According to the circular issued on 5th June, ministries, departments and agencies will identify 30% of their total workforce to remain on duty to ensure critical services are provided while the rest will offer their services remotely in the post-lockdown era.
This is one of several measures the ministry of Public Service has developed as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for office operations in the public service sector as government moves into phased lifting of the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ministry says the guidelines are made to ensure that government continues to deliver quality services while mitigating the spread of coronavirus.
Physical interaction of staff will also be limited to ensure social distancing in all engagements with their internal and external clients.
Visitors will not be allowed into office premises with exception of services where their presence is inevitable for example in hospitals.
Use of masks, thermo scanning, sanitization at entrances of office premises will be mandatory while within the office premises, employees must limit physical interaction with fellow employees.
Physical meetings are not allowed with video conferencing platforms used as alternatives but where emergency physical meetings are required, they should be held outdoors and accommodate not more than 10 participants.
Employees with flu or cough and fever must stay home and seek medical treatment while employees within the advanced age, persons with co-morbidities and breast-feeding mothers should be encouraged to work from home.
Appropriate protective equipment should be made available to all employees and usage should be adhered to at all times.
Employees should be encouraged to use personal/official vehicles for commuting to and from offices but officially allocated vehicles can be used to pick or drop those who don’t own personal vehicles.
Frequent disinfection of high-touch surfaces should be done and employers encouraged to come with their packed food to avoid congestion at lunch breaks.
A list of hospitals/ clinics/ health facilities authorized to test and treat COVID-19 patients in areas near office premises should be displayed in strategic areas within the workplace and in case of an emergency, responsible officers should report the cases to the Ministry of Health.
