What’s your strategy for getting your team back to work? As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and people start to return to their offices and job sites, challenges are still in place to provide a COVID Safe work place. It’s inevitably the end of shared fruit boxes and the handshake, but what does the new norm look like for Australian offices?

Key rules for businesses to follow as per guidelines set out by Safe Work Australia in order to get employees back to work include;

• Ensuring 4 square metres of space per person
• Encourage social distancing of at least 1.5 metres
• Promote regular and thorough hand-washing by employees, contractors and customers
• Promote good respiratory hygiene in the workplace

The biggest challenge lies in the open plan offices which we have all grown accustomed to. This is where our desk guards come in to play. We have all seen the upsurge of sneeze guards in the retail sector over the last few months. Once only used to protect food at buffets and markets, sneeze guards are now pretty much standard in stores to help protect employees. We’ve installed these for a range of clients including Auswide Bank, Enoggera Barracks, Bayside Health Professionals and more.

With workplace pods containing anywhere between two to twelve workstations, maintaining social distancing can be tough. Acrylic desk guards between workstations will allow for more employees per pod without the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Made of a clear acrylic, the desk guard retains the feeling of being surrounded by work colleagues with the added bonus of noise control and privacy when on the phone. Completely customisable, our desk guards can be made to fit any configuration of desks and work pods.

Signage also plays a significant role in this transition. Through printed decals, businesses can create a visual route for employees to follow from the moment they enter the office. Colour coded walkways can restrict communication between different businesses or departments. Signs can be installed at the entrance outlining workplace protocols; throughout lifts letting visitors know where they need to stand; hygiene decals in bathrooms and kitchens as a visual reminder of thorough hand-washing; meeting room decals informing the number of people allowed in that room; social distancing decals in reception and kitchen areas – the list is endless!

We have been working closely with a number of our clients to get them post-COVID-19 ready. Super Retail Group, who only moved into their brand-new headquarters late 2019, have been the latest to jump on board. We installed a total of 550 signs throughout the 7,000 square metre, three level facility to create a COVID safe work place. Signs included a workplace protocols entrance sign; social distancing decals in the reception, lifts, walkways, kitchens and bathrooms; and meeting room maximum capacity signs.

Contact us now for a no obligation review of your office needs and advice on how the CV Media & Signage team can tailor a COVID safe work place package to suit your needs.