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IoT: 5 Easy Ways To Promote Social Distancing In Times of COVID-19

If there’s one buzzword that’s making the noise apart from coronavirus, it is social distancing.

While lockdowns have ensured that people are not transmitting the infection to others, several workers and companies are concerned about how to ensure safe distance on-site after the restrictions are eased.

While many companies may continue to adopt the ‘work from home’ policy, there are others who will have to let its shutters open and ultimately live with the virus.

In theory, minimizing contact to prevent the COVID-19 spread sounds easy. In practice, however, it isn’t natural to automatically maintain a safe distance from others.

Here’s how technology trends can help you stay safe and maintain a considerable distance while continuing with work

1. Build a smart office. Have smart technology

The chances of an employee testing positive increases when they are crammed in office spaces for a long time with other workers. Hence, the management now needs to incorporate technology that ensures that common points are barely touched, spaces sparsely shared.

Voice command tools are getting prominence now as they help in not only getting the job done but also leaves no room for any sort of physical contact. These include tools that control lighting, AC, doorbells, taps as well as a soap dispenser.

Automatic door sensors can detect even the slightest movement and can open the gate automatically without waiting for someone to touch the door. There is also the dusk to dawn lights that get switched on / off as the ambient light fades/increases.

Additionally, people in office buildings can call ahead and indicate the floor they want to go to using a smartphone app to avoid touching the buttons.

2.Integrate RFID tags to minimize physical touch

RFID tags are another piece of technology that facilitates work with minimal usage. The tags can be used to mark attendance, grant access to office spaces, thus eliminating the need for a biometric fingerprint attendance system.

In the case of industries dealing with supply chains, the tags can be used to streamline gate procedures and also ensure efficient asset management.

Additionally, a modern real-time locating system (RTLS) uses the RFID tags to trigger an alarm when tagged individuals come within proximity to each other.

By creating a virtual boundary around individuals, the system alerts when tag holders get too close and beep on both individuals phones if the distance is breached.

There’s also a notification when an employee enters an area that has been deemed off-limits due to COVID-19.

With the tags, the management can view where all personnel are located in real-time, as well as collect and store historic data.

3. Use GPS tracker to keep a tab on the staff

Just like RFID tags, GPS trackers can be used to ensure that there’s an optimum distance between the staff. Simple GPS tracking applications could be downloaded onto phones, and authorities can ensure that workers are not traveling outside of designated areas.

For companies dealing with a large fleet, the GPS tracking device lets you keep a tab on the movement of your drivers as well as ensuring that the fleet is nowhere near the containment zone.

It can also help them avoid large crowds by providing alternative routes that have less traffic.

The data from the tracker shows entry and exit time along with duration records, workers that usually work together, and in which areas they frequently gather together.

The historical data enables companies to selectively isolate contacts of any employees that have been exposed to COVID-19, allowing the rest of the company to keep working.

The management can also ensure that the infected patient is under quarantine, thereby reducing the risk of spreading the virus.

Many companies are also bringing in watch wearables enabled with GPS trackers that can keep a tab on the workers even outside the workspace.

Additionally, equipped with suitable technology, the wristbands can also be used to monitor vital health signs of the workers including temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels.

As a result, in case a worker is unwell, the company can ensure that other staff members are at a safe distance.

4. Bring in technology that can help you turn remote

While work from home culture may not suit all business needs, most companies will need to incorporate suitable technology to extend this facility to some of its staff, at least until the vaccine is out.

To facilitate smooth functioning while working remotely, it’s essential that workers have access to all related information and there’s excellent coordination among the staff. With an application like a GPS tracking system, you need not worry.

The software ensures that the managers can track the progress and overlook the functioning of its staff, right from the confines of their home. All that they need is WiFi, a laptop/mobile, and cloud storage.

With the video conferencing facility, the office meetings can be replaced by video and audio conferencing or communication through the application.

5.Contactless payment to be the new trend

To minimize contact, one area that is likely to see a spurt is contactless payment. Going forward, it will be necessary for businesses to offer a safe, reliable, seamless, and contactless payment experience for customers.

Similarly, drivers that drive buses or ferry you around in rented cars, can use RFID tags to pay toll charges without any actual exchange of currency. The car rental software comes with integrated platforms for online payments.

Conclusion

With most of these technologies, privacy concerns are high. Hence the companies must ensure that the data repository must be available only to the selected few and is secure.

Innovative means of limiting the virus in its track as well as ensuring proper distance among people are widely being discussed. With restrictions being lifted, it is important not to let the guard down.

The safety of its workers should be the prime duty of any firm. A technologically advanced GPS Vehicle tracking system is definitely your safest bet to keep your firm going. So, are you ready to welcome your employees back to work?

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