Transitioning To A New Normal: What Will A Safe Post-COVID-19 Workplace Look Like?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many businesses have switched to a “stay at home” work model to minimize the risks of contagion between employees.

After a long period of lockdown, workers are facing two conflicting fears when the time comes for them to return to the office. Of course, the main challenge is how to stay safe outside the comfort of your own home, but on the other hand, there is the growing fear of losing your job for pandemic-related reasons.

Three main components that add up to this issue, all of them subject to different degrees of variation. We’ve concentrated on the changes that could improve the workplace itself, modify your job-related tasks and duties, and of course, steps that employers could take while keeping employees healthy and safe at all times.

1. What can we do to keep our work environment safe in the age of COVID-19?

We’ll start with something you probably already know: it is essential to practice social (or physical, if you prefer that term) distancing. This means that, at least for the time being, employees must avoid physical proximity to minimize the potential risk of infection.

Keeping your hands clean and wearing face masks (properly!) at all times should be mandatory, so far as is reasonably practicable. For example, it would be redundant to wear a face mask at all times if you’re alone in your office most of the time. It would be advisable not to recommend other unnecessary personal protective equipment, since that might be perceived as an “overkill” by some, making it harder (and more expensive) to integrate, but without any major effects. 

Physical modifications of the workspace is necessary in order to create a zone in which the employees will feel both safe and comfortable. This may involve installing see-through dividers in open offices, providing enough hand hygiene supplies, and making sure that surfaces are being cleaned and disinfected frequently. Proper ventilation systems must also be in place before the office starts working again.

Many employers have opted to check the temperature of anyone entering the building as a precautionary measure to protect people in the building itself. The role of security guards should involve controlling the number of people entering the building, to prevent overcrowding.

Some companies will probably require external assistance, such as a supervisor whose job would be to make sure that these safety measures are implemented effectively. Both employers and the employees will need to be flexible as they adapt to these new conditions, because workplace safety depends on these modifications.

Of course, if an employee starts noticing any COVID-19 related symptoms, the responsible thing to do is to stay home and isolate themselves, as well as to seek immediate medical attention in case of serious symptoms. 

2. Can we do something to improve the work process?

If working from home isn’t a viable option, employers should focus on flexibility, meaning that work should be arranged to facilitate shorter work times with more breaks, so that employees will feel less vulnerable during the time they spend in the workplace, with the goal of maximizing their productivity.

After a long time of absence and while working at home, you can expect that a number of employees may take some time to adapt to working from the office during this crisis period. Other than the fear and anxiety regarding the infection itself, it has been proven that the imposed lack of social contact, along with difficulties involving the commute, significantly add up to fatigue in employees.

Additionally, some businesses will have to implement new measures to comply with these rules. That, of course, means that employees will have to attend training , learn new skills, and master new equipment. With enough patience, this adaptation period should help the employees feel safe and be safe in this new work environment.

Since workers need time to adapt to the new conditions the pandemic brought along, employers also have to realize that this process will take time, and productivity may not reach a peak as soon as these measures are implemented. On the other hand, being supportive to the employees, and giving them a feeling of safety, might benefit the overall productivity in the long run.

3. In what ways can employers take care of employees while COVID-19 is still among us?

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in employees seems to add up to other health related issues, creating a new type of work hazard — ultimately causing increased stress, depression, and fear, leading to job dissatisfaction, and resulting in decreased productivity in a portion of employees.

Since COVID-19 is a new disease, and its effects and long-term impact are not yet fully understood, it is perfectly normal that people are afraid. This stress doesn’t only come from the workplace, but also from the supermarket, post office, or any other indoor public space, which will undoubtedly affect employees' mental health, sleep, and general wellbeing.

Rising levels of stress in the workforce must not be overlooked, so it is advised that companies provide their workers with some kind of organized emotional support, either using trained professionals or peer-support networks.

Along with the aforementioned lack of information, as well as stress, it is plausible that social distancing will also affect the relationship between colleagues. Handshakes, coffee breaks, and water cooler stories will never be the same after the pandemic, and this fear of loss of human contact may prove to be a problem in the future. 

While we’re at it, the social stigma regarding COVID-19 is still strong, so there is a fear that the employees who have been hospitalized during the pandemic may be excluded and rejected from their social circles, resulting in less motivation, and more importantly – mental health issues. Even coughing in public may be frowned upon.