As businesses reopen after the COVID-19 shutdown, organizations will need to take additional measures for the safety and well-being of their employees, customers and clients.
“The biggest challenges include preparing the physical environment to accommodate for proper physical distancing, disinfecting and to make sure you’re not creating choke points or points where people congregate,” says John Dony, director of the Campbell Institute at the National Safety Council. “There’s also the challenge of communicating all of this in a way that’s sensible, understandable and not creating fear and anxiety.”
Conquer these challenges and reopen successfully with help from our list, which covers workplace safety, cleaning and disinfecting protocols, workplace design and operational changes, and communication strategies.
As you use this list, refer to the resources below for more information. For industry-specific guidance, visit backtoworksafely.org, a resource hub from the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
Workplace Safety
- Training tools and courses (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
- Proper handwashing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Cloth face coverings (CDC)
- Contact tracing (Society for Human Resource Management)
Cleaning and Disinfecting
- Reopening guidance for cleaning and disinfecting workplaces (CDC)
- Workplace cleaning strategies for facilities managers (Staples)
Workplace Design
- Touchless solutions in the workplace (Gensler)
- Back-to-work furniture solutions (Staples)
Business Operations
Communication
- Communicating externally about reopening plans (Staples)
- Free downloadable business signage (CDC and Staples)
