Hello there,
Everybody is scared and trying to find ways to protect themselves from COVID especially in highly populated offices. It has been all over the news lately for tips to protect yourself from this illness at your workplace. Here are some of the strategies that you can follow at your office during your work routine:
Wash and sanitize your hands frequently especially after handling shared items such as coffee pots and etc.
Sanitize your desk and personal belongings before you start your day and during the day
Avoid touching your face, mouth, nose and eyes
Avoid physical contact with your colleagues
Find a secluded place at your office
Avoid touching surfaces with your bare hands
Try not to use elevators
This week there was very horrifying news at BBC and Newsweek. A woman in China passed COVID-19 to an estimated 71 people through a single elevator journey, a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The woman had no direct contact with any of the other people and the only shared space was an elevator in the apartment block where she lived.
While I was reading this news, I thought about high rise office buildings and skyscrapers that host many companies and thousands of employees in one single building. Almost impossible to avoid general touch surfaces and especially during the rush hour they have to share the crowded elevators.
I believe that the whole situation will force companies to redesign their offices. Instead of having all employees in one office, they will use satellite offices. While I was talking to my executive friends in different corporations, they told me that they are willing to reduce their real estate costs. This will be a great opportunity for the coworking industry since they can offer satellite offices without the burden of long term deals or entry costs.
During my research to find ways to prevent the Covid at workspace, I was glad to see that our team at SVI HUB has implemented most of the strategies already. Installing sneeze guards to create sacred places for dedicated seats, reducing touch points in shared spaces, no in person events, disinfecting common areas frequently, HVAC systems are checked regularly with added new filters, Signage and decals are in place to remind members of social distancing and safety guidelines that are to be followed.
I know that it is tiring to think about this illness at all times but it is very crucial and important to be cautious for yourself and your loved ones. Just keep in mind that this is a temporary situation (also I know that it took longer than expected)
Hope to see you at SVI soon once this is over to have a cup of coffee or to attend a meetup.
Best,
Serdar
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