Technology companies must do their best to protect their employees from the risks of Covid-19. Not unlike companies in other fields, they’re very much reliant on the continued health and wellbeing of their staff. Despite tech-based companies being highly sophisticated, they still need engineers and other technically proficient people working for them.
What can companies do to provide a safer work environment for workers?
Install Barriers Between Work Areas to Protect Staff
To protect staff from each other, it is a good idea to have sneeze guards installed. These are plexiglass separators that divide up one area from another.
The idea behind them is that should someone begin to get sick or even be asymptomatic, they won’t necessarily spread germs in the air by sneezing across to the cubical either opposite or either side of them. This significantly reduces the risk of infection while working at the main office.
Temperature Checks at the Front and Rear Doors
When using a large office, many people are visiting every day. Both employees and any visitors need to be temperature checked when they enter the building.
Temperature checks can be performed quickly and easily using non-contact devices that take a reading. The measurements offer a reasonable degree of accuracy for this purpose. While an elevated temperature doesn’t immediately mean that a staff member or a visitor has Covid-19, it does indicate that they have some type of possible illness causing the increased body temperature.
Policy in Place Should Someone Become Infected
Companies must develop a strict policy that is enacted should any visitor or member of staff become sick. As stated previously, just because they are possibly sick it doesn’t always mean they have the Coronavirus. However, there are some typical symptoms such as strange taste response to food or drink, or a higher temperature that may match what is typically seen.
The policy should broadly lay out what’s required of response staff. Specific people should be identified to respond. Backups should also be confirmed in case these primary people are either not available at that time or are the person possibly infected. All other members of staff must know how the response plan is structured, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to them should it be necessary to enact it.
Switch to Remote Working for Some Employees
For employees who are not strictly needed in the office every workday, then it makes sense to reduce the number of employees on the premises at any given time.
Many people are already working from home at least a few days a week and not needing to commute into the office. They’re only coming in for essential meetings and other matters that cannot be done at arm’s length. This reduces the possibility of exposure of Covid to more people in the office should a serious problem occur.
For companies who have staff working in their offices, it’s necessary to take extra precautions at this time to protect them. Physical barriers along with other measures can do just that.
