Offices are reopening in Santa Clarita, but there are big changes in working practices, particularly when it comes to health and safety. Organizations like the Valley Industry Association have begun putting into place new ways of doing business and adjusting their working practices to accommodate employees returning to work. The governor of L.A. County will be issuing firm guidelines for offices to operate in the coming weeks.

Protecting staff at work

Office employers are having to go back to the drawing board when it comes to protecting their staff. Everyday health and safety policies will not only include details on social distancing, but also more stringent guidelines to prevent accidents like slips and falls from happening at work. Click here if you require advice on the importance of having an accident policy, both to protect office workers and employers. The goal is to cut down the possibility of staff needing to go to the E.R. unnecessarily.

Ensuring physical separations

Including physical separations in an office space will become the new normal in the coming months – everyone will have their own space, and hotdesking will become a thing of the past. Offices are installing plexiglass partitions to protect staff so that they can carry out their day-to-day work effectively. The city Communications Officer, Carrie Lujan has said that we will see complimentary face coverings, more signage around office spaces to create one-way systems, and the introduction of hand-sanitizing stations.

Changing business practices

The way that offices operate on a daily basis is changing too. For customer-facing businesses, many will still continue to utilize conferencing software for meetings and appointments. If a face-to-face meeting is absolutely necessary, then a strict appointment time may be set, rather than having customers coming in off the street. In the past few months many businesses have found that they simply do not need to have a physical office space for all of their tasks, so rather than bringing back the entire workforce, they may be considering a more flexible, hybrid approach to working. New business practices may include offering extended opening hours to allow staggered working hours for staff, and there may still be the option of working from home for many.

As offices begin to reopen in Santa Clarita, the focus is on health and safety. Employers have a responsibility to protect both their customers and their staff, and this will mean changes in the workplace environment.

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