Council Post: Four Suggestions For Safely Returning To Work After The Pandemic

Nicole Dunn is the CEO of Dunn Pellier Media, Inc; PR for the fitness, health and wellness sector.

It’s been several months since stay-at-home orders began, and many are asking if this is the new normal. In these moments, I like to remain optimistic and remind myself that nothing lasts forever.

As businesses begin to reopen and employees return to work, I believe society will eventually resume its course.

In some ways, our return to normality might not be quite that simple. Considering how much the world has been through recently, this will certainly take some easing into. In fact, with so much fear in the air regarding the virus, some people might hesitate to come back to the office. 

So, it’s necessary for business leaders to make this transition as smooth and comfortable as possible for their employees. As the CEO of a public relations company in the fitness, health and wellness sector, this has been top of mind for me, and I’ve been thinking about a few best practices leaders might consider as they reopen stores and offices. Below are my suggestions.

1. Take things slowly.

As states work to ease restrictions in a safe and appropriate manner, business leaders should be taking charge as well by helping their employees navigate these tough times. As office reintegration proceeds, it’s crucial to emphasize that employers will have to ease into the new normal with employees to get offices back up and running.

With this in mind, start thinking about how your teams will organize and communicate when some workers are at home and others are in the office. 

2. Ease stress, and encourage workplace wellness.

From my perspective, the first thing to teach your team is that if anyone feels sick or has been around someone who could be sick, they should stay home. In addition, give people who are at higher risk or who live with loved ones who are at higher risk the option to continue working remotely. Keep health and wellness top of mind so that your employees know that this is an initiative you stand behind. 

Stress is also an important element to consider. Did you know that, according to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of Americans experience stress at work, and 41% of workers report that stress makes them less productive? Additionally, nearly 70% of workers say the coronavirus pandemic has been the most stressful time of their career.

With this in mind, it’s important that employers are taking steps to help lessen their employees’ already long list of daily stressors. Think about the amount of uncertainty we are all facing. Connect with employees, and put people first.

Companies should be thinking about promoting positive thinking, facilitating working from home when necessary and encouraging virtual connections in response to the pandemic. Encouraging employees to start adopting healthy practices and a good work-life balance will help ease stress and built-up frustrations. Also, supporting your team’s mental health is something to consider as a company wellness priority.

3. Emphasize workplace sanitation.

As some workers begin to return to their regular positions, I believe prioritizing prevention will be important. Improved workplace sanitation and health safety is something that should not be overlooked.

Ensure you’re referring to guidelines shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as following state and local guidelines on masks and other health-related topics. These resources will guide businesses on what should or shouldn’t be implemented and help inform company policies on personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, workplace separation and maintaining distance. 

Companies might also want to consider implementing more regular cleaning schedules to improve workplace sanitation in high-traffic areas, such as coffee stations, refrigerators and restrooms. You might also consider installing touch-free faucets, toilets and bathroom doors, as well as setting up barriers between desks should your workplace require it. (You can conduct a hazard assessment based on recommendations by the U.S. Department of Labor to help inform which actions you take.)

Furthermore, making hand sanitizers, masks and gloves readily available to employees is a great practice. These factors will help people feel safe at work, thus allowing them to maximize their effectiveness in this troubling time. 

4. Remember that communication is key.

After finalizing plans for a safe return to the office, business leaders need to communicate these pertinent details with their employees in order to instill confidence about returning to work. In addition, make yourself open to conversations about employee concerns regarding workplace reintegration. After hearing how they feel, take their concerns into consideration, and discuss them with managers and employees. 

For example, if anybody is extremely nervous about coming back to the office, working with them to find a compromise is better than forcing them into a position where they don’t feel comfortable. Or if anybody has any suggestions about how to keep the office better sanitized, they can bring those up in the next team meeting.

If we carry through with these suggestions, I believe employers and employees can start to feel the love for coming back into the office and being a part of these changes and the new normal. Make sure you’re listening and helping employees feel comfortable getting back to business.


Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?


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