Currently, we are witnessing uncharted territory with infectious viruses reaching pandemic proportions. So what are the best practices at the office, in this type of situation? Well, we all need to be prepared, personally and professionally, to fight against infectious viruses and diseases.

So, rather than getting bogged down over the situation, let’s learn from past experiences and do our best to combat bad hygiene and put strict measures in place to ensure we are looking after the health of employees and creating a safe work environment.

As an employer, below are a few important tips for ensuring your office is promoting health and hygiene for all:

1. Make Changes in the Workplace

Hygiene in the workplace needs to be practiced on a regular basis and employers may need to change how they run their offices so that they are safe places for employees. Companies need to put up signs, send out emails and promote and share best hygiene practices wherever they can.

2. Limit Surface Touching

There are many ways to make everyday actions, such as opening doors and switching on lights, free from touch. As a company owner, why not think about swing doors, motion-sensor lights, and, most importantly, motion sensors in the bathrooms for taps and flushing?

3. Promote Working from Home

Many businesses are still hesitant, but embracing a remote working policy is essential in helping to curb the spread of viruses. The fewer people in an office (and spreading germs) the better. You don’t have to dive right into the deep end. Run a pilot program that will help your employees become efficient at working from home. Even if it’s just once or twice a week. So when they or their child is sick and they need to work from home, they are equipped––and also they won’t infect coworkers.

4. Daily Deep Cleans

Make sure your cleaning crew is doing a deep clean on a daily basis. In order for this to be done efficiently, it is a good idea to invest in furniture that is easy to clean and that doesn’t trap dirt. High traffic areas must be disinfected daily––and that includes the fridge and shared appliances such as copy machines.

5. Accessible Sanitizer & Wipes

There should be a good hand sanitizer in all shared spaces – conference rooms, reception areas, etc. And give your employees a tube of disinfectant wipes for their desks. This will make it easy for them to clean their hands and wipe down their keyboards and devices more frequently.

6. Keeping Things Clean

Although the cleaning crew at your offices is making certain the workplace is cleaned, it’s up to individual employees to also take responsibility for their own space and their own hygiene habits. Here are a few things employees can do to keep things sanitized.

• Disinfect Workstations: As you arrive at the office in the morning, disinfect your desk, keyboard, computer mouse, work phone and any other surface you will touch a lot during the day. Make this a habit, it may just save you a trip to the doctor’s room during flu season.

• Wash Your Hands & Sanitize: Think of washing your hands like a little bit of exercise at work; the more you do it, the better the results will be – so make your walks to the bathroom swift and you’ll get your heart rate up too. The most important times to wash your hands are after eating, touching door handles, and after blowing your nose or sneezing into them. If soap and water aren’t available where you are, sanitize!

• Clean Devices Properly: When cleaning your tech devices, you don’t want to get them too wet. A damp, soapy microfiber cloth will do the trick, just make sure it’s a disinfectant soap you’re using. Remember, there’s no point in washing your hands if your phone or device is never cleaned.

• No More Handshakes: Although seen as a polite way to introduce yourself, especially in a professional capacity, it is becoming more and more acceptable to abstain from shaking hands. During the flu season, a friendly wave will do.

It’s not news that a little bit of scrubbing – of both hands and surfaces – is the best way to get rid of viruses and bacteria. Make sure you’re not only cleaning but you’re disinfecting your space as well. Stay safe out there!

Why not use Restoration 1’s professional cleaning services and ensure your workplace is hygienic and safe for all employees. Restoration 1 offersvirus and disease clean-up services and will get you started on the road to a healthy workplace. You focus on work, we’ll focus on the cleaning.

*Cleaning and decontamination services effectively address immediate conditions, but no chemical or process eliminates 100% of all organisms.