Talking with your workers about preventing coronavirus (COVID-19)

Removal of some coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions

This page is up to date following the removal of some restrictions in England. There are different regulations and guidance to follow for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The latest advice on keeping workplaces safe will help you assess the risks and continue to reduce COVID-19 transmission. This includes links to information on vaccination, as well as on testing, tracking and tracing (including where variants are spreading).

4. Organising your workplace

Changing how your workplace is organised, and how you work, can help reduce transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your premises.

Reorganising the workplace and how you work

Changes you can make include:

  • grouping work teams so they consistently work together (sometimes known as ‘cohorting’ or forming ‘work bubbles’)
  • giving every worker their own workstation or equipment. If you can’t do this, clean equipment thoroughly between uses
  • using screens between people to create a barrier
  • staggering times people come into work or go home
  • encouraging workers to use all entrances or exits to a building
  • staggering meal or other breaks
  • establishing one-way systems in your premises
  • asking delivery drivers to wait in a waiting area or to remain in their vehicles while loading and unloading
  • limiting visitor times to a specific time window and restricting access to required visitors only
  • allocating time slots for customers

You must also have:

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 the risks of COVID-19 transmission?
    • 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 the risk of transmission?
    • 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:

We review and update this page regularly to reflect any changes in guidance.

Page last reviewed: 31 July 2021

Next review due: 31 August 2021

Updated 2021-07-30