After a more than two months of reeling from the effects of a deadly pandemic, many Iowa communities are now on their way back to work. But what exactly should that look like?
CIRAS experts suggest you focus on two things as you press to get back to normal – going in phases and being thorough.
“You don’t just open the doors and have everybody in,” said CIRAS project manager Marc Schneider. “How fast are you going to ramp up production? How fast are you going to bring everybody back?”
The CIRAS COVID-19 Preparedness & Return to Work Checklist suggests a phased approach, defining each phase and laying out specific criteria that must be met before the next wave of employees enter your plant.
At the same time, companies also need to review the entire range of COVID-19 responses and make sure that they’ve responded in appropriate ways. Have you instituted the correct social distancing? Are there barriers that can be installed or doors removed so that they won’t need to be touched? Now is a good time to check.
“I would say most companies have been thinking about this already,” Schneider said. “If you never completely shut down, then you’ve probably implemented a lot of this. But now is your opportunity to go through the full list and make sure that you haven’t missed something.”
For more information, visit the CIRAS COVID-19 website or download the CIRAS Return to Office Plan, our own plan outlining when CIRAS offices will reopen. Email ciras.info@iastate.edu if you have any questions.