With COVID-19 fast becoming a global pandemic in early 2020, the AC3 People & Culture team and Work, Health & Safety (WHS) committee mobilised to ensure that we were doing everything in our power to look after our people. The health and wellbeing of our team members at AC3 has always been a focus of attention and we knew that we needed to be on our A-Game to manage the unprecedented risk brought by COVID-19.

Conduct a Risk Assessment

In early March, our WHS Committee caught up, socially distanced of course, to conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment. The risk assessment helped us unpack the potential risks about to present themselves and cross reference those risks with practices at our office environments in Sydney, Melbourne & Auckland. By undertaking a proactive risk-based approach we were able to:

  • purchase hand sanitiser and cleaning products before panic buying set in;
  • consult our team members to understand their concerns;
  • establish strict personal hygiene practices and communicate them;
  • provide best practice COVID-19 recommendations to the CEO and Head of People & Culture.
Implement risk control measures

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to evolve over the course of the year with our risk controls matching or exceeding government advice. First and foremost, we encouraged our people to work from home where practical to minimise their risk being out and about and on public transport. We provided tech, education and tools to ensure our team members could be productive and their physical and psychological wellbeing was catered for.

In the office environments, we implemented risk control measures including:

  • advising team members feeling unwell or in contact with anyone unwell to self-isolate at home;
  • advising that no external guests are to attend the office;
  • requiring all attendees of the office to check in and provide contact details;
  • marking every second desk as not to be used;
  • creating signs on meeting room doors indicating maximum occupancy;
  • removing some tables and chairs from meeting rooms and break out areas;
  • providing disinfectant sprays, wipes and sanitisers throughout the office;
  • suspending non-essential deliveries;
  • placing hygiene educational posters throughout the office;
  • wiping down surfaces regularly throughout the day.
Work closely with your partners

Being an office environment, we knew we could control our tenancy however we wanted to be proactively involved with other environments that our team members would come in contact with. One of the most important partnerships was formed with our building management company. We were able to form a collaborative relationship, meeting with them weekly to discuss strategies for the wider building to implement. As a result of this relationship:

  • cleaning of the building and tenancy occurs much more frequently and thoroughly;
  • maximum occupancy signs are placed in lifts;
  • additional hand sanitiser stations are available;
  • building management are consulted regarding expected volumes of occupants.
Formalise being a COVID safe business

We’re proud of the lengths we’ve gone to that ensure the health and safety of our team members and visitors. To formalise the actions we’ve undertaken we completed the NSW Government’s COVID-19 Safety Plan and registered as a COVID-19 safe environment. This helps create a sense of comfort for team members and guests that we are taking all necessary steps to minimise the risk. We shared our Safety Plan within the business to ensure everyone is aware of their personal responsibilities under the plan and we regularly discuss COVID-19 at staff updates to keep it front of mind.