The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has changed many aspects of the current workplace, and soon, employers should begin planning for what their post-coronavirus office will look like. Previously, social distancing and COVID-19-related best practices hadn’t been a topic on the mind of most employers or employees. By updating office layouts, encouraging new behaviors, and expanding remote work options, employers can help prevent the spread of future diseases, and protect the health and safety of employees.

Physical Changes to Workplaces: As employers prepare for employees who will be returning to the office, organizations can consider the following best practices for their office space: 1) Increasing each employee’s personal space and ensuring desks are six feet or more apart; 2) Creating walls and barriers between cubicles; 3) Creating a walk-traffic flow that discourages congestion; 4) Updating air-filtration systems; 5) Installing automatic doors; 6) Installing no-touch soap dispensers and sinks in bathrooms; and, 7) Making hand sanitizer and cleaning products readily available.

While updating practices to best prevent the spread of illnesses will also require changes in behavior, employers can take a step in the right direction by ensuring their physical office space is aligned with encouraged behaviors of employees.

Behavioral Changes: While every business is different, there are practices many organizations can implement and behaviors they can encourage. Common post-coronavirus adjustments may include: 1) Creating expectations for hand washing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the best actions to prevent the spread of coronaviruses is washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; 2) Banning or discouraging shaking of hands; 3) Increasing cleaning schedules; and, 4) Adjusting meeting practices to have limited participants or incorporate zoom video conferencing technology.

Expanding Telecommuting Options: According to a survey of U.S. employers by the Computing Technology Industry Association conducted in 2019, more than two-thirds of respondents across a range of different industries and professions reported increased productivity when workers telecommuted. While the feasibility of remote work varies depending on an employee’s job responsibilities, expanding remote work options offers other benefits as well. These additional benefits can include: 1) Increased flexibility; 2) Increased retention; 3) Reduced greenhouse emissions; 4) The ability to tap into a broader talent pool; and, 5) Fewer opportunities for diseases such as coronaviruses to spread.

Notably, by expanding remote opportunities post-coronavirus, employers can reduce the amount of human interaction that takes place at a physical location. Also, by allowing remote work, employees who are sick are less likely to physically attend the office. Best practices for expanding remote work include creating outlined companywide remote practices, rather than leaving remote work approval requests up to the subjective opinion of a manager. As employers consider how they can best create remote work policies, many considerations factor into the equation.

As laws and guidelines related to COVID-19 change, employers should consult with legal counsel when updating or changing policies. As you navigate through reopening your office locations, contact your insurance company for additional COVID-19 resources.

Ethan Johnson of Chalmers Insurance has over 18 years of experience in the industry. A USM graduate, he is passionate about helping people and giving back to Gorham, where he lives with his family.