Covid-19 second wave: Precautions to take at workplace

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Though the pandemic is called Coronavirus Disease 2019 or Covid-19, it is 2021 now, and we are still in the middle of the second wave. The new strains of coronavirus are said to be more infectious, and as a result, positive cases are shooting up with each passing day.

Needless to say, the second wave of Covid-19 in India calls for more precautions and safety measures, especially at offices and workspaces. As companies can’t afford to stop working, they must find ways to ensure employees are provided a safe working environment.

Given below are a few safety measures and practices for employers and employees during the second wave of Covid-19.

What is the second wave?

In India, the second wave of the pandemic started around the end of February 2021. The virus has mutated, and there are multiple strains infecting people in the second wave, making it more devastating than the first wave. It has caused a massive spike in positive cases across all states, pushing the country’s healthcare system to the brink.

It has been more than two months since the second wave started, but there are only initial signs of the curve flattening. According to reports, the coronavirus second wave symptoms also appear to be different from the earlier ones. The numbers of asymptomatic and young patients are also significantly high during the second wave, making it more dangerous than the first.

So, how do you protect yourself and your employees from the more infectious and dangerous second wave?

Here are a few suggestions:

Resume operations only in compliance with latest guidelines

As the number of positive cases rises and ebbs, the central and state governments keep issuing updated guidelines. You must stay abreast of the latest guidelines and follow them in terms of office occupancy percentages, timings, and remote working. Such guidelines provide a benchmark for the safety measures to be adopted while resuming business activities, helping you reduce workplace risks and ensure compliance.

Form Covid-19 safety taskforces

To keep employees safe, companies must consider creating a task force that is responsible for communicating all news and updates related to COVID-19 with the team. It could include office schedules, safety protocols, training on how on-site employees should use protective gear, etc. Your task force should also have a plan in place for what happens if an employee who has been attending office tests positive – for instance, plans for contact tracing, offering monetary support for testing and medication, and the like.

Revisit your office layout

Since physical distancing is as important during the second wave as it was in the first, revisit your office layout and make appropriate changes to it. For instance, you must rearrange desks to maintain at least six feet of distance between them and retrofit desks with transparent screens in the middle. Likewise, use floor markers to indicate waiting areas in the reception and meeting rooms and minimize touchpoints as much as possible.

A study published by The Lancet in April 2021 recommends proper ventilation of indoor spaces, including offices, to curtail the transmission. You can invest in air filters if your budget permits it or switch to an open office layout rather than working out of closed cabins. Since coworking offices have open floor plans that facilitate natural ventilation, you can consider moving into one.

Update your sanitisation routine

Of the many things the pandemic has changed, sanitisation tops the list. Now, it is not enough to get the office cleaned just once or twice a day – you must have a full-fledged sanitization protocol in place. It must include everything from wiping down surfaces to placing sanitiser dispensers across the office to ensuring the availability of masks, gloves, and other safety supplies.

Even if you plan on working during Covid-19 out of a coworking space, ensure that the service providers have a similar sanitisation plan and protocol in place. Click here to read COVID-19 safety tips by the WHO.

Go hybrid or decentralise your operations

In the second wave of Covid-19 in India, you must take extra precautions to limit the number of resources working out of the office. The best way to do it is by embracing the hybrid work model where employees alternate between working from home and working from the office. Besides avoiding crowding at offices, it promotes employee productivity by offering them the flexibility they need. And, always remember – flexibility is key to surviving the pandemic.

Alternatively, you can choose co-working spaces in multiple locations in the city and allow employees to work out of the office nearest to their house. It limits their commute time and reduces exposure to the virus, while also giving employees a professional atmosphere where they can work without distractions.

Promote workplace health

While tiding over the devastating second wave, all businesses must actively promote workplace health through various measures. For instance, make sure that your employees always wear masks when they are inside the office and maintain physical distancing.

Ideally, insist on thermal screening at the entrance, introduce daily health-check surveys, and encourage employees who are feeling unwell or showing any coronavirus second wave symptoms to work from home. Take a look at your employee demographics and allow all employees with pre-existing medical conditions or those above a certain age to work from home.

Offer mental and emotional support

In addition to keeping teams motivated on meeting deadlines, you must also offer them mental and emotional support. With reports of fatalities and hospital bed shortages coming from all corners, it is easy to feel stressed and worried. Encourage your teams to be efficient with their working hours and segregate their work and home lives. Counseling and online activities can also help employees feel connected to each other.

Final thoughts

The second wave of coronavirus has hit India very hard, so companies must take active measures to safeguard their employees while ensuring business continuity post re-opening. Since co-working spaces are safer and more economical during COVID times than traditional offices, you could also consider working out of a shared office.

(The writer is co-founder, The Office Pass. Views expressed are personal)