“The Novelty’s Really Worn Off Now”…
For some, working-from-home has been nothing short of a nightmare. Whilst certain people might have enjoyed the flexibility afforded by working-from-home, for others that novelty soon wore off. Dodgy internet connections, home-schooling and a lack of social interaction within the office has meant that there are lots of employees suffering from ‘Zoom gloom’ out there.
Even the commute, whose removal at the start of the pandemic was heralded by many as being amongst the highlights of remote working, has had its issues; for lots of people it’s become clear that, pre-pandemic, the commute offered both a chance to prepare before work as well as to decompress after a long day. All that its removal has done, therefore – at least in some people’s eyes – is further blur the lines between the personal and the professional. After all, it’s harder to switch off at 5 o’clock, if your office is also your kitchen or your living room… In other words, for lots of people, the return to offices is going to be a very welcome one.
Don’t Let Eagerness Morph Into Complacency
In some people’s eagerness to return, there’s the temptation to treat the pandemic as being over and done with. A relaxation in restrictions, though, doesn’t equate to a relaxation in the ability of COVID-19 to spread. Here at Guardpack – manufacturers of both own brand and private label antibacterial wipes – we’ve already recently written about the importance of maintaining high levels of personal hygiene for both the return to schools and the reopening of restaurants. Today, though, we wanted to look in particular at the office environment.
What Measures Should Be In Place?
First thing’s first, let’s look at what COVID-securing will look like for most office workplaces. It’s important to remember that, according to Section 44 of the Employment Act 1996, if you feel that your workplace is unsafe you’re within your workplace rights not to go into the workplace, itself. Feeling like inadequate COVID-securing measures had been put in place would certainly be grounds for such a decision. So, what does a COVID-secure office look like?
- Workstations socially distanced from one another. Wherever this isn’t possible, working facing away from one another and wearing masks as an extra precaution.
- Individual hygiene ‘bundles’ or ‘kits’ for each employee, wherever that’s financially feasible. We’d advise these include everything from spare new masks (in case people forget to bring theirs) as well as a plentiful supply of hand sanitiser and personal antibacterial wipes, as well.
- The potential introduction of Perspex screens (comically coined “sneeze-screens” by some) between workstations and desks, especially between those where social distancing and separation isn’t possible.
- Sanitising stations located around the office – particularly near where any shared equipment might get used (e.g. the office printer).
- One-way-systems clearly marked out with tape or signage, wherever possible.
These are all important measures in ensuring that workplaces remain safe upon our return, that and a good deal of common sense, of course. The importance of antibacterial wipes in particular, however, really can’t be overstated. Here’s why…
The Particular Importance Of Antibacterial Wipes
One of the reasons that antibacterial wipes are so effective in office environments is their versatility. Here are just some of the ways you can use them:
Antibacterial Hand Wipes
Hand sanitizer can be messy and spill everywhere. Similarly, you’re not always going to have access to a bathroom with soap and water. The solution? Using a quick-acting and quick-drying antibacterial wipe to give your hands a thorough wipe down. Our own wipes are impregnated with a highly effective and certified antibacterial solution called SteriZar. This kills MRSA, E-Coli, Salmonella and Norovirus; in fact, our wipes kill an impressive 99.999% of bacteria.
If your hand-washing has become a bit laxer over the past few months (ask yourself, would you really still get through the whole of ‘Happy Birthday’ each time you wash your hands?) then reinforcing those hygiene habits again with the help of antibacterial wipes is a great place to start.
Antibacterial Surface Wipes
If you look at workplace trends over the past few years, something that’s become increasingly common is the idea of ‘hot-desking’ and ‘shared workspaces’. Now, it obviously goes without saying that such practices should’ve been removed whilst in the midst of the pandemic, but some habits are hard to shake.
How many times have you just had to hop onto a colleague’s computer to check something on their day off? Is the fridge in your workplace kitchen communal? Almost certainly. Will we always remember to make our own teas and coffees when we’re back in the office, or will certain helpful team members still make a brew for the whole office?
The point is that even in the securest of offices, old habits die hard. We’ll still end up using more shared surfaces than we realise, no matter how hard we try. Having your own pack of antibacterial wipes on hand enables you to tackle those surfaces with more comfort, keeping both you and your colleagues safer in the process.
Contact Us
So, if you’d like to find out more about our work as a private label wet wipe manufacturer, or about our own antibacterial wipes under the mywipe brand, then get in touch! Contact Guardpack today on 01245 505 807 or by emailing us at info@guardpack.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill out of one of our online enquiry forms.
