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If you're heading back to work, you need to prioritize your personal safety and the safety of your family. Here's how to protect yourself and others.

Heading Back to Work? Here’s How to Keep You and Your Family Safe

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has transformed the workplace. If you’re heading back to work in the middle of the pandemic, you need to prioritize safety. In doing so, you can protect yourself, your family, and others against the spread of the coronavirus.

Let’s face it — we’ve entered a “new normal,” and social distancing, wearing a facemask, and washing the hands as much as possible are big parts of it. But, if you know how to prepare for your return to work, you can minimize stress during the adjustment period. You can also protect yourself and others against the coronavirus and stay productive and efficient at work.

THE WORKPLACE HAS CHANGED — AND WE NEED TO ADJUST

COVID-19 has changed the way businesses function — and you need to adapt accordingly. In many instances, businesses are keeping limited staff on-site and allowing employees to increasingly work remotely. Businesses are also staggering work shifts and break times, restricting visitor access to offices, and encouraging social distancing at all times. The result: companies are doing their part to keep employees safe from the coronavirus, and you need to do your part to protect yourself and others against it, too.   

Ultimately, if you do not feel comfortable returning to work during this challenging time, you need to discuss your concerns with your employer. Most companies are willing to accommodate their workers’ requests to work remotely or may pursue other alternatives to ensure their employees feel safe. If you decide to return to work, you need to plan ahead as much as possible — because the workplace you once visited every day is no longer what it was.

STAY SAFE AT WORK, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY

Here are a few tips to help you return to work and keep yourself, your family, and others safe.

1. Keep an Eye Out for COVID-19 Symptoms

Self-monitoring is key, particularly if you show any symptoms of COVID-19. Check your temperature at least twice daily, and watch for a fever, shortness of breath, and other coronavirus symptoms. If you believe you are dealing with a coronavirus infection, get tested and self-quarantine until you receive your test results.

2. Wash Your Hands Frequently

Keep your hands clean by washing them with soap and water frequently during the day. You should apply soap and water to the hands for at least 20 seconds whenever you wash them. Also, it may be beneficial to keep hand sanitizer at your desk; this allows you to quickly and easily sanitize your hands as the day progresses.

3. Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces

Apply a disinfectant to any high-touch surfaces before your work shift, during your shift, and at its conclusion. With the coronavirus, it is always better to err on the side of caution, especially when it comes to high-touch surfaces. By thoroughly disinfecting these surfaces, you can minimize the risk of inadvertently getting infected by COVID-19 or infecting your coworkers with the coronavirus.

4. Change Your Outfit
When you get home from work, take off your coat and shoes, and keep them away from family members. You should also change out of your work clothes; one of the best things you can do is put your clothes in a laundry basket or other dedicated area, then wash them. Additionally, you should take a shower to clean off your body after work.

5. Clean Your Facemask

Place your facemask in the laundry or clean it with soap and water following your work shift. Use hot water when you clean your facemask, as this helps destroy the coronavirus. You can then air-dry your facemask or wring it out and roll it tightly in a towel.

Along with the tips above, maintaining a neat, tidy workspace can make a world of difference as you return to work as well. You should limit the number of personal items at your desk and strive to keep your workspace as clean as possible day after day. That way, you can perform your best at work without putting the health and wellbeing of yourself or others in danger.

GET READY TO RETURN TO WORK

I hope the aforementioned tips can help you prep for your return to work. Keep in mind that workplace safety is crucial, for all employees, at all businesses. If you consult with your managers and coworkers and share your workplace safety concerns, you could help protect yourself and others against the coronavirus. Best of all, you can continue to do your part to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

At Headfarmer, we understand the challenges associated with adapting to the new normal, and we are here to assist job seekers in any way we can. We also connect job seekers with the top finance and technology companies in the greater Phoenix area and help them achieve their career goals. To learn more, please reach out.

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