How to ensure employee safety and build confidence in the post-COVID workplace
Opinion
How to ensure employee safety and build confidence in the post-COVID workplace
Well, we made it through 2020. A year fraught with challenges that confined us to our homes and brought about a major shift in the way we work.
We may not be out of the woods just yet, but the new year did bring with it a quiet optimism that soon some semblance of normality will be able to resume.
Of course, with that hope comes considerable anxiety, particularly as we prepare to return to the workplace. The risks posed by the daily commute and mixing with others outside of our household will no doubt cause stress and have mental health implications for many.
Now, more than ever, employers have a responsibility to protect the safety and wellbeing of their staff. This will be key to ensuring that workplaces are able to continue functioning effectively in future.
As workplace consultants we are passionate about helping businesses to ensure their staff do not simply survive but thrive in the post-COVID workplace.
One of the most effective ways businesses can do this is by implementing a technology solution that lets staff know their safety and wellbeing are well taken care of.
Pioneering technology for the post-COVID office
The TDA team is always on the lookout for new technologies that help businesses function more efficiently while boosting the wellbeing of their people.
That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with tested.me, a revolutionary new health verification app that gives businesses and individuals the confidence to get back to work safely and responsibly.
How it works
Powered by AI and biometric identification tools, tested.me is a free to download app that puts individuals in complete control of their health data.
Users are given a unique Me ID that allows them to track and share their health status. This includes temperature readings, COVID-19 test results and venue check-ins.
The solution has been developed around robust security protocols that protect against data breaches and combat the risk of impersonation fraud. It also ensures that individual users are always in the driver’s seat by giving only them permission to choose what data is recorded, shared and deleted.
Helping businesses to reopen safely
The tested.me solution is set to have a major impact on business’ ability to reopen safely over the course of 2021 and beyond.
In fact, the app has already gained considerable traction since development began in March 2020 and is now used in over 700 businesses and by over 210k individuals.
Businesses can use the technology to ensure that their premises are COVID-safe at all times.
tested.me COO, Katy Reid, states:
“By using tested.me, businesses can demonstrate they are doing everything possible to keep their employees and customers safe and healthy. Consequently, they can bolster confidence, improve mental wellbeing and create an atmosphere of trust and support within their business community.”
All your business’ health data in one simple, secure solution
The system’s venue check-in feature allows employers to monitor the whereabouts of their staff over multiple locations. Meanwhile, by seamlessly integrating with thermal camera technology, tested.me automatically tracks the results of employee and visitor temperature screenings on entry to the building, alerting employers to possible cases.
All data is displayed in a simple dashboard that gives employers a complete, real-time view of the status of their premises. It enables them to see exactly who is in their building, and whether those people are safe to be there. Employers can also monitor the location and health statuses of staff that are working from home or on the road.
Managing multiple locations
The system offers significant benefits for employers that are managing workforces over multiple offices. Data from all premises can be accessed securely from anywhere via the dashboard, giving management a complete bird’s eye view of the safety of their entire operation.
Preventing the spread
The data collected by the tested.me app could prove vital in preventing an outbreak should any employee develop symptoms. Management will be able to easily identify who the infected team member may have come into contact with and notify those people immediately. tested.me makes such quick work of contact tracing that employers will be able to effectively ensure the office remains safe for employees and visitors while also minimising the risk of disruption caused by absences and even possible closures.
TDA Project Director, Ralph Ord, is excited about the prospect of sharing this new technology with our clients:
“Businesses have come under extreme pressure during the pandemic and many are keen for staff to return to the workplace. Of course, many people will be anxious about making that transition in the face of ongoing uncertainty.
As workplace consultancy and design experts, we are deeply committed to helping businesses succeed now and in future. At present, we believe that in addition to a re-imagined work environment, it is vital that businesses focus on wellbeing and build their employees’ confidence in their safe return to the office. We are certain that tested.me has the power to do just that, as it empowers businesses and individuals to take control of their health data, while offering a complete view of the company’s COVID status.
Naturally, we would never recommend a technology to our clients that we hadn’t tried ourselves. Since implementing the tested.me solution in TDA’s own offices and site operations, we can confidently say that this technology is a complete gamechanger when it comes to looking after the wellbeing of our staff, clients and site operatives. We are sure it will prove to be an invaluable tool as we navigate our return to the office.”
More tips for creating a COVID-secure environment
We are certain that most businesses will already have this covered. But just in case you’re stepping back into the office for the first time this year, here are some of the precautions you should be taking to protect your staff during the pandemic.
Assess your space
As an employer, you have always had a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of your employees. You will have already assessed the potential risks that could harm members of your staff and introduced safety precautions accordingly.
COVID-19 may pose a new kind of risk but can be dealt with just like any other.
The best place to start is to carry out a complete risk assessment of your workplace, paying close attention to areas that tend to become crowded.
Having identified the risks, you can then set about implementing basic precautions including:
- Reconfiguring the space to allow for social distancing
- Limiting the number of staff allowed in particular areas at any one time
- Using floor markings and signage to manage the flow of traffic
- Providing hand sanitising stations
- Erecting barriers between workstations if necessary
- Wearing masks when moving around the building
These measures should be added to your existing health and safety documentation and shared with your team.
Those that wish to implement enhanced procedures could also consider temperature screening employees on entry as well as rapid testing if available.
Beef up your policies
Perhaps one of the most trying aspects of the pandemic has been the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. One minute things are looking up, the next we’re back in a full-blown lockdown.
This has been especially hard for businesses as they try to navigate through ever-changing rules and restrictions.
When it comes to minimising disruption it pays to be prepared.
Revisit your existing policies and ensure you have flexible, easy to adapt procedures in place for supporting the health and wellbeing needs of employees in a range of situations.
And of course, keep checking the government guidelines for up-to-date information on what safety measures to put in place.
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