Add social distancing markers where people congregate or line up.
Kitchens and break areas can get busy, so this is where social distancing markers are most critical. The golden rule is to keep six feet apart, but despite people’s best intentions, approximating this spatial barrier can be difficult without visual cues.
You can use floor stickers, tape, paint - get creative! These markers can be whatever you want, as long as they’re six feet apart. This is some habit-forming you can have fun with.
Rearrange seating or add dividers to create distinct areas.
If possible, your common areas should be made up of smaller areas separated from each other. This could mean sacrificing some tables and chairs or adding a few moveable partitions.
Space permitting, you could create more designated food/drink/break areas around the office, to give employees more options for having a break or bite with a buffer of space.
Schedule rotating coffee/meal breaks.
One way to keep a sparse break room is to have employees stagger their coffee and meal breaks. This reduces the number of people congregating in the common area at once.
We recommend creating a schedule that can help your employees stick to the staggered approach, and we also recommend you consult your employees to ensure their proposed break times work for them. If you need any help creating such a schedule, we’re here to help.