Chris Botha, Group Managing Director of Park Advertising has announced that both media agencies within the Park Advertising Group, namely Meta Media and The MediaShop, will reopen their Johannesburg offices as from 17 June 2020.
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to be relaxed in many countries around the world, organisations are starting to think about when and how to restart operations. With South Africa moving to level 3 lockdown, a brand new normal is manifesting itself in many offices around the country.
“To protect our most important assets, our staff, we started working from home well before President Ramaphosa announced the country’s move to a hard lockdown and we were well prepared,” says Botha. “Now with some semblance of normality returning, we have decided to reopen our Johannesburg offices for those that wish to work in the office environment. In doing so we have developed the necessary processes and protocols to safely reopen.
We have made a large investment in hand sanitisers, social distance markers and various signs indicating the protocols to be followed at various locations around both offices. A thermometer service has also been implemented where everyone will get “temp checked” together with all the other necessary health protocols.”
In accordance to the new protocols and law, all staff are required to ‘self-diagnose’ daily. In order to manage the process more efficiently, Park Advertising has developed a mobile application that their staff can access to complete all necessary and relevant information online, without filling out paperwork.
Other precautions, safety measures and protocols include staff utilising face masks or shields, offices open only at set times, regular temperature checking and only small teams being allowed on the premises.
“Staff that want to continue working from home are encouraged to do so. Our Durban and Cape Town branches will reopen at a later stage. Unfortunately, media owners and clients will still not be allowed access to the buildings,” concludes Botha, “but we look forward to the time when we will be able to see all of our valued friends again.”
