WATCH: Making offices safer during COVID-19 pandemic

Many companies had their office staff work from home starting in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation.

The Dayton region was no exception.

Now as vaccinations become more common and cases of COVID-19 decline, employers are bringing back their staff to offices that have been modified to keep people safe.

Barriers, including higher cubicle walls, closure of smaller conference rooms and limits on gathering accompany requirements that employees physically distance themselves and wear face masks in common areas and when they are not alone in their office space.

The Miami Conservancy District in downtown Dayton has had staff rotating in on alternating days but in May is returning everyone to the office, with those safety protocols in place.

“The big driving force is all of our staff are eligible for vaccines. We are watching the numbers. We are adapting. We are being flexible,” said Shannon Phelps, manager of administration for the district. “That was the biggest lesson that we learned in 2020 is we have to be adaptable and we have to be flexible.”

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