Second day back in the office and social distancing

[Skippypeanutbutter]

Today was my second day back in the office after having worked from home for the past 14 weeks. I am happy to be back but completely anxious about the lack of social distancing going on my by colleagues. There are only about 15-20 of us in a large office but people come up to my desk while I am sat at it to chat and ask questions. I find myself backing off in my chair as they get closer and they are completely unaware. I want to say something to my boss but don’t want to them think I am being over the top. Am I? People need to sign documents that I give them but they use my pen and then try and pass it back. I think bin it and they roll their eyes. Would be be being over the top to mention it to my boss? We have a great relationship but I’m not sure if I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill. I haven’t even been as close to my family distance wise as I have to most of the people in my office today.

No it's not over the top. In fact you could sue your employer for dereliction of duty to keep you safe at work. It's still the law to maintain social distancing.

Speak to your boss. Don't be apologetic. Tell your colleagues clearly that they are too close and to step back please.

If you have a union rep they should be all over it.

I know you are right, thank you. They are the nicest employers and I suppose I don’t want to create a fuss But seeing the news with people overcrowding beaches etc and figures expected to go up it makes me so nervous. Time to grow some confidence and say something. No rep unfortunately and no HR as such.

I want to say something to my boss but don’t want to them think I am being over the top. Am I? People need to sign documents that I give them but they use my pen and then try and pass it back

No, you are absolutely not being over the top. You should just tell them , but your boss (or you if you’re in a position to take that initiative yourself) should also be introducing new processes for stuff like document signing e.g docs left in separate location for signing, people use their own pens, you collect. Or ideally use electronic signatures.

People need to be told before they settle back into their old ways like nothing’s happened!

Masking tape on the floor around your desk, tell people to keep behind the line.

Don’t let anyone have your pen.

Assert yourself.

It’s difficult to tell people to stand back but I had to do this prelockdown when people came too close (I’m pregnant so being more cautious).

I work in an office and have done throughout the pandemic (emergency services). Your office should have a full Health and Safety risk assessment including measures to mitigate risks e.g. no sharing of stationary, go paper lighting at all possible to reduce multiple people touching items, only one person to be using a small space at a time (we have copier /printer in basically a broom cupboard so it is one person in at a time). Also, ensure adequate cleaning supplies to wipe telephones etc. The link below may help but you maybe have to also assert yourself until colleagues get the message
www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/risk-assessment-template-and-examples.htm

Durr, not paper lighting! Should be paper-lite!!

I’m back in the office next week, tiny family run business with literally no space for social distancing, Colleagues who have no awareness of boundaries, dreading it!

I went back to work this week for three days and I'm in next week for four days then supposedly back on furlough

First time I've been in for thirteen weeks, handles on the doors that are designed so you can open with your elbow, hand sanitizer everywhere, two metre markings on the floor. I was given paperwork to sign about guidelines etc

However, typical of my workplace, hardly anything is being followed. I saw my manager having a conversation with two employees and there was about 2ft between each person, they could have distanced properly as there was a huge amount of room.
I also walked past an office yesterday, everybody close together and only one wearing a mask. In fact that person has had a mask on every single time I've seen him in the three days. He's pretty much the only one

I'm just keeping my distance from everybody which in my role is very easy and if I go close I put my mask on. The air con is running in the canteen though which makes me think germs are being spread around the whole canteen even though it's one person per table. It just feels like if we're going to do this we either do it correctly or don't bother at all, right now you'll see somebody with a mask on then five minutes later they've taken it off and are close to others

My office building is all signs up, floor markers and hand gel.

The military don’t care about any of that. The few civilians in are much more cautious! Thankfully the building is much, much quieter than normal as most people are WFH and will be forever.