Staying Safe and Adapting to a New Norm

The last three months have been pretty wild, no matter who you are or where you come from. COVID-19 has turned our society upside down and put us all in an environment many of us could have never imagined, let alone predicted.

When the Maid to Clean office team took their equipment home in mid-March and we began settling in to the prospect of working at home for the foreseeable future, I think nobody could say with any certainty what was to come nor how long it would last. There were times where I felt, with a high degree of confidence, that Australia would be in a period of lockdown for 4-6+ months and we’d better hunker down for the long haul. Amazingly though, we, as a nation, have flattened the curve and it looks like we are very much on the tail end of the pandemic. With schools re-opening, restaurants and hospitality tentatively accepting patrons again and many other restrictions easing, it’s time to think about our own personal exit strategies and what we are going to do to gradually return to normal.

All our team have enjoyed the new work-life balance, the comfort, and the general peace and quiet of working at home. At the same time, we’ve all missed the hustle and bustle of the working day and the general socialising and banter of our colleagues and fellow members of our co-working space, Cobrew. Working at home for the last 10 weeks has allowed us to see a different way forward after COVID-19 and we have decided to permanently work about half our week at home and half at the office.

As we begin to return to the office, our aim is to do so gradually and at each person’s own pace. We understand that everyone in our team is different and we want to support everyone’s situation so they can continue to work in the best environment for them.

Return to Work Objectives

• The number one priority is safety and ensuring at all times, everyone is safe and protected from any health risks
• A tailored approach – we understand that all staff are different, so we want to allow people to return at their own pace
• Communicate the plan clearly and regularly to the team
• Immediate action if a team member feels unwell
• All offices to practice social distancing in stages 1 and 2, including only every other desk used
• Regular cleaning of workstations. Employees to clean their own stations at the start and end of the day
• Return to work plan to always be congruent with government recommendations and advice

Stage 1 – Planning

• For the rest of June, we will continue to work entirely at home
• During this time, we will plan our return to work initiative, keeping a close eye on the situation in Australia and the government advice
• A provisional “Working at Home” plan has been created, allowing staff to plan 2 days in the office/week and their remaining days either at home or in the office
• Extra equipment is to be purchased to allow each staff member a workstation both in the office and at home
• Only after the government recommends people work in the office rather than at home, will we look at moving to stage 2

Stage 2 – Kick Off

• The “Return to Work” plan will begin, where staff can start working 2 days or more in the office
• Staff will not be required to work in the office during Stage 2, but gently encouraged to return at their own pace
• Maximum of 4 people will be allowed in the office per day, to ensure social distancing rules are followed
• The office door will be kept shut during working hours
• Staff are to avoid communal areas however when they are used, to wash hands regularly and use office hand sanitiser
• Workplaces are to be cleaned on arrival and departure
• No meetings, interviews or inductions are to take place

Stage 3 – Settling In

• Staff will be settled in and asked to work their 2 days/week in the office and any other extra days they choose
• Limit of 4 people in the office to continue
• Office door will continue to be kept shut
• One meeting of up to 3 people in attendance can now take place in the boardroom (including interviews)
• Workplaces are still to be cleaned regularly

Stage 4 – Completion

• Office doors to be open throughout business hours
• Seating restrictions removed and up to 8 people allowed in the office
• All staff working their 2 days/week+ in the office
• Full meetings allowed in the boardroom (including inductions, interviews etc)
• Regular cleaning of the office space continues

What if a team member get’s sick or tests positive for COVID-19?

It is extremely important that team members do not come in to the office if they:

• Have been, or suspect to have been in close contact with a cased of COVID-19
• Are feeling unwell or displaying any cold-like symptoms

If a team member does experience the above, we ask that they strictly stay at home and contact us immediately.

If a staff member tests positive for COVID-19 we will:

• Contact health authorities immediately and follow all recommendations provided
  • This could include closing the office temporarily and reverting to working at home fully for a period of time
• Undertake addition and extensive cleaning of all areas
• Notify all team members immediately
• All team members who came in to contact with the person infected will likely be required to also undertake a COVID-19 test