What You Need to Know Before Opening Your Business After COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed how businesses operate and has certainly led to the closing of many physical and virtual doors. But with stay at home orders being lifted and immunologists hard at work trying to slow the spread of the virus, there is hope on the horizon for businesses looking to get back to business as usual.
With this in mind, each business should have a reopening strategy to both minimize potential losses and maintain the health of their customers. With many business owners have questions about what life will look like after COVID-19, we’re covering how business owners should prepare to reopen – safely and successfully – after COVID-19 in this guide.
Why You Should Have a Post-COVID Reopening Strategy
The reopening of businesses after the Coronavirus has been called a “global experiment” in that we don’t have any clear answers to what will happen after social distancing rules have lifted. Essentially, it’s up to businesses both individually and collectively to create a strategic reopening plan.
Below are a few suggestions or action plans any business can consider:
- Having a plan for how to train your employees on safety procedures
- Encouraging the use of masks, handwashing, gloves, etc. as needed. Keep hand sanitizing stations near exit and entry points and near breakrooms
- Re-organize your breakroom. Remove all seating and chairs and place markings on the floor to keep employees 6ft apart.
- Establishing a transparent opening timeline for employees and customers
- Implementing the addition of proper signage throughout the workplace including clearly marked exit and entry points, floor markings to follow 6ft apart social distancing regulations, and clearly marked hand washing and sanitizing stations.
- Knowing how to phase into offering certain products/services to prevent financial struggles
- Having certain protocols for additional visitors to your workplace. Having a sign-in sheet will allow you to track each individual your staff may have come in contact with, and it is important to thoroughly coordinate who will be in the office and when to limit overcrowding.
- New meeting procedures. If an in-person meeting is unavoidable, make sure there is enough space for attendees to remain 6ft apart, and all attendees will need to wear masks. When possible, host meetings virtually.
- Knowing what tools to use to help your employees work better, safer, and more efficiently. Make sure hand washing stations are easily accessible and clearly marked, provide tissues throughout your facility to reduce the spread of common germs, and provide clear guidelines when employees should work from home or work within the office.
- Staggering shifts. Stagger when office employees should come into the office. Having the office at half occupancy will reduce exposure to bacteria and viruses and will allow the office staff more personal space while they work.
- Have the building and or offices and or restaurants inspected for rodent or pest activities. If your building or facility has been closed due to the mandatory shutdown, pests may have invaded your space, and pests such as rodents can carry harmful diseases that can put you, your employees and customers at risk.
- Consider a weekly or biweekly clean of Viking’s pro-clean and providing proof of cleaning showing the Viking pro-clean sticker and certificate with in the business area
All in all, having a reopening strategy is the best way to keep you, your employees, and your customers safe while minimizing financial fallout from opening too swiftly. Protection meets preparation.
How to Reopen Your Business After COVID-19
While there is no single step-by-step process for how to reopen after COVID-19, the White House has published reopening guidelines for businesses to follow. For simplicity, we have summarized the guidelines here to assist you in creating your own reopening plan.
Phase One
- Encourage telework and allow employees to work remotely, if possible
- Minimize non-essential travel to slow the spread
- Continued use of PPE such as masks and gloves
- Ongoing temperature checks of employees and monitor for symptoms
- Close common areas and enforce social distancing protocols. Limit the amount of employees allowed in the breakroom at once, and remove all tables and chairs
- Use of disinfectants in common and high-traffic areas. Receiving a Pro-Clean disinfection and sanitization service from Viking, will effectively reduce the amount of bacteria and viruses found on common surfaces such as light switches, and door handles
- Provide special accommodations to vulnerable employees such as the option to work remotely
Phase Two
- Continue to encourage telework whenever possible
- Continued use of disinfectants in common and high-traffic areas such as Pro-Clean. Viking offers a recurring Pro-Clean service to disinfect and sanitize your facility weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly
- Practice social distancing at large venues. Continue to enforce social distancing markings on the floor to keep employees and customers a minimum of 6ft apart
- Resume non-essential travel
- Continue to provide special accommodations to vulnerable employees
Phase Three
- Resume unrestricted staffing at worksites
- Follow limited social distancing protocols at large venues
- Consistent use of disinfectants such as Viking’s Pro-Clean to maintain cleanliness
- Continued encouragement of proper handwashing
Protect Your Business and Your Customers
At each phase of the recommended reopening plan, businesses are encouraged to keep common areas disinfected and sanitized to protect the health of their customers and employees. At Viking Pest, we support businesses in reopening safely and successfully by providing reliable sanitation services.
With our Pro-Clean disinfectant and sanitizing product, we assist businesses in sanitizing before reopening and offer ongoing service plans available to provide sanitization on a regular basis.
Is your business prepared to reopen after COVID-19? Fill out the form on this page to receive your FREE download of our reopening phased strategy. This comprehensive guide will guide you in creating a successful reopening strategy to keep your employees and customers safe.
