Did you know that as recently as February 2021, 22% of U.S. small businesses were closed due to COVID-19?
Small businesses have taken a huge hit due to the pandemic, and reopening can seem like a daunting task. However, it is possible to safely reopen your business.
So, how can you protect the health and safety of your staff and customers while reopening?
We’re here to help you out. Keep reading our guide below for everything you need to know about safely reopening your business.
Work with Your Employees
In order to safely reopen, you have to manage the health and safety of your staff. One way you can easily do this is by doing routine temperature checks when clocking in and out for shifts.
Manage potential symptoms by collecting weekly health questionnaires. Give thorough directions on workplace cleanliness, from hand-washing procedures to sanitizing workspaces.
Of course, you should encourage your employees to wear masks to protect not only themselves but also their fellow coworkers and customers. A good way to encourage mask-wearing is by providing disposable masks in the event that an employee forgets their own.
Manage Capacity
Managing capacity is especially important if your business is physically small. If you’re concerned about guest overflow, hang a max capacity sign in your window.
If you plan to hold appointments, visitor check in software can make the process smoother. It’s especially useful for healthcare businesses, as it can easily assess and record a patient’s symptoms without the need for face-to-face contact.
Encourage social distancing by using dots on the floor to indicate where to stand in order to be six feet apart from one another. If you’re running a retail business, this is a great way to avoid cramped lines from building up.
If possible, create a curbside pickup option. It offers your services to high-risk customers who still may not feel comfortable entering crowded stores.
Communicate with Your Audience
Should you learn that an employee or customer may have exposed others to COVID-19, it’s best to be transparent about it. It may require you to temporarily shut down if an employee was exposed or is sick.
To communicate with your team, create a group chat or use a business-centric messaging app like Slack or Discord. Make an effort to inform your regular customers through social media or email.
While this is a hindrance, it’s better to protect the health and safety of your entire staff and prevent a storewide viral spread. It also shows your customers that you’re taking their well-being seriously.
Ensure the Health and Safety of Your Business
As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to protect your employees and customers. With the guide above, you can build a reopening business plan that aims to protect the health and safety of your staff and its patrons.
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My name is Tom William a expert content creator and SEO expert having Proven record of excellent writing demonstrated in a professional portfolio Impeccable grasp of the English language, including press releases and current trends in slang and details.
