5. Organising your workplace
Changing how your workplace is organised, and how you work, can help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Reorganising the workplace and how you work
Changes you can make include:
- moving workstations apart
- grouping work teams so they consistently work together (sometimes known as ‘cohorting’ or forming ‘work bubbles’)
- moving chairs apart in rest areas so people can social distance
- removing tables and chairs from meeting rooms to make more space
- giving every worker their own workstation or equipment. If you can’t do this, clean equipment thoroughly between uses
You should also provide:
- handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels or hand dryers
- hand sanitiser throughout the workplace
- adequate ventilation and air conditioning
Make sure your changes don’t affect any health and safety precautions already in place. For example, improve natural ventilation by opening windows and doors where you can but don’t keep fire doors open.
Questions to ask your workers on organising your workplace
- How can we reorganise our workplace to reduce risks from coronavirus?
- Think about work areas
- Think about the other parts of the building we use
- Is there anything we can add or change in our workplace to reduce risks from coronavirus?
- Think about extra facilities
- Think about changing how we use equipment
- What are the areas or tasks we cannot change?
- Think about tasks that one person could do in future
- Think about how people can form work ‘bubbles’
- What else can we do to make our workplace safe?
- What can you do?
- What can your manager do?
- What can the company or organisation do?
Find out more
To help answer these questions you can find advice at:
- Social distancing to make your workplace COVID-secure
- Coronavirus: latest information and advice
- Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOV.UK
This page is reviewed regularly and updated to reflect any changes in the guidance.
Page last reviewed: 31 March 2021
Next review due: 30 April 2021