As businesses continue to reopen, some employees remain nervous about health and safety in the age of COVID-19. In addition, there are many different and new rules and regulations your business may have to follow, depending on the industry you work in.

How can you get back on track and make your people feel more comfortable? Here are some tips to help you.

Communicate about workplace safety.

The best way to make your staff feel at ease is to talk about the issue and what you’re doing to make the workplace safe. Is your office disinfected each night after everyone goes home? What’s the process if someone tests positive? Do exposed people have to quarantine?

These are all questions to answer and address before an issue comes up. In addition, when employees know you’ve invested in keeping them safe, they’ll feel more secure.

Provide access to masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes.

One of the keys to breaking the chain of infection is proper hand hygiene. Encourage your employees to regularly wash their hands and also use hand sanitizer. Provide it in common areas throughout the office so it’s always available.

In addition, make sure your employees who want masks always have one and that there are disinfecting wipes available if they prefer to wipe down their workstation at the start or end of each day.

Screen temperatures each day.

Under normal circumstances, screening temperatures would be a violation of the law. However, the federal government has determined that because of the risks associated with COVID-19, taking temperatures is permissible. If staff are concerned about the risk, invest in temperature scanning stations or temperature kiosks to further protect your employees.

Work with vulnerable employees.

If you have people on your staff who are pregnant, or vulnerable due to a medical condition or disability, work with them to find a solution you both agree on. For instance, perhaps they can work from home for the next several months, or only come into the office at certain times when there are fewer people on-site.

If a person is disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act, then different rules may apply. For instance, if an employee has a diagnosed mental health disability, such as severe anxiety due to the pandemic, working from home is considered a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.

In the end, the more you communicate about safety and the steps you and your company are taking to limit the chance of an outbreak, the more reassured your employees will be. So keep an open door, listen to their questions and concerns, and be flexible when it comes to meeting their needs to ensure everyone is confident and comfortable coming to work.

Need more help staying optimally staffed during the pandemic?

As one of Houston’s leading staffing agencies, Murray Resources is here for you. We have over 30 years of experience helping companies overcome staffing obstacles and find and hire the people they need. Simply contact us today so we can help you, too.