As the government relaxes its restrictions for curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, what are you going to do if you plan on reopening your business? To survive during this time of uncertainty, you need to adapt to the new normal. With customers and employees being cautious when it comes to spending time in enclosed spaces, what changes can you make to assure them they can trust your establishment? Brandmaximizers Inc. created an extensive health and safety checklist for reopening businesses, read on below!
How to decrease the chances of transmission?
Every business owner shares a similar concern – What measures can you take to ensure there is a low possibility for transmission when your customers and employees visit your establishment? By creating the right guidelines for reopening business, anyone who enters your firm will feel safe at all times.
It starts with educating everyone in your company about the COVID-19 pandemic. As there are plenty of misconceptions about the virus and how it spreads, providing accurate and trustworthy information is essential.
You may have to make changes to the company culture to adjust to the new normal. Make it mandatory for any employee who feels or falls ill to take sick leaves or work from home. The second step is to identify areas of your property where your staff and customers have a high chance of catching the virus. Billing counters in supermarkets, hospitals, and restaurants, can put everyone at risk if you don’t take appropriate measures to keep everyone safe.
Reopening business – Changing company culture
Your business should have health and safety measures as part of the strategy in adapting to the new normal. Not only do you have to comply with government regulations, but you also have to ensure you take a proactive stance against the virus.
Before you reopen your business, you have to designate certain employees with the role of handling all COVID-19 pandemic-related issues in your workspace. These staff members should be able to handle high levels of responsibility, as the virus can have a significant negative impact on your operations.
The second step is to promote health and safety-focused company culture. Try to implement flexible sick leave policies and encourage your staff to utilize them when they don’t feel okay. Don’t make it mandatory for your employees to provide a note from a healthcare professional or submit COVID-19 test results to be eligible to take a day-off. Don’t make it hard for your staff to file for sick leaves.
If there is a situation where a portion of your employees is sick, what is your playbook for continuing operations? Preparing yourself for the worst will help you keep your business running, even when absenteeism is at its highest.
Come up with a plan on how you can follow social distancing protocols in your workspace. All the planning to keep people safe will fall apart if employees and customers continue to be in proximity to one another.
Creating a safe and healthy workspace
Your reopening business plans should include how you go about creating a safe space for your employees and customers. Follow these guidelines to come up with an effective strategy to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic:
1. Promote proper hygiene
Excellent hygiene continues to be one of the best ways to keep the virus at bay. As you already are aware of potential hotspots for transmission, place alcohol-based sanitizers or soap dispensers in these locations. Inform all your employees and customers to avoid handshakes as a formal way to greet people. Instead, encourage everyone to use non-contact techniques.
2. Practice social distancing
The virus may not spread in your workspace if you enforce social distancing measures strictly. Send emails, notices, and messages to all your employees, informing them to stay at least six feet apart from each other. You can take an extra step to safeguard your staff and customers with social distancing markers.
3. Disinfection and cleaning
Make sure you disinfect your property frequently, especially areas that receive high volumes of foot traffic. There are plenty of tools available in the market, which you can purchase to follow this health and safety practice.
4. Protective barriers should be mandatory
If your business relies on face-to-face meetings, try to look for alternatives. You can go for virtual meetings, to ensure your employees don’t have to break social distancing policies. If you can’t avoid these situations, physical barriers are a great option. And encourage everyone to use masks or cloth coverings to reduce exposure and transmission of the virus. Businesses should also place notices or banners throughout the workspace, informing people to avoid touching their mouth, eyes, and nose.
What to do after you create your reopening business plan?
Once you have a clear picture of how you are going to run your company during the COVID-19 pandemic, you have to bring everyone up-to-date about your plan. Being transparent is essential, as people will trust your practices.
Use various channels, such as emails, social media platforms, and text messages to inform everyone about your measures to keep everyone safe. Let the employees and staff know that health and safety is a priority and necessity.
If anyone has concerns, ask them to get in touch with your company. Create FAQs and share it with your staff and customers to address common concerns.
Open for business
By following the above guidelines, your business will be in the best position to reopen and adapt to the new normal. To implement your plan, make sure you have a time frame, as it allows you to keep your expectations realistic. Only open your doors when you comply with the government’s regulations. Ask your employees and customers for feedback on your practices to identify weak points and areas for improvement. Always keep everyone in the loop even if you don’t have an exact date for reopening.
Brandmaximizers Inc. has all the essentials you need to start operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Get in touch to learn how you can make your reopening stress and virus-free!
