Following the novel coronavirus health crisis that began last year, many businesses and employers decided to send their employees home and work remotely to slow the transmission of the easily spread virus. Now, however, some states across the U.S. have loosened regulations and restrictions regarding quarantining. As more businesses slowly and safely follow the guidelines for opening back up, companies will begin bringing their employees back to the public workplace after months of working from home.
One aspect of returning to work after spending months working from home is dressing professionally again. 2020 saw some employers, managers, and employees wearing business tops to virtual meetings through Zoom or Microsoft Teams but pairing them with pajama bottoms or gym shorts. When returning to the office, pull out fashionable, select styles of the best jackets, dress shirts, blouses, slacks, pencil skirts, and dress pants to get you back into the feel of your professional atmosphere. Getting no iron womens blouses made with wrinkle-free fabric can be a convenient time-saver if you’re working on improving your time management and readjusting to your old schedule.
When returning to the office, most employers’ and employees’ main priority will be staying safe and slowing and stopping the spread of COVID-19. Listed below are office upgrades employers can implement when everyone returns to the workplace after working from home for months.
Equip your office with tools that encourage social distancing, and make the workplace contactless.
If your office has an open plan, increase the distance between employees’ desks by at least six feet, and install partitions and temporary plexiglass screens if possible. Consider replacing old office furniture with new furniture pieces that have antimicrobial surfaces. Hands-free soap dispensers, faucets, and paper towel dispensers in office restrooms and kitchens can be excellent upgrades, as they keep the workplace contactless. No-touch doors and garbage and recycling bins throughout the office can serve the same purpose of enabling employees to keep their hands clean.
To avoid spreading germs through commonly touched items, remove shared items like magazines, pens, staplers, and other public items. Instead, ensure that each employee uses supplies that stay at their desk and workspace. Furthermore, replace office coffee makers, water dispensers, and food items with pre-packaged, individual serving goods. Keep disinfectant wipes and touch-free hand sanitizer dispensers at every entrance and exit as well, so they’re easily accessible to all employees.
Make the workplace more aesthetically pleasing and conducive to productivity.
An employee’s workspace can have a significant impact on their success and productivity. For this reason, it can be beneficial for employers to upgrade their employees’ offices in ways that make them attractive and functional. Colorful, clutter-free offices can encourage productivity.
It can be challenging for employees to regain their focus after being home for months. Furthermore, they could be feeling unmotivated and anxious about the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus. Studies show that employees who receive natural light in their workplaces experience better mental health, sleep activity, and quality of life than employees working in windowless office spaces or workspaces with artificial lighting.
Employers should move employees’ desks close to office windows to encourage the benefits of natural light exposure. Business owners in Grand Rapids can maximize their employees’ exposure to natural light by acquiring replacement windows in Grand Rapids, MI, that can give employees an improved view of the sun and the scenery outside the office. Consultation with professionals from a window installation company specializing in installing vinyl windows is a good idea because high-quality vinyl windows are durable with energy efficiency. With new windows that are eco-friendly, easy to maintain, and able to withstand Michigan’s climates, employees can experience an enhanced atmosphere in the workspace.
Just as transitioning from working in the office to remote working was a challenge, some employees can find it challenging to return to their physical workplace. By prioritizing employees’ health and wellbeing and upgrading the workspace to make it easy for employees to navigate safely, employers can make moving back to the physical workplace successful.