Has your workplace discussed their plans to protect you when they re-open?

[Yavin4]

Before covid-19, viruses would spread through my office like wildfire year over year. We work in an open office so that our insecure managers can see what you are doing at all times because the only thing that they are capable of is micro-managing.

But now that we are in a covid-19 world, there's been no plan or message as to how they will retrofit our workspace to protect us. I cannot wear a mask for 9 hours while I work. We cannot social distance. And what about the bathrooms?

What has your office told you?

[TygrBright]

1. We have not made such plans because we will not re-open...

...until there have been no new cases in our state for at least three weeks, or until there is an effective treatment and/or vaccine and a robust system of contact tracing and quarantine in place.

Fortunately the nature of our work is such that we can cope pretty well working remotely. But it's a strain.

wearily,
Bright

[Sanity Claws]

2. We will have only a certain number of people in the office at the same time

We will be working from home for the bulk of the time, excerpt for the staggered office time.

Have you or your office started with CDC guidelines? https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/office-buildings.html

[sweetloukillbot]

3. We're WFH right now, someone asked for when we could return last week

We were told not for the foreseeable future.
My wife's job is looking at September to make a decision, but not likely until 2021.

[sarisataka]

4. We never closed

Based on an employee vote as to work in the office or at home. It was unanimous to keep coming in to the office.

Our arrangement has an 8 foot minimum between each employee. We are supplied hand sanitizer and bleach wipes at every desk. Each employee has been provided a mask. We have additional masks at the door for clients if they do not have, or forgot, their own mask.

[SideStep]

7. It's been months. Has anyone gotten sick?

Sounds similar to my situation. The employees wanted to come in and it's simply my responsibility to give them the tools to make it as safe as possible. Much easier at a small business.

[sarisataka]

9. Not a single case

If someone wakes up and feels "off" they are told to take the day, with pay. No one has needed more than two days in a row and it was soon clear it wasn't Covid related.

[SideStep]

13. I have that policy in place.

Even if you don't feel like it is covid related. If something feels off you stay home. Headache. More tired than normal. Bowel issues. I don't care. Don't come in. I've never not paid an employee for a day off. I had one go down for six weeks. They maintained pay and their vacation time.

[ms liberty]

5. They haven't set a reopen date yet so I'm still on furlough

My boss and I talked last Thursday. At this point, I would not be surprised if we continued to be closed until at least the week after the Fourth.

[SideStep]

6. At my business.

We have not closed for a day. Before the ordered lockdown I instituted a policy that our office doors would stay shut. No traffic was to come in our front doors outside of employees entering. I outlined all aspects of the business that could be conducted strictly online until future notice. Each employee has their own office. It is their responsibility to clean it, outside of the cleaning company that comes once a week. The cleaning company hasn't missed a weekend. We share in the cleaning of common areas multiple times a day. It's a small office and we order supplies in bulk to cut costs so we never ran out of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and other cleaning products. We provide one service outside of our office and it has always required close contact with people. Before the lockdown I instituted a policy that would keep my employee away from the people they were meeting while still getting the job done. All of the people we have met fully understood the change and most even appreciated it. All employees are to temp themselves each morning before work. If you don't feel well in any way, including something that might come on as non-covid related, you take that day off. If we need to go out into the field we have gloves and masks.

For months the employees were going home after work and quarantining. It was a request by me and they were all onboard. That is the only thing I have completely backed off on. They are good folk and are keeping contact to a minimum.

I meet with employees regular for their input.

No paychecks have been missed. Our clients have been taken care of. We have taken on new clients. We have paid bonuses outside of what is normally scheduled. No one has gotten sick.

[madwivoter]

8. The company I work for has a phased plan in place

I work for a global corporation, they have an RTTO team in place that's evaluating staff and needs for all the different office locations. They're taking all local ordinances into account along with the CDC guidelines. It sounds like most people will be remote until around September, with staggered office access for those that need it most.

On top of all that's going on, we're right in the middle of moving offices - from a space that had offices to a space that's going to be open office. Dumb. We're working closely with our local managers to ensure they're doing everything they can to add protective equipment (partitions, UV filters, etc.) before the 'build-out' is done so we don't have the hassle of trying to get that stuff later. I'll just wfh until I feel comfortable enough to go in. Assuming I'm still employed if and when that time comes...

[gratuitous]

10. They're in watch-and-see stage right now

Our law firm's management did a good job of shutting down the office (even though our office building has been designated as essential and has remained open) and preparing everyone with the means to work remotely. Our office manager is a Marine veteran, and planning and preparation are in his DNA.

For now, the powers that be are taking a watch-and-see attitude about re-opening. They have polled the employees about their preference of either continuing to work from home or to come back to the office. I suspect they will do a phased re-opening, and either stagger the days people come in or allow some folks to come back to the office who can maintain social distance, depending on the office geography. Face masks and hand sanitizer will almost certainly be requirements for working in the office.

[mackdaddy]

11. Here is a video of a company in China, and their system to minimize Covid19 in the workplace.

[Arkansas Granny]

12. My workplace never closed. I work for a General Contractor with a total of 13 people on payroll.

When CV19 started making it's way across the country, I had a talk with my employer and told him that I wanted to take some time off to see what was going to happen with this pandemic. He agreed to that since I am in a high risk category (old age). I have worked here for 26 years and have a better attendance record than he does, so he agreed to that.

I was off for about 6 weeks. I came in a couple of evenings a week and took care of things that he and his wife (who filled in for me) didn't know how to do. I was available by phone any time they needed assistance with something.

I have come to the conclusion that we are going to be living with CV19 for a long time and each person should do what they need to in order to protect themselves and those around them.

After talking with the boss again, it was agreed that I could alter my hours to come to work after the men had left for the jobsite and leave before they came back to the office. They installed a plexiglass screen in the pass through window above my desk and no one is to enter my office. Each morning I wipe down all tables, counters and other high touch areas in the break room and other parts of the building that I frequent with an antiseptic cleaner. Anytime I leave my office to go to another part of the building, I use hand sanitizer upon my return. If any of the men come in the building while I am there, they are careful to keep a 6 ft. space between us.

Arkansas has not been hit as hard as other areas of the country, although new cases are on the rise since those businesses that were closed have reopened. Some of that, I'm sure, is due to increased testing, but the numbers are still disheartening.

[MenloParque]

14. We have a choice

My organization gave us a choice to either work remotely or come in the office. I’m a California government employee. At first, most stayed home. Now, my department of 47 has about 40 back (most that have stayed away did to home school children at home). Most have expressed that they missed the human interaction and glad to be back in the office environment. I am the only one that I know in our entire building of about 300 who contracted covid 19. The worst 3 weeks of my life.