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Tips on reopening your workplace: Touchless tech keeps workers safe

The pandemic has office and HR managers evolving their perspective of the frictionless workplace, as many solutions to the modern workplace have been reliant on touch technology.

Everything from conference room booking screens outside of the door to sign-in tablets and even biometric fingerprint scans — all these conveniences need to be re-evaluated in light of the recent pandemic.

With lockdowns lifting and vaccination rollouts underway, many Canadian companies are preparing to go back to the office.

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There are several ways to navigate the new normal in the workplace. From using voice activation and facial recognition as an alternative way to complete routine tasks without the risk of exposure or reducing dependency on shared devices, to re-imagining the lunch and coffee break, there are many considerations office managers must take during this transition.

Elkay, the leading manufacturer of award-winning water delivery products, has a new innovation that will support a safe return to office. With more than 50 years of experience in manufacturing water delivery products, including the award-winning ezH2O commonly found in schools and at airports, Elkay is proud to lead the way with the next generation of water solutions.

Launched in April 2021, the new Elkay Smartwell® Touchless Countertop Beverage Dispenser is a unit that dispenses delicious, custom beverages in a fun, eco-friendly way.

Here are some tips for a safe return to office for your employee’s courtesy of Elkay:

Install touchpoint checkpoints

Consider all of the surfaces employees touch on a daily basis! To minimize the spread of germs, set up sanitization stations around the office where employees will interact with frequently touched surfaces. Keep a healthy supply of sanitization wipes and Health Canada-approved hand sanitizer.

As one of the highest-touched places in the office, consider ways to make the kitchen a safer place.

Swap out the traditional coffee pot or water cooler with the Smartwell Countertop, which allows facility managers to give employees and guests a hands-free hydrating experience that is both hygienic and sustainable.

The pandemic has impacted the market for traditional water-dispensing products, propelling demand for more sanitary and hygienic features like hands-free options in commercial, public and residential spaces.

The Smartwell Countertop is a great solution that offers touchless activation by scanning a QR code through a mobile device. Staff can also monitor units, track touchless dispense data and manage orders from anywhere through the mobile portal.

Prioritize wellness

Now more than ever, it is imperative for employers to have a focus on their employees’ levels of health and wellness. Encouraging physical exercise and meditation breaks and stocking the kitchen with healthy nutritious food fosters a wellness-focused environment.

With the Smartwell Countertop, clients, team members, guests and beyond can experience a healthier and more exciting way to hydrate.

The dispenser provides an alternative to sugary beverages with filtered zero-calorie water and allows for ultimate customization by offering choices of filtered still or sparkling water and delicious and natural fruit flavors and enhancements.

With more than 70 custom beverage options, the unit can hold up to four fruit flavours at once (10 total flavours available), including raspberry, lemon and peach, as well as natural sweetener and enhancements such as Vitamin C, electrolytes and caffeine.

Maximize office real estate

With returning to the office, physical distancing will still have to be maintained for the foreseeable future. Spacing out desks six feet apart to help keep your employees feel safe and protected will be a must, meaning there will be less space for supplies and equipment.

The Smartwell Countertop eliminates storing bulky cases of bottled water or cans, saving not only space, but the cost of purchasing single-serve beverages for the property as well.

The unit gives office managers even further customization options if the building has limited counterspace or not enough clearance by offering an optional cabinet that can be purchased to serve as a stand and storage for extra flavor and enhancement pouches and filters.

The unit also utilizes compact, multi-use pouches that reduce waste from single-use plastic bottles and aluminum cans, helping companies and buildings sustain more eco-friendly practices.

Minimize office guests

As people try and keep their social circles and close contacts low, long gone are the days of in-person client meetings and regular visits from maintenance to fix the printer and empty the shredder.

Maintenance for Smartwell Countertop is also a breeze, only requiring cleaning of the unit daily or weekly (based on activity), and replacing the flavour and enhancement pouches when needed.

The portal conveniently monitors the unit, tracks touchless dispensing data and manages orders all through a computer, smartphone or tablet and will also send an alert when the flavour and enhancement pouches are running low and it’s time to reorder.

Facility managers won’t need to worry about ongoing maintenance as the service providers can easily conduct preventative maintenance using the intuitive touch screen prompts.

With options for all office and facility sizes and consumption needs, Elkay has the right solution to optimize savings while bringing fun, flavour and healthy hydration to any property.

These units help businesses meet corporate sustainability goals by eliminating single-use beverage waste from the building, without sacrificing flavour and variety for the employees.

In addition to creating a bottle-less property, the Smartwell Countertop saves money, space and time. With on-demand dispensing and multi-use pouches, these features help reduce the cost of single-serve beverages and helps save precious storage space and time all while contributing to a cleaner, healthier environment.

To learn more about the Smartwell Countertop, in addition to the full Smartwell® Collection, please visit elkaysmartwell.com or Waterlogic Canada for more information.