Ways That you Can Prepare your Business Premises for a Pandemic
Who would have thought, way back in early 2019, that we were about to endure a global Coronavirus pandemic, which wreaked havoc around the world? Science largely disagreed on the best approach to deal with this resilient virus called Covid-19 and some governments issued strict lockdowns, while also putting social distancing measures into effect. There are new strains mutating all over the world and with that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can reduce the risk of infection and transmission in your business premises.
- Call In the Professionals – If you approach a leading office cleaning contractor that uses the EnviroShield® disinfecting system, you can be sure that every square centimetre is disinfected. This would ideally be carried out every evening after the office closes and the office cleaning contractor is flexible, allowing you to tailor the cleaning service. While you might not wish to have the premises disinfected every day, once a week ensures that things never get too dirty.
- Correct Signage – You will need to put up signage indicating the location of hand sanitisers, plus respectfully remind people about PPE and social distancing. This is even more important when customers enter your business premises; PPE needs to be available and even putting marks on the floor to keep customers apart is helpful.
- Working from Home – If risks are high in your area, you should assign non-critical staff to work from home; if you provide a customer service and this can be carried out in a virtual environment, then you should offer virtual services, as this eliminates human contact. The least number of staff that you need to keep the office open would allow some employees to work from home.
- Using Technology – Using the cloud, for example, allows for real-time business communication and anything you can do to reduce human face-to-face contact will be effective in preventing transmission. If a client is due to have a meeting with you at your HQ, this could be turned into a Zoom call, which the customer would certainly appreciate. If the office is closed down for a period, it is essential that you have the office disinfected by your local office cleaning contractor. Click here for some great tips to create your own business website, which might save you some money.
- Carry Out a Risk Assessment – Your local state authority can assist you with carrying out a Covid-19 risk assessment, which will highlight specific risks that you can take steps to reduce. You should be looking to your government for advice, guidelines and status reports, as they issue news bulletins on a regular basis.
- Educate your Staff – It is critical that all employees are aware of the Covid-19 guidelines and having a short informal meeting every week is enough to keep the threat of the virus at the forefront of your mind. You can find a lot of free resources from the World Health Organisation and other venues, which will help you to prepare the workshop.
If your business is currently closed due to the pandemic, you need at arrange a number of services prior to reopening and with the above in hand, you can prepare your business for the pandemic.