Is Your Business COVID-Secure?

We’re all very aware of the pandemic happening in the world right now, but have you considered how you plan to get your business back on track when the threat has shrunk? There seems to be a constant up and down as to whether people can go back to work, and when they do, how they can be safe at the same time. While essential services have remained open, other businesses and industries have massively struggled. So many are still worried about the spread, of being on public transport, of losing traffic for their business. There is a lot to worry about, and with an increase in lockdowns and isolation, the question surrounds whether your business is going to be a safe one to return to when the time comes.

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As a business owner, panicking is not an option. You have to plan! You have to ensure that when you open back up again, you are going to be able to remain as safe as possible for your staff, the public and for the new guidelines to make your business a safe one. It’s not just about social distancing and masks but in the correct commercial cleaning company to engage with and keep your business germ-free as you possibly can. To protect your business, you need to do what you can to minimise the risk of spreading the virus – and you need a lot of handwashing, too!

• Make a plan. The very first thing to do is write a plan that everyone can follow. The virus is spreading and changing and that means the right mutations in place to protect your company and your employees. You have to take a second look at your emergency planning and you have to think about how you plan to keep business going if you have to lockdown again. If things are working well already and we’re working well when you take time away from work in the first wave of lockdowns, look at ways to improve what you’re already doing.

• Check your tech. How is remote working going? If you have staff currently working from home, assess whether they are managing well and you may be able to step away from a full office to more of a home-based business. If this is the case, you’re going to save money in rent and you’re going to be able to offer your staff better, more upgraded technology. When your staff are already working well, it’s a case of “if it’s not broken…”. However, you have to assess this person to person – not everyone does well working on their own at home.

• Communicate with your management team. When you are getting ready to open up again, set up a Zoom meeting for all your managers and ensure that everyone is on the same page with opening. You should all be up to date on the local government legislation with your management team so that you can open safely on the same page.

• Communicate with the staff. So, you have some plans to reopen. The best people to talk to about that is the staff you intend to work on your business premises. They need to know not only what you expect of them, but what you plan to do to ensure that they are able to remain sane when they’re back. Ensure that they are aware, listen to their concerns and fill your staff in on the policies that you have in place.