to purchase wooden or recyclable products, as this is a more environmentally friendly solution than using plastic tableware. However, employers are aware that by opening their offices under the new sanitary regime, employee safety should come first, and they are prepared for the additional costs associated with this. – says Katarzyna Bończewska, HR Consultant at Michael Page.
– As Michael Page, we have reviewed the detailed guidelines of the Chief Labour Inspectorate, and our offices are already open to employees, so we are happy to share our conclusions. When opening an office, existing physical, biological, and chemical hazards must be re-verified, and a risk assessment must be conducted. Before an employer decides to bring employees back, they must ensure they can provide safe working conditions. All direct contacts with clients have been limited to the necessary minimum, and most business meetings take place via virtual communicators. Furthermore, due to the need to maintain distance, common areas such as the relaxation zone or dining room have been closed, and surfaces that all employees may use, such as the stove, kettle, or microwave, are disinfected after each use. It should be remembered that by taking care of the hygiene of the office and immediate surroundings, we not only care for the health of our colleagues but also our loved ones with whom we live. – adds Dorota Kuśmierz, Finance & HR Specialist at Michael Page.
How to Ensure Work Comfort?
Psychological Comfort of Employees
When deciding to reopen offices, it should be remembered that in addition to complying with new sanitary restrictions, employees should also be provided with psychological comfort and convenient working conditions that will allow them to perform their duties comfortably and efficiently. How can employees be ensured a safe return to offices and be acclimated to the new reality under such circumstances?
– Conversation and mutual dialogue are the key to mutual understanding and recognizing the moods prevailing in the company. Clients who declare an individual approach to each employee devote a lot of attention to preparing teams for new working conditions. At this time, the main role of HR and managers is to familiarize employees with the recently introduced precautions, as well as to provide psychological support to those who are not fully ready for daily work in the office. The presence of a psychologist in the workplace will also be well received by employees and will allow them to adapt more quickly to the new circumstances. – says Katarzyna Bończewska.
– Learning the opinions and concerns of employees is a valuable guide for assessing the readiness of teams to return to the office. Constant written communication with colleagues, information campaigns, as well as regularly organized virtual meetings with management will allow for acclimation to the new rules and finding solutions that increase comfort at work in the office. Many companies enable their employees to work non-standard hours so they can avoid commuting to work by public transport during rush hour. Some employers also encourage cycling to work to avoid having to travel in crowds. For this purpose, they install a larger number of bike racks under the office, as well as organize competitions for the most kilometers ridden and charity campaigns promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. Open communication between employer and employee is important, so that during conversations, the next safety steps introduced in the office can be communicated on an ongoing basis. – adds Dorota Kuśmierz.
New Work Model
Hybrid Model and Home Office
As recently as the end of 2019, over 61% of us claimed that the possibility of working from home is an important element influencing job satisfaction – according to the Confidence Index survey conducted in the fourth quarter of last year. In recent months, "home office" has ceased to be perceived merely as an attractive benefit and has become an everyday reality for many employees. 6 out of 10 respondents who took part in the NEXERA survey admitted that they know how to work effectively from home and are successfully doing so. More than half (54%) of respondents declared that during "home office" they are just as or even more effective. The golden mean for many companies has therefore become the implementation of a hybrid model – that is, the possibility of performing duties remotely and in the office.
– The shift system that employers have recently opted for allows for maintaining balance and positively influences employees' work-life balance. Implementing such a work mode is also a significant saving for companies, which through team rotations can reduce the office space they occupy. Recently, many of us have had the opportunity to learn about the advantages and challenges of "home office," as well as to develop a new model of time and team management. It is worth using the skills acquired while working from home to benefit both parties. It is possible that the recent weeks will permanently change the approach of employees and employers to remote work. – concludes Katarzyna Bończewska.
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About the Confidence Index survey
Confidence Index is a cyclical survey conducted by Michael Page that examines the moods among job seekers in selected countries in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Australia.
The survey measures the level of optimism of candidates for specialist and managerial positions regarding the chances of finding a new job, the expected duration of the search, expectations regarding their own professional situation and the country's economic situation, as well as the reasons that prompted them to change their place of employment. The survey is conducted online among candidates who applied for a job offer through the Michael Page website.
Summary
Michael Page experts advise how to prepare the office for the return of employees after the pandemic: disinfection of space, maintaining distance, and reducing contact with clients are key. Psychological support for the team and open communication are also important. More and more companies are opting for a hybrid model that combines remote and office work. Fun fact: 61% of employees already in 2019 considered home office an important benefit.
