Detroit Regional Chamber > Business Resources > COVID-19 > Watch: Returning to the Workplace Safely in the New Normal

Watch: Returning to the Workplace Safely in the New Normal

May 11, 2020

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Restarting operations means rethinking the traditional workplace for employees to ensure safety in the transition back to the office. PwC’s Julie Bogas, partner, Brian Decker, partner, and Ray Telang, office managing partner Detroit, partnered with the Detroit Regional Chamber to give Michigan businesses guidance on how to protect and check in with their staff.

PwC asked CFOs in a survey: What is your company planning to do once you start to transition back to work? This is how they responded:

  • 83%: New safety measures
  • 73%: Worksite configurations
  • 58%: Shift work and alternate crews
  • 43%: Remote work
  • 28%: New tools

With the majority of businesses willing to make changes to ensure the safety of their employees, PwC has outlined a variety of methods to limit physical interaction in the workplace and the spread of the virus. It starts with a return to work assessment that allows employees to self-report symptoms based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines.

New Procedures

PwC explored in its presentation an example of an employee’s typical workday and examined which elements of work would need to change to increase safety measures and prevent the virus from spreading. Businesses should contemplate the following procedures:

  • Staggered arrival times at the workplace
  • Touchless entering and controls throughout the workplace
  • Temperature screenings
  • Self-care questionnaires
  • Face masks
  • Social distancing
  • Workstation partitions
  • Common area closures
  • Contact tracing

Who Should Listen In?

Businesses of all industries; mid-market to large companies.


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