2019 closed out with the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus. It is highly contagious and deadly for high-risk patients, and they include the elderly and those with compromised immune systems or preexisting conditions like hypertension and diabetes. The virus has put the world on a tailspin. Many businesses have either asked their employees to work at home or pressed the pause button on their operations. For the latter, the downtime has resulted in lost revenue, and it has gone long enough that others have closed their doors permanently.
For the businesses that are still operational, there have been changes to their day-to-day operations. One way to combat coronavirus is to make your environments clean and sanitized. You may require hiring commercial cleaning services more often to give your workspaces a thorough sanitation treatment. Having that done professionally saves time, and much of it is needed so that the organization can keep on going with many other things. But beyond that, new rules and policies for cleanliness have to be implemented across the board.
The New Normal
The world has now accepted a way of living that many could not have predicted. Leaving the house now involves wearing protective gear like face masks or shields. Your bag now should now have a small bottle of alcohol as an essential item so you can sanitize wherever you go.
Workplaces are making the same adjustments. Social distancing is observed, and this means that the arrangement of the work stations has become more spaced out. Every employee is required to wear a mask and also gets a temperature check before entering the business premises. There are alcohol dispensers or bottles spread out across all areas. These are extra steps that have to be taken, but they are necessary to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Building Protocols
New building protocols have to be established. In aid of social distancing, all areas should have a limited number of people allowed inside. Cleaning schedules for the janitorial or maintenance staff will be on a more frequent basis. There could be forms that employees have to fill out with information for tracking purposes.
This will include questions like how their state of health was and which locations they have been to for the past few days. When an employee is confirmed to have contracted the virus, the whole area or department they work with will have to be quarantined. This means that personal interaction between other departments will not be allowed for two weeks, but the operations will continue.
These changes will definitely be felt within the organization. But the company leaders and management staff should send the right message in implementing this so everyone will cooperate wholeheartedly.
Cleaning Equipment
Given that there is an emphasis on cleanliness across the whole organization, that should be supported by arming the maintenance people with the right tools for the job. These are pieces of equipment that will make them do their tasks with enhanced efficiency. One example is a power sprayer. This is effective in spreading sanitizing agents because they can cover a lot of ground and do it really fast. This minimizes the downtime required during every cleaning session.
Other tools like brooms and mops will experience more wear and tear, so make sure there are enough spares to get those replaced right away. Aside from that, there should always be available supplies of cleaning substances like alcohol and other disinfectants.
Surfaces to Keep a Close Eye On
While employees may initially be concerned with keeping their own bodies clean, they should do the same to their immediate work area. They should be oriented on which surfaces they should look out for because they could catch the virus in some things they touch. This is done so that they are aware of which ones they should avoid or constantly sanitize if needed. Doorknobs and handrails are some of the most touched objects anywhere, as are the tables you use at the cafeteria for eating. You can do yourself and others a favor by wiping these clean as you go.
This is a time when people should be more vigilant in the pursuit of cleanliness. Sure, it may involve some extra effort, but that is something that everyone should be doing anyway. That is a small thing compared to what the repercussions would be if you are not careful. That will put a lot of people at risk, and it will also slow down the movement of the business. It is now the time to be more proactive and selfless so this virus can be stomped or at least contained.
