Stay calm and wash your hands

Some workplace tips & tricks to help deal with COVID-19 (coronavirus) while remaining grounded. It is easy to get carried away

Download our guide Responding to COVID-19

What COVID-19 is?

Media coverage has been far and wide, but if you are still unsure COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus, with symptoms ranging from a mild cough to pneumonia. Some people recover easily while others may get sick very quickly, so it is important for everyone to do their bit to limit the spread.

Some interesting facts from UNICEF about COVID-19:

• it can live on your hands for up to 10 minutes, so wash your hands;
• it can survive on fabric for up to 9 hours, so wash your clothes;
• if exposed to a temperature of 26-27∞ C it will be killed, so go to the beach & drink hot water! 🏖🥛

The impact

The challenges faced by workplaces have changed significantly this year, from bushfires to floods and now the great toilet paper crisis caused by COVID-19. This last one has the potential to really affect many organisations, having staff away sick or isolated for extended periods of time.

Many of our clients are starting to get worried and are unsure how to react or what to be prepared for. Here at wattsnext, we want to help by creating great workplaces and we have been providing advice on how to ensure employees are looked after, listened to and supported as well as encouraged to follow standard precautionary measures, such as:

• encouraging enhanced personal hygiene;
• keeping all workstations clean;
• obtaining medical clearance before returning to work after having experienced flu-like symptoms;
• following the Government’s recommendations; and
• only listening to reliable sources of information!

Communication

There is a lot of misinformation about COVID-19 and this can cause unnecessary stress for both you and your workforce. Keep in mind that people may react differently to these types of situations. Some may be feeling uncomfortable or worried especially if directly impacted. The best way to stay on top of this is through continued honest communication throughout the organisation, giving staff members confidence that they are both physically and mentally safe within their workplace. When isolating staff or encouraging working from home remember to stay in regular contact with them, changes and isolation can be mentally challenging.

‘keep supporting small business, the people that work in small business and as such the ground roots of the world’s economy’

Now go wash your hands, take a walk around the office and see how everybody is doing. 🤓