Covid-19 – Safely Returning To Work This September – A Facilities Management Perspective for Irish Business.
With the Irish Government aiming to end almost all Covid-19 restrictions by October 22nd, organisations across Ireland are putting their plans to return to the office into motion. However, it’s important we enter this next phase as prepared and as safely as possible.
At Elevare we offer nationwide Facility Management Services, taking care of your organisation’s offices and buildings, as well as the people who work and visit them.
Return To Work Safely Protocol
Our first port of call is ensuring the safety of our teams, clients and the general public. As such, we have developed a Return to Work Safely Protocol to be implemented across all client sites – in line with the latest advice from Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Health Services Executive (HSE).
For each client we assign a compliance officer to conduct site-specific risk assessments. This helps identify any areas of concern – and to develop dedicated protocols and response plans in order to reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 within the workplace.
We know that Covid-19 can be transmitted via airborne particles, therefore adequate ventilation is required in indoor areas, where workers may be in close contact. We can install CO2 monitors as part of our Hard FM services. These monitors identify build-up of CO2 in an area – indicating that ventilation may need to be improved.
Cleaning and disinfection of objects and surfaces are the most efficient ways to stop the spread of infection. With that in mind, we have developed comprehensive cleaning protocols for each of our client’s premises, in line with guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the HSA.
Providing clear guidance and information to employees is now more important than ever. We offer dedicated online Covid-19 safety training, that all client teams are required to complete before returning to the office.
Customer Relation Services – Visitor Management
Many organisations have reduced or redeployed their dedicated Front of House Teams during the pandemic. While technology is playing a greater role in reception services in some organisations – it may not be a feasible option for organisations who may experience increased footfall as a result of easing of restrictions and the return to normal life.
At Elevare we offer superb Customer Relation Services, which ensure the safety, security and well-being of your customers, visitors, employees and of course your built environment facilities.
Our Customer Reception Staff have been provided with specialised training in Covid-19 procedures and have experience monitoring staff and visitor’s adherence to safety protocols to mitigate spread of the virus. If required, this can include temperature testing in line with Public Heath advice.
Although the traditional role of Front of House staff has changed, the work carried out will become crucial in protecting employees and visitors going forward – from reporting incidents of non-compliance to monitoring adherence to sanitation measures.
Front Of House Security Services
Of course, security needs will differ for every business. With increased footfall expected once visitors and staff return to workplaces around the country, our trained security professionals can implement traffic management and crowd management, if required.
To keep your premises secure, our Front of House Security Services can also offer on-site access and exit control, employee and visitor badging and identification, and security posts of gates and doors on-site.
Each of our highly skilled security personnel have undergone extensive training to ensure we deliver best-in-class customer service. This includes a dedicated learning platform as well as Prevention Control and First Responders.