C.D.C. Recommends Sweeping Changes to American Offices

[Eugene]

Source: New York Times

C.D.C. Recommends Sweeping Changes to American Offices

Temperature checks, desk shields and no public transit: The guidelines would remake office life. Some may decide it’s easier to keep employees at home.

By Matt Richtel
May 28, 2020
Updated 9:52 p.m. ET

Upon arriving at work, employees should get a temperature and symptom check.

Inside the office, desks should be six feet apart. If that isn’t possible, employers should consider erecting plastic shields around desks.

Seating should be barred in common areas.

And face coverings should be worn at all times.

These are among sweeping new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the safest way for American employers reopening their offices to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

If followed, the guidelines would lead to a far-reaching remaking of the corporate work experience. They even upend years of advice on commuting, urging people to drive to work by themselves, instead of taking mass transportation or car-pooling, to avoid potential exposure to the virus.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/health/cdc-coronavirus-offices.html

[EllieBC]

1. No public transit?

That’ll kill urban areas. Also we need public transit expansion, not fewer riders.

[napi21]

2. Unless things have radically changed since I was working in an office, the bosses will NEVER permit

most of their employees to work from home. They want to be able to SEE that everybody's working ALL THE TIME and they're gettin their money's worth out of payin them! I've been on both sides of the fence, and when I made it to a mgr. i WAS TOLD TO watch!I was never a hard core mgr. On my first day at that Co. I was told, "No hanging around talking in the hall, The Pt resident comes done to this floor & if he sees people BSing in the halls, he makes sure whoever he saw is fired!" I was young & stupid and listened to that BS. I learned later it wasn't THAT BAD, but they were definitely old school. I'm sure some places like that are still hanging on.

Sr. mgrs. though will probably only be in the office 1 day a week.

[lagomorph777]

5. My company has been forced to do that, and productivity is up.

I think they are re-evaluating their prejudices.

[Lithos]

3. large office buildings are unusable

elevators...

[Initech]

4. Argh, I don't want to live or work in a fucking bubble the rest of my life.

And I also don't want a fucking doctor appointment every time I leave the house either.

This is getting to be absolute insanity.