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Coronavirus – Practical Tips for the Workplace

Below are a number of tips, suggestions and ideas on how to ensure your business can remain operational as best it possibly can during this period of uncertainty.

Business continuity

Working from Home

Decide which position, if any, can work from home and ensure they have:
- appropriate equipment i.e. phone, laptop, internet etc
- work from home policies and procedures are in place, signed and returned
Apply a 50:50 roster – only half of the workforce in at a time if possible

Having meetings remotely

Only have face to face meetings where there is no other option, even for client meetings.
Utilise platforms such as Zoom and Skype for video meetings
Teleconference

Having meetings on-site/face to face

Record attendees (visitors register) including date, time, who they saw etc.
Use hand sanitiser before and after meeting
Wipe down meeting table with disinfectant or alcohol wipes at conclusion of the meeting
Ensure all mugs used are thoroughly washed

Signage

The World Health Organisation has some great posters. Click here to download

Handwashing – Protect yourself and others from getting sick
Symptoms
Be ready for Coronavirus

Workplace Hygiene

Alcohol sanitiser to be available at reception/entrance and in meeting rooms
Use alcohol wipes on things used by multiple people, such as:
- iPad
- Keyboards
- Light switches
- Door handles
- Elevator buttons
- Meeting room tables after meetings
Spray Glen 20 where available
Use single use hand towels when drying hands
Deep cleaning once a week – speak to your cleaners to see what additional support they can offer
Do not share food, utensils or hand towels

Public Transport

Minimise the use of public transport where possible e.g. try carpooling, walking, riding push bike
When using public transport consider using a face mask, disinfecting handrails, seats etc
After using public transport:
- Wash hands thoroughly or sanitise

General Handy Hints

Don’t push the elevator button with your finger – try your elbow or knuckles instead
Use automatic doors wherever possible
Pay attention to where you put your phone down. Put it in your pocket or handbag rather than on a bench, don’t leave it on table at a café or take it into the bathroom with you.
Take your own shopping bags to do your groceries (although in Australia we are pretty good at this now)
Greeting people – a hug and a kiss or even a handshake is a bit no no at the moment. Try waving, a nod or flick of your head, a slight bow of respect, 🙏 be calm and namaste, a wink even
Wash your hands thoroughly when arriving to work and when arriving home
Carry extra napkins, wet wipes and tissues with you – even a little bottle of hand sanitiser (if you can manage to find one at the shops)
Try not to handle cash money – eftpos is the way to go now
Buy some Glen-20 (or similar) and spray a jacket or laptop bag when you get home. The coronavirus can live up to 9 days! Or just set the item aside in a wardrobe quarantine area for 9 days before reusing.

Mental Health and Individual Well-being

Here are 10 tips for coping with this high health alert.

Have confidence that our public health officials are acting in our best interest and will do all that they can to protect us.

Educate yourself at the world level and seek accurate information from trusted experts.But don’t overexpose yourself to too much information. Pay attention to how YOU are perceiving the information. Try not to engage in stories and or conversations where people may tend to embellish information they’ve taken in about the virus.
Weigh this information in relation to the national aspects of coronavirus.Think about where things are happening in Australia (times like this, it’s good to be ‘down under’). Think about your family and loved ones. Are any of them at risk? Pay attention to how YOU are perceiving the information.
Reach out to family and friends and openly acknowledge your concerns. Understand the reality that the virus is rapidly spreading and likely will come to your state eventually.
Understand the local perspective.Keep yourself aware of local efforts to avoid the spread of the illness. Understand there’ll be policies and procedures put in place for your city and state.
Monitor the virus, understand where it is and choose your best next steps to manage the uncertainty. For example, buying supplies, cleaning your house, disinfecting shopping carts when you pick them up at the store, frequently washing your hands and not touching your face with your hands are all choices you can make. These are all actions that are within your ability to manage. You may choose to limit your travel, and to visit with friends and families in smaller groups, perhaps meeting at each other’s homes rather than in public restaurants as you normally would.
Remember that we’re all in this together.Everyone is in the same situation. Do your best to prevent the spread of germs by washing hands frequently and coughing or sneezing into your sleeve. Don’t become obsessed with what MIGHT happen. As disruption in our daily lives may become a reality, seek feedback from trusted family and peers to think about how they plan to cope, what their next moves will be.
Reframe your thinking.Instead of thinking of the negative aspects of disruption—such as large public events being cancelled or schools shutting down, reframe your thinking to see opportunities. If your children’s school shuts down, you have more time with your children. Consider who you could partner with if you have to go to work and your children aren’t in school. Remember that you problem solve all day every day when you have children.
Understand the ways you can protect yourself without feeling isolated and alone.In a day where we have more communication options than ever before, you can make good choices and make smart decisions by remaining grounded in the reality of the situation.
Recognize that this situation IS stressful. It’s something we haven’t faced as a nation or world before. Don’t judge your fear, just acknowledge it and make a list of everything possible you can do to make yourself less fearful. Believe that we can cope with these things as they arise. Obsessive fear does nothing to help the situation.