Help Employees and Customers Feel at Ease With COVID-19 Signage

If you’re running a business in the time of COVID-19, you’re likely waist deep in preparation plans for welcoming employees back to the office and inviting customers back to your brick-and-mortar location.

You may have experience developing workforce recall procedures after a routine shutdown, but your return-to-work plan during and after the COVID-19 pandemic will be anything but routine. Not only will you need to stay up to date with public health guidelines and be ready to respond to emerging changes, but you may also need to continue new procedures and protocols long after a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available and the threat is decreased.

The Society for Human Resource Management, made up of experts on issues that impact the modern workplace, provides a comprehensive COVID-19 Back-to-Work Checklist that identifies 10 key areas for employers to focus on, including workplace safety (No. 1) and clear communication (No. 6).

Certainly communicating clearly about new workplace safety guidelines is a must—and that’s where COVID-19 signage can help.

Signage of the Times

COVID-19 signage is shorthand for the quality printed signs and banners that help inform your employees, your customers and everyone else of safety and procedural guidelines you have put in place to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Essentially, COVID-19 signage addresses people’s concerns about how your business will keep them safe while they’re in your office, store, restaurant or other places of business.

COVID-19 signage reminds people to wear a mask and wash hands as well as how to wash hands, disinfect devices and physically distance from others. COVID-19 signage can also delineate alterations to traffic flow in a tight hallway, the number of people allowed in a room at one time and building areas closed to entrance.

COVID-19 signage gives answers to common questions such as temporary closure, revised hours of operation, limited service menus, shipping and delivery options, curbside pickup, touchless payment, etc. It can be designed not only to inform but also to communicate awareness about COVID-19 and motivate people to comply with precautions or calm their fears about venturing into your business.

How Do I Know What Should Go on a COVID-19 Sign?

With all the new and ever-changing pandemic information out there, you may be wondering what should actually get printed on a COVID-19 sign. Not to worry. Government entities, public health organizations and even educational institutions have been hard at work developing standards, recommendations and guidelines to help you and your workers identify risk levels at your workplace and determine appropriate control measures to implement. Here’s a rundown of resources:

• The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has an entire section of its website devoted to COVID-19, which includes detailed standards and directives, downloadable pamphlets such as “Guidance on Returning to Work” and “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19,” and posters like “Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus.”
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a coronavirus (COVID-19) web presence complete with an updated Returning to Work section as well as articles like “Public Health Guidance for Community-Related Exposure” and “Cleaning and Disinfection for Community Facilities.” The Communication Resources section of the CDC website offers COVID-19 One-Stop-Shop Toolkits that include free print posters and other print resources, videos, public service announcements, social media materials, checklists, FAQs, and web resources.
• Harvard University Environmental Health & Safety has free resources for COVID building and workplace signage, including design instructions, wayfinding and personal safety-related visuals, floor stickers, and more.

Best Practices for COVID-19 Signage

1. Create a sense of community and common purpose with clear messages that have a friendly tone of voice, feel approachable, elevate the mood and put people at ease.
2. Let people know what to expect when they return to your place of business with helpful signage supported by a companion promotional campaign that includes email, social media, video and other digital communications.
3. Use bright colors, bold graphics, fun or relatable phrasing, creative illustrations, or other visuals that align with your company brand. Consider the material, location and scale of your signs so they complement your space.

By focusing on the needs of your employees and your customers, you can create an overall uplifting and refreshed experience for them when they return to your business.

But the planning doesn’t end there. Be prepared and plan for updated messaging and signage for use after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

About Precision Color Graphics

Delaware-based Precision Color Graphics is a full-service, large-format digital color printing company dedicated to helping you communicate effectively with your customers through beautifully created visual products.

PCG professionals understand the time and effort that goes into developing your print and graphics projects, and we take our role in this process seriously. From signs and banners to custom display solutions, large format visuals for legal and academic use, document printing, large-format printing, architectural branding, specialty projects, and almost anything in between, PCG will take your projects from concept to completion—and make your job as painless as possible.

Contact PCG any time to discuss your next project with one of our digital print experts.