If you can work remotely, work remotely. You don’t need me to tell you that. However, I have digital marketing clients who tell me things like: “My business was deemed essential enough to stay open during the pandemic, so I’m open. But, I’m terrified for my employees, customers, and everyone else. I’m doing everything I can to make my workplace safe, but I worry I’m missing something.”
That’s a common, natural concern. No matter how great your business is or what industry you’re in, COVID-19 can hurt your employees, which will lead to many terrible outcomes, including significantly harming your business. There are some steps you can take to make your business a little more COVID-19 proof (as much as something can be). You know the basics: work remotely if possible, clean everything often, wash your hands, make sure sick employees don’t come into work, and so forth. There are other ideas:
Think of Every Single Way that the Virus Can Get In, Then Do Something About It
You have policies on what your employees can do or say in the workplace already. Extend them to covering their coughs and sneezes. Go big on the cleaning supplies. Hand sanitizer and soap available to everyone. You don’t want to hoard, but you do want to have a bit more than you might need at this moment.
In many industries, workers could routinely use others’ desks, phones, workstations, and similar. Discontinue this immediately. Make sure that one worker uses their stuff exclusively whenever possible.
Speaking of workstations, move them. “Social distancing” isn’t just something that you do when you’re out for a walk in the park or at the grocery store or something. Make sure that your employees are working a distance from each other that complies with social distancing guidelines, namely six feet at least.
Give at Risk Employees Certain Consideration
You don’t want someone who’s sick to come into work, obviously. But, you may have workers at your workplace right now who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19: the elderly, people with respiratory problems, and so forth. Do what you can to make sure that they tend to have their work area perhaps a bit farther from the others.
In fact, staggering shifts is one way that many companies are getting through this. If you can keep the sheer number of people down in your workplace at any given time, that can go a long way towards keeping the risk down.
Washing Hands is Important: So is When you Wash Them
Washing hands is critical to not getting COVID-19, but it’s also important when you wash them. We all know to disinfect doorknobs, countertops, faucets and that kind of thing. Washing your hands after using those can help to stop the spread as well.
These are just some of the ways that you can help your employees. I’m here to help your business grow in as many ways as possible. For a consultation or help, I’m here at (213) 457-3250.
