Mar 2020
Office Products You Need to Return to Work
In certain locations, stay at home orders are easing up, which means workers are slowly returning to their offices. Before you can reopen, you need to carefully consider a few things.
Not only do you need safety supplies for workers, you also need to revamp your office. This involves getting your hands on things like barriers and room dividers.
Office Specialists can help you get all the supplies you need to ensure the safety of your staff. Take a few minutes to brush up on the important supplies you’ll need for a safe return to the office.
Safety Supplies & Personal Protection Equipment
Safety supplies and personal protection equipment (PPE) will be of the utmost importance for offices. Face masks will be necessary for all facilities, but other types of workers may need more. Gloves, gowns, and protective eyewear may also be necessary.
Also, hand sanitizers and disinfectants are more important than ever. Employees will need these to clean their hands and keep their coworkers safe. Try to stock up so your stash can last for at least a 30-day period.
If you can, you should install hands-free dispensers for these solutions. This will help reduce hotspots around the office, and prevent the buildup of germs.
Cleaning & Janitorial Supplies
Besides sanitizers and disinfectants, your office will also need other janitorial supplies. Remember, the coronavirus, and other viruses, can survive on hard surfaces for a few days. Without the proper tools to clean your facility, every employee will be at risk.
Don’t hesitate to stock up on plenty of hand soap for your restroom. Your employees will need it to thoroughly wash their hands. Shop for antimicrobial cleaning solutions, bleach, and sponges to wash any hard surfaces. Since employees will be sharing kitchen utensils, you’ll need a steady supply of dish detergent as well.
Employees also need screen wipes to keep their computer and phone screens clear.
White Boards & Other Communication Tools
Social distancing in still important right now, so traditional office meetings won’t be able to happen for a while. To make sure that everyone is keeping busy, you need other communication tools. Signs and whiteboards are some of the things we can recommend for your facility.
Whiteboards allow you to explain new rules and regulations in great detail, without having to gather everyone up in one room. They can also be used to remind workers of new guidelines, including how to cut hallway traffic. That way, everyone knows exactly what they need to do to keep everyone safe.
Screens & Panels for Social Distancing
Source: HON
To keep employees safe when they return, you must revamp your workspace with health in mind. One of the best ways to do this is to grab workstation panels for your facility. These allow you to distance employees, without having to revamp your existing office layout.
HON Office Furniture carries a wide range of interchangeable panels. Among these its Verse line is one of its most notable examples. These panels are available in a wide range of lengths and widths, and can be used to create private workspaces. This will help shield office workers from the virus, while keeping their existing workstations intact.
Room dividers and privacy screens are also recommended. When you have two people working in the same room, room dividers will help keep them spread apart. Since there isn’t enough time to design new facility layouts, these tools will be essential.
Let us help you configure your quad-city workspace with workstations, barriers and dividers so that employees feel safe while social distancing at work.
Antimicrobial Furniture & Tools
Speaking of office redesigns, you’ll also need some new office furniture. Specifically, you’ll need office furniture made from anti-bacterial substances that are easy to wash.
Suitable fabrics include oxford, hazel, Antioch, Cordova, and Vera. Cleaning solutions won’t weaken the colors or yarn of furniture made from these materials. Thus, finding options that use them will be beneficial.
Other antimicrobial supplies will also be crucial to have around the office. Binders, keyboards, pencils, and other supplies are produced using antimicrobial materials. These supplies are easy to clean, and are safe for long-term use.