A shared space is a shared responsibility
149 days ago
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The results of our recent survey on re-opening our central Sodexo offices are now in. In total, 636 of our office-based colleagues responded – thank you to all those who took part.
As we spend time processing the results and preparing to share them with you in next week’s Weekly Brief, we wanted to focus on one theme that came out loud and clear:

55% of you stated that exemplary behaviour from colleagues is what would make you feel most safe when returning to using Sodexo’s office spaces.
The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has truly shone a light on how the actions of one can affect the many, with all of us being asked to comply with new rules and procedures, whether set by Government, management teams at venues, or even by those around us expressing their wishes.
When using the office spaces, there are a few things we all need to do to keep ourselves and each other as safe as possible. These include:
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Maintaining a two-metre distance from others wherever possible – one-way systems are in place, but there may be times when passing someone walking in the other direction would mean being closer. In these instances, stickers will mark where you should wait to let the other person past.
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Remaining distanced when at your desk – it may be tempting to have someone look at a piece of work on your screen (that face to face collaboration we’ve been missing) and feel odd to be screen sharing when you can see the person you want advice from, but we’re asking colleagues to stay apart for now.
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Keeping a clean desk – We get it, you’ve been surrounded by house plants and candles for the last five months, but it’s not time to bring all of that to the office yet. Our cleaners are working hard between desk use to ensure everything is sanitised appropriately, please give them a hand by just bringing in what you need for the day and no more.
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Wiping shared facilities before and after use – this goes for the coffee machine, the printer, fridge doors and handles and other communal surfaces. Wipes are provided throughout the office where you’d need them, so please take the extra 10 seconds to keep your colleagues safe.
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Washing your hands regularly – we can’t say it enough, washing your hands regularly for 20 seconds at a time is one of the most effective forms to help stop the spread of infection.
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One at a time – please stick to one person at a time in shared zones like restrooms and food and drink preparation areas, we know you might really need a coffee before your next call, so be prepared and check in advance when you can make it!
Lastly, but most importantly, please ensure that you challenge with humility if you see colleagues not sharing the responsibility.

A key part of Sodexo’s Spirit of Progress is being comfortable with challenge. Be kind, be considerate, but be confident that it is the right thing to do to speak up if you feel any of your peers or leaders are not behaving in a way that upholds the guidance around safe working during Covid-19.
You can find more information on how to keep yourself and others safe in the office here.
Check back next week for more insights from the survey.
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