THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It companies in the city are slowly warming up to the idea of letting employees into the office. Though the government has allowed one-third of the workforce, companies have used their discretion to reduce the total number of workers present at a time. Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure maintenance of social distancing norms and to prevent the spread of infection. Thermal scanners, hand sanitisers, special instruction boards on the dos and don’ts of the new office etiquette and foot-operated water dispensers are some of the features employees have to familiarise themselves with once they return to office after the break.
Food courts will accommodate lesser number of people with each table having only one or two chairs. Similar measures will be taken in other common areas, said an IT park officer. He said the companies have also decided to close swimming pools and gyms for the time being.
Infosys which has a large campus in the city is allowing only 5 per cent of employees to return to work in the first phase. Only senior employees from manager level are being allowed to attend. Employees using the company bus service have been asked to maintain physical distancing. Only four persons will be allowed inside the office lifts and people entering in it shall stand in the corners.
Almost all major companies have purchased thermal scanners to monitor body temperature of employees at the entrance. While some companies have done away with biometric punching, a few of them want the employees to use hand sanitiser after punching. All the employees visiting the office have been asked to install Arogya Setu mobile application mandated by the Central government.