There’s a lot of discussion in the news media about what will change when office workers begin returning to their offices in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than a month remains before the earliest date when we might start re-entry back into our Vermont and Texas campuses.
But, as CEO Mehran Assadi said in a recent conversation posted here on National Life Today, planning is already under way for our return, including based on the practices currently in place for employees who currently work in the buildings.
“There is a ton of work going on to come up with different scenarios as it relates to our staggered, flexible return to the buildings,” he said.
Much of that work is already reflected in the policies governing employees currently working on campus, those whose work can’t be done remotely.
For example, each associate who enters campus must be approved in advance by the Business Continuity team. In addition, anyone who goes onto the Vermont campus must have a temperature check before entering and must certify that social distancing guidelines have been followed for the previous 14 days. Our teams must also certify that they do not currently have a temperature and have not had any of the typical symptoms associated with Covid-19 for the previous 72 hours. Signs with these restrictions are posted at the entrance to the Vermont and Texas campus.
Employees currently working on campus must wear a face covering when interacting with others or moving about the building, but they may be removed if working at their own desk and they’re not within six to 10 feet of their colleagues.
On both campuses, employees must participate in online training about Covid-19 health and safety.
A couple of other points worth noting. Only two people are permitted in an elevator car at a time right now and they must stand apart. Only one person at a time is permitted in the kitchenettes on the floors and there are dots on the floor spaced six feet apart to indicate where to stand in line while waiting to use them. And the Vermont cafeteria is closed. Food service in Texas is available but limited. Cleaning protocols are in place, personal protective equipment is available and disinfecting supplies on hand to employees to use.
The Business Continuity and the Facilities teams have been busy developing and implementing these and other protections as we get ready for our return to the office.
There are several over-arching key drivers to our plans:
- The safety and well-being of all associates is the primary objective.
- Compliance with federal, state and local guidelines are a must.
- Viral trends and statistics will inform our decisions.
- The timing of all actions is fluid, subject to change and may be different for each campus.