Oops! That’s Too Close: Corporates say it in style as offices resume

As workplaces get set to bustle again, after a long Covid-19 lockdown, office-goers stock up quirky safety signages to ensure social distancing.

Now that people have started going back to work, a life post Covid-19 lockdown beckons safety as priority. In times like these, don’t be surprised if you meet a co-worker showing a Safety Signage such as ‘Keep Six Feet Apart’, ‘Don’t Touch The Handrail’ or ‘Wash Hands For 20s Seconds’. These signages come in handy to encourage social distancing, and have been trending online.

“I’d personally write ‘Mind The Gap’ on my desk,” says, Raunak Mehta Sandhu, a deputy controller in an airline, adding, “To begin with, I will be using public transport as less as possible, which was earlier mainly my lifeline. Also, eating out is reduced, so I’ll be washing hands very frequently and not sharing food with colleagues, and will even try and have less emotional contact with people.”

“It’s interesting what we have planned to come up with. ‘Ye Duriyaan’ perhaps with a good graphic, ‘Saath Baithna Sehat Ke Liye Haanikaarak Hai’, and ‘Act Like You Are Infected’, are a few graphical signages that we have in mind,” says Manas Fuloria, who runs a software company in Gurugram.

“Tanushree Vij, a creative strategist , says, “I believe, no matter how carefully we start our day, once things start going back to normal, it’s only human of us to forget. That’s why signages that will be useful are: ‘Mandatory Distance’, ‘Time to Wash Hands’, and ‘Don’t Touch the Door Knob’. These were never a part of our lifestyle earlier, but are essential now!”

Especially at workplaces where our profession depends on interacting with each other, these small yet significant reminders can go a long way in making safety a conscious choice, and even in instilling some good habits. So, as you return to normal life, be prepared to find some witty signages at offices, corporate hubs, or even malls. No no, these won’t be like the standee reading ‘Avoid MEN... follow WOMEN’ that a corporate office recently used to disseminate information on social distancing, and went viral on social media, for all the wrong reasons. Instead, one could find written: ‘Namaste Team Mates to Avoid Handshakes’, ‘Danger Alert!’, and ‘Oops! That’s Too Close.’

Yatika Sehgal, a Delhi-based IT executive, says she’ll reduce “physical gestures” with her colleagues, and adds, “I’ll try and keep it a minimum (handshakes, high-fives, friendly pat on the back). I’ll ensure their hands are washed and masks are on when they’re around me.”

Author tweets @Nainaarora8

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