EDC office reopens

May 18, 2020

The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council reopened its office this week, in a limited capacity. The decision was made after extensive discussion and planning to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors.

The EDC’s reopening plan addresses four main areas: work schedules, social distancing measures and best practices, mitigation/PPE/visitors, and cleaning. Our CFO, Nealy Wheat, trained our entire staff on the plan during a Zoom call, and each employee received a copy of the plan as well. While most team members will be returning to the office, doing so is optional. Any team member who does not feel comfortable can continue to work from home.

Here is a rundown of each component of the plan:

 

Work schedules

Our entire staff will not be in the office every day. We have created two teams that will alternate days in the office with days working remotely, and we are following a phased approach for the first two weeks of the plan as well. A shared calendar has been created so everyone can keep track of their in-office days. At this point, we don’t have an end date in mind for when the alternate schedules will end. We will continue to monitor this situation and take cues from health experts.

 

Social distancing and best practices

To ensure we maintain proper social distancing, we have measured workstations to ensure everyone is sitting at least six feet apart, and we have reassigned workstations, if needed.

We worked with our creative agency Trickey Jennus and local printing company OAI to create branded floor markers that have been placed throughout the office to remind staff of social distancing in common areas.

Other social distancing efforts include limiting occupancy in shared spaces of the office like conference rooms, the kitchen and printer areas; establishing doors that are for exit or entrance only; and encouraging the continued use of virtual technology for meetings like Microsoft Office Teams and Zoom. Any in-person meetings are limited to 10 people or less and should follow social distancing guidelines.

 

Mitigation/PPE/Visitors

Upon entering the office, walking around common areas, and during in-person meetings, employees and visitors will be required to wear a face covering. The EDC has provided all employees with a cloth mask and has a surplus of disposable masks if a guest or employee needs one.

Employees will have their temperature checked upon entering the office and are encouraged to practice good hand hygiene.

 

Cleaning

Lastly, the EDC is taking additional steps to keep the office clean and sanitized. In addition to the routine cleaning our building provides, the EDC has provided cleaning products, hand soap, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and masks for use in the office. Surfaces in common areas such as conference rooms, reception area and kitchen, and on common touchpoints such as doorknobs, copier machines, light switches and handles will be cleaned and sanitized daily.

Employees will also pitch in by cleaning their workstations daily and helping in the kitchen if they use it for food or beverage preparation.

The safety and health of our employees is of the utmost importance, so there are two main themes of our reopening plan: flexibility and teamwork. First, we will continue to have flexibility when it comes to working remotely. If an employee isn’t feeling well or simply isn’t comfortable coming into the office, they are encouraged to work from home.  Secondly, keeping the office safe will take teamwork. Everyone will need to do their part to practice social distancing and be responsible for following the guidelines outlined in the plan.

If you have any questions about our plan or would like some guidance on your reopening strategy, please reach out Laura Fontanills, Marketing and Communications Director, at lfontanills@tampabayedc.com.