A recent survey by an independent consulting firm found that more than 50% of employees throughout the United States are concerned that they may be exposed to COVID-19 when they return to work. One way to alleviate concerns? Ensure employees return to a clean and disinfected office.
As shelter-in-place mandates begin to lift around the nation, office managers and facilities supervisors have been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring a safe and clean environment after workers have been away for weeks or, sometimes, months. Extra effort must be made to ease concerns and offer disinfected spaces, especially in large workplaces that employ many people.
A clean workplace will help increase confidence in management. This will allow employees to focus on their work, helping your company and the economy recover from the challenges of this global health pandemic.
What Risks Are Associated with COVID-19?
Of course, workers' health is paramount for any company during these difficult times. The reasons for this are many, such as:
- Employees who fall ill are unable to work for weeks, impacting productivity.
- Anxiety over health concerns can distract employees from completing tasks.
- Increased health costs can cause company insurance rates to increase.
- Rapid infection can negatively impact a company's public reputation.
Managers can show that they care about the safety and concerns of employees by implementing a deep cleaning of a facility. Workers are expecting a strategic plan for managing the new risks that come from COVID-19. To meet these expectations, facilities and office managers must be transparent—and prepared.
What Risks Come from an Unattended Office?
While it is highly unlikely that the COVID-19 virus exists on surfaces or in the air of a space that has not been occupied in weeks, you cannot be too careful. As scientists continue to understand the virus, the utmost precautions must be taken to protect a company from health risks. These risks can include:
- Dusty desks and workstations that trigger allergies and immune responses.
- Uncirculated air that may "feel" stale.
- Dirty doorknobs and other commonly handled areas make employees think twice.
- Uninspected areas that have been overlooked during normal, busy times.
In fact, now is an ideal time to implement a building inspection. Facilities managers and office supervisors can take advantage of the limited number of employees to check for leaky pipes, burned-out light bulbs, and places requiring thorough disinfection.
Creating, sharing, and implementing an ongoing cleaning plan will provide employees the peace of mind to feel better about returning to the office. Be sure to provide special attention to common areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and break areas. Offer masks and hand sanitizer throughout the facility to augment the cleaning plan.
That way, employees can stay safe and feel confident that managers are doing everything they can to clean and disinfect the space upon their return and into the future.
Have questions about creating a reopening plan that includes a detailed office cleaning? Contact Pegasus today to speak with an expert ready to help reduce health risks from bacteria, viruses, allergic irritants, and more with SuperiorClean.
