Keeping infections low during the pandemic is the goal for every business. An outbreak in the office could shut down operations, resulting in a total loss of productivity. Wherever in the world you are located, the main goal is to keep the virus from entering your workplace.

While some employees have the luxury of working remotely, many essential businesses need to stay open. These businesses have carried out strict COVID-19 policies to reduce the risk to workers.

But, how do workplaces around the world prevent the spread of the virus? Like restrictions outside of the office, each country has its own set of rules. In this article, we will be covering some of the COVID-19 preventative measures in global workplaces.

SINGAPORE
No country has enforced stricter COVID-19 workplace mandates than Singapore. From limiting occupancy numbers in the office to staggering work hours, they have gotten creative with their policies.

The foundation of COVID protection in every workplace in Singapore is the use of PPE. Employers must ensure that every person within the building is wearing a face mask. Along with wearing PPE, employers encourage their employees to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their faces.

Because the coronavirus is highly contagious, workplaces are encouraged to limit physical interaction. When a conversation is required, there are physical barriers and spacing requirements.

In the unfortunate case that an employee is feeling unwell, employers are required to keep a strict removal plan. Employees will be sent to a clinic and must monitor their health before returning to work.

NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand has been praised for its effective response to the pandemic. The country’s businesses emphasized the importance of implementing workplace restrictions and preventative measures.

The primary strategy used by New Zealand’s employers is properly supporting their workers. Businesses must encourage workers to stay home if they are having flu-like symptoms to avoid an outbreak.

Within the workplace, employers must take the proper measures to clean work spaces and equipment. According to the Ministry of Health, employers should wipe down surfaces with a bleach cleaning agent.

With these preventative measures in place, New Zealand will continue to be an inspiration to other countries battling the virus.

ICELAND
Iceland has taken the correct precautions, leading to only 6,286 cases of COVID-19 among the country’s residents. Iceland’s businesses take a very strict approach to quarantine and contact tracing.

If an employee has tested positive, the tracing team will contact them to find out the circumstances of the incident. Then infected employees must quarantine themselves.

The quarantine will typically last 14-days but will be long enough until the infected person tests negative for the virus. Employees will also quarantine if there is any question if they are infected.



Iceland does not take any chances with potential infections and would rather be highly cautious. This has been the reason why the country has had such success with its pandemic planning.

ISRAEL
The Israeli government has made an aggressive push to get all of its citizens vaccinated. In many offices and facilitates, paramedics have set up vaccine sites to give easy access for employees to get a shot.

In the workplace, employers are offering huge incentives to employees to get vaccinated. By providing proof that they have received the vaccine,Israeli employees can get free meals, event tickets, and even cash payments.

With these incentives, there has been a faster vaccinating process for the population. It has certainly proved to be worth it for Israel.

Before the vaccine was developed, Israel required workplaces to take the temperatures of employees entering. However, many companies required all employees to work remotely, and still are at the date of this article.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURE WORK
Having stricter workplace precautions has done well for many of the countries on this list. While each country has its own set of rules it requires employers to follow. Each workplace restriction has the same fundamentals for the safety of your health.

These restrictions limit employee interactions, encourage employees to stay home when sick, and clean the offices. By having precautions in place, workplaces in these countries have kept their employees safe and reduced outbreaks.

COVID-19 Restrictions in Workplaces Around the World

Louis Toffoli

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