Preparing for return to office work

Volunteer Lethbridge connects and convenes individuals, groups and organizations to champion and leverage capacity across sectors.

How the community can help:

As organizations are preparing to return to an office work environment, there are many factors to consider in keeping with COVID-19 related safety protocol. HR Peninsula recommends the following general guidelines to help you prepare:

1. Assess the risk of exposure in your operations.

2. Create a policy on dealing with the virus in your organization and ensure employees are aware.

3. Keep employees updated on what you are doing to ensure their health and safety.

4. Follow reliable public health authorities for news and guidelines on prevention, symptom identification and treatments as they become available.

5. Send communications to all employees reminding them of good hygiene measures. Ensure there are sufficient soap supplies available and consider providing tissues and hand sanitizer to employees.

6. Speak with those in charge of cleaning the workplace and ask for more frequent deep cleans.

7. Ask employees to keep you informed of any travel so you can manage their return.

8. Make sure managers are aware of coronavirus symptoms so they can spot it quickly.

9. Assess whether employees can work from home instead of coming to the workplace.

10. Create a work contingency plan in case key members of the workforce are absent.

Volunteer Lethbridge is here to assist members in navigating specific uncertainties and will be making HR Consultants available for Q&A over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.