In an attempt to fight against the pandemic, COVID 19, all workshops, offices, markets worldwide are closed. This is to stop the spread of the Coronavirus and protect each other from being victims of the pandemic.
Presently, every workspace from hospitals to food shops is facing several challenges due to the outbreak of these pandemic viruses. No matter what the nature and type of organisation it is, employers are facing difficulties regarding their visitor operations. Even at this emergency period, manufacturers need to keep a safe flow of employees, delivery personnel and suppliers who need to move in and out constantly to perform their operations.
Amidst this chaotic situation, what everybody is concerned about is how to interact with people and prevent the transmission of the virus into the bodies of the employer and employees at the same time. Following some guidelines from the world health organisation, below has been given some tips that will enable you to run your organisation safe and hygienic and manage your visitor operations at this critical hour.
Inquire your visitors asking suitable questions
Despite there has been a lot of changes in your social and personal lives due to the outbreak of this pandemic virus, the need for maintaining our sanctity of healthcare reports and privacy has not. Moreover, when checking patients for potential coronavirus symptoms or signs, preserving their privacy and protecting their Personal Identifiable Information should be prioritized the most.
Several questions you need to ask the visitors before allowing them to enter your building.
For example:
- Have they travelled to any foreign country in the last 14 days? If yes, know the name of the country.
- Have they been experiencing fever-like signs such as shortness of breath or coughing?
- Have they been in touch with any person who has been detected having such symptoms?
The travel-related questions should be analysed frequently as per your organisation’s safety standards and policies. As for the questions related to the symptoms, id answered yes, the visitor should be permitted to enter the organisation’s premises to prevent the potential spread of Coronavirus.
Implement the VMS mode
It’s advisable to ask the visitors the above-mentioned questions ahead of time, so that doesn’t have to arrive on-site, thereby checking the spread of the virus as much as possible. As a result of this, all your necessary information will be available to you even before they enter the building. For registering the arrival of contractors, an invitation with a QR code can be implemented. For this purpose, please don’t use a paper logbook or an excel sheet or make your receptionist register all visitor’s arrival information. The aim of the invite first is they reduce contact with your staff and other objects in and around you.
Reduce areas of contact
Human to human interaction possesses the maximum threat in this context. Having visitors come and interact with the receptionist for fetching information may put any of them at risk of infection. Switching to the VMS mode will reduce these chances, eliminating the need for physical proximity and minimising the need to sanitize places. The VMS service enables visitors to receive an invitation and scan the QR code from the sign-in station afterward. The information will then automatically be registered into the system, sending a notification to the corresponding host.
Disinfect every object after use
As per reports, it is known that the coronavirus can thrive inside non-living things for a maximum of 2 to 3 days. So if you are using a manual procedure for registering the names of your visitors, you need to disinfect the pens, login book, counter and what not. Switching to the VMS mode eliminates the need to do all this. Disinfecting an iPad that is used for the visitor management system is comparatively easier.
Also, remember that preventive measures for checking the spread of the virus goes beyond the reception desk. Frequently clean and disinfect all other places. Objects that are frequently touched, like desks, doorknobs, light switches, everything should be disinfected.
Go digital
Keeping in mind all these precautions, the best thing to do is switch to the digital mode of holding meetings and conversations with people.
Try to analyse your business process and see if it’s possible to reduce the number of employees working. Some need to visit the workplace and does their works though. Also, check whether the administrative staff can stay at home and hold digital meetings with their visitors or is meeting them in person necessary? Is your medical staff equipped completely to take appointments through telemedicine? Go through all this and take the best measures judiciously. People have become increasingly cautious of this outbreak of the virus and it has escalated concerns of organisations when it comes to managing their visitors with visitor sign in software. Amidst this pandemic, it is very essential to stop any human to human interaction to prevent the transmission of this virus any further. Business needs to think of alternative ways of dealing with their visitors, check-in and everything. Follow the basic 5 steps mentioned above to prevent the spread at the basic level. Be aware of this issue and spread awareness among people. It’s best to stay home at this time and save the lives of others.