5 Home Office Health & Safety Tips Every Team Should Implement

Times have quickly changed over the last weeks with the Coronavirus health and safety quarantines and social distancing. With the quick spread of the virus, The Presidents Coronavirus Guidelines for America paired with the importance of keeping our humanity safe, businesses have had to adapt quickly. This means going digital where possible. In turn, that means many employees are having to acquire appropriate equipment, to set up and learn new technology, and set up home offices. Those who already have a home office set up will find themselves using them more.

When setting up a home office there are important health and safety items to know, understand, and address. Making sure you and/or your employees are aware of these and budgeting business expenses to accommodate where possible, is essential to managing a healthy, productive workforce. Regular communication through audio and video connection tools matters to keep teams solid, focused, and moving forward. Don’t forget to mention the importance of home office health and safety. Here are our top 5 home office health and safety tips every team should implement.

1.) Separated Workspace for a Healthy Mind

Consider all of the distractions that you can experience while trying to work from home: children, pets, household chores, the television, and not to mention other electronics and notifications. Having a home office that is devoted to working will help to reduce noise and distractions. Being able to focus on the projects at hand is key to having a healthy mind and continuing productive business from home. A home office must become a place that accommodates work needs. The appropriate furniture and equipment must be acquired to set up a healthy, separated home workspace. In the end, a separate home office workspace will yield a healthier mind that is more productive.

2.) Cleanliness to Avoid Sickness

No one wants to be sick. We already know that washing hands thoroughly and avoiding touching your face is crucial. Regularly cleaning your workspace is recommended but has become even more prevalent of a topic with the spread of Coronavirus. It can seem like common sense, but a reminder never hurts. And, getting on a regular home office cleaning schedule can help. Get on a regular schedule of dusting and vacuuming. Use a disinfectant to wipe down all surfaces like your desk, tables, shelves, and other surfaces in your home office daily. Be sure to pay special attention to cleaning areas that are regularly touched like knobs, pulls, handles, and light switches. And don’t forget to wipe off the electronic devices that you touch regularly, namely your phone and computer mouse. Note that most cleaners need to be left on the surface for a minute before wiping off to allow for the best clean.