A Smart Transition – Returning to Work in our Offices
At O’Connell Robertson, we are looking forward to the day when all our staff can be back together in our offices. With that in mind, our highest priority remains the health, safety and well-being of our staff and their families, as well as our clients and community, as we continue to monitor the unprecedented COVID-19 situation. Following the Governor’s Open Texas Plan, some of our staff will begin returning to work in our offices on June 1. Even with the cautious reopening of our offices in Austin, San Antonio and Houston, we recognize the situation in our communities is still evolving, and we will continue to update this web page as needed.
Our Solid Foundation: Our 70 years in business, history of repeat clients, and growth in recent years afforded us a solid foundation from which we’ve been working remotely for the past 9 weeks. The teamwork and professionalism shown by our staff during this time has been tremendous. We have learned a lot as we continued all our operations, worked collaboratively with each other and our team members, provided our clients the high level of service they are familiar with, and supported our staff and their families.
Our Preparation: We have put together a plan for limited numbers of our staff to initially return to work in our offices next week. After conducting a survey of all staff and having personal, one-to-one conversations with each staff member, we have developed a plan and protocols that will allow individuals to feel comfortable and provide a safe, healthy environment to support wellness and enable highest performance of our team members.
Our Workplace: We have prepared our workplace for staff with an enhanced cleaning and a plan to support social distancing in our offices. Signage at the entrance to our offices and throughout our workspace outlines CDC best practices and recommended cleaning protocols. Adequate supplies are available and distributed throughout the offices. To ensure the safety and wellness of our staff, delivery and visitor access will be limited to the office reception area and social distancing is required. All meals or food brought into the office must be individually wrapped or boxed meals. In the initial phase of opening our offices, masks will be required in our offices and on site visits. Jobsite visits will be virtual whenever possible and if onsite visits or meetings are necessary, our staff will follow contractor and CDC protocols.
Initially, we envision a work week that looks different for every employee as staff return to the office full time, part time, and others continue to work from home. Our phone system allows staff to be reached in office and at remote locations. We will continue to utilize conference calls or video conference platforms for meetings. With these processes and practices in place, we will continue to support ongoing communication and project development among our team and with our clients.
Going Forward: Since 1950, O’Connell Robertson has committed to bringing value through creative problem solving and design that positively impacts communities. Now more than ever, community is needed and deeply valued. As we transition back to work in our offices over the coming weeks, our dedicated staff will continue their unrelenting focus on providing unsurpassed client experiences delivered through tailored solutions.
As the situation changes in our state and communities, we may make adjustments to these operations. Most importantly, please know that we want all of you to be well, and are looking forward to prosperous times ahead. Please contact us if you have questions regarding your projects or to let us know how you are doing.