Tips for Staying Healthy in a Hybrid/Coworking Office Space

The hybrid work model is gaining in popularity as more people return to the office. This new trend means workers are spending some days in the office and some days working from home. Because of this, many companies are taking away permanent desk setups and opting for an office where people come in and grab any desk that’s open.

This new shared and collaborative approach may be great for business, but it can be a breeding ground for germs. This shift can lead to colds, flus and other viruses being spread at a much faster rate than in a traditional office space.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of tips to help workers stay healthy and navigate this new office world.

Make wiping the desk down with disinfecting wipes a daily habit. In a traditional office world, a person could get away with wiping the desk and keyboard down a few times a week. This should now be the first task on someone’s to-do list when arriving at the office to a shared desk. Unplug everything. Wipe it down. Don’t forget the keyboard and the mouse!
Do not share pens. In a traditional office space, it was common to have pens in a holder on a desk. These days, people may leave pens just lying around and it could be tempting to grab the one that’s there. Store clean pens in in a personal bag and be sure to sanitize regularly.
Do not place work bag or purse on the desk once it’s sanitized. A personal bag has all of the stuff needed for work and it also contains a lot of germs. It picks germs up from home, from the cab, and from the floor of the office. It’s important to be mindful of where the bag has been before placing it on a clean desk.
Clear away coffee mugs and other items left behind. Until people are more used to sharing desks, it may be common for a coworker to leave a coffee cup or water bottle behind. It goes without saying that these are covered in germs. Use a disinfectant wipe to move the item to another shared space before beginning work.
Clean the cell phone daily. In a shared and collaborative space, people will be picking up and putting cell phones down on desks all around the office. It’s well known that cell phones have many germs. The best way to keep germs away in this new environment is to sanitize daily.
Sanitize laptop, pens and notebooks at 5pm. In this new world, a person will likely not be returning to the same workspace the next day. It’s important to get in a habit of sanitizing the laptop, any pens, tablets or notebooks before leaving the office to avoid bringing germs home.