Like hot-desking, but you have to book through an app and not talk to colleagues
A Groningen software company has developed an app that ‘promotes safe working in the office’. Whilst the main feature of the app is that it allows employees to ‘book’ desk space, it could also be used for contract tracing were an outbreak to flourish in an office building.
With more and more people returning to the office, keeping a distance of one and a half meters is crucial. Capteur Software Development has developed a social distancing tool that makes it easy for companies to comply with these measures, reports the GIC.
Once an employee has reserved a desk, they will receive a smart-badge that is linked to the app. This badge signals when colleagues come within 1.5 meters of each other. If anyone in the office has tested positive for the Coronavirus, the app can contribute to a contact investigation.
The one and a half meter rule will remain in place for the foreseeable future, and many workplaces are being redesigned to ensure that they uphold this rule. In most cases this amounts to fewer work-places. The Capteur social distancing tool allows the employee to reserve a free workplace, which ensures that there are not too many employees in the office, making it possible to actually keep a distance of one and a half meters.
Dwayne Bartels, commercial manager and programmer at Capteur: “The safety of the personnel is the most important thing, they must be able to work without fear. At the same time, we notice that it is difficult for some people to keep to a distance of one and a half meters. Our badge gives a clear signal if employees are too close to each other. These badges are also temporarily made available to visitors.”
In case of Coronavirus outbreak within a company, the tool can be used for contact research. All employees who have been in contact with an infected person in the previous two weeks will receive a message.
