Now that the COVID-19 crisis has reached the six-month mark, phrases such as “coronavirus burnout” and “pandemic fatigue” describe the effects of long-term lockdown: irritability, sleep problems, and low energy levels. More people are letting the pandemic slip their minds altogether, forgetting their masks at home or neglecting to wipe down grocery carts. But it’s no time to get lax at work, where the virus could devastate your entire office. Here are a few ongoing ways to create a safe workplace during COVID-19, and to remind your colleagues that we’re not out of the woods yet.
Upgrade Sanitizer
One consolation to being this far into a pandemic is that many key items have been restocked. If you’ve had to resort to cut-rate hand sanitizer and cleaning products, it’s a good time to switch to more respected brands that can reassure employees, clients, and customers. Even many luxury hand sanitizers are available again, and such a small gesture can be appreciated, like handing out travel-size sanitizers with fruit- or flower-inspired scents.
New Signage
If there are still handmade alerts pinned up around the office on construction paper, it might be time for a more official way to remind workers of the ongoing threat of coronavirus. Professionally made signs that spell out company policy can emphasize that nothing has changed yet. If you already have appropriate signage, move them to new locations around the office, or add a few new ones with different designs to catch everyone’s eye.
Mix Up Masks
If the company is supplying staffers masks, they probably got used to the blue surgical versions a long time ago. You can renew the attention to their importance by switching to masks in yellow, white, pink, or yellow. You can custom-order masks with your company logo, or it might lift employee morale to encourage them to have fun with novelty fabric masks, which can also be effective with filters.
Brainstorm
It might be time for a state-of-the-pandemic forum, where employees can share frustrations about the effects of the virus at work. Better yet, bringing everyone together can generate fresh ideas for ways to create a safe workplace during the ongoing COVID-19 threat. An open attitude may make colleagues more comfortable about sharing how loved ones have been affected, or bring attention to increased safety measures such as air purifiers and desk dividers. Most importantly, it’s an acknowledgment that frustration and fatigue from coronavirus is increasing, and a reminder that everyone is in it together.
