The tricky thing about preparing your business for a pandemic is that usually, no one actually does it. No one really believed that we will be so fragile and underprepared in 2020 that a single virus would put the world economy at risk and ruin people’s lives. As apocalyptic as it sounds, this is the situation right now, and it’s really important for all businesses to take the appropriate course of action, even if they were not prepared beforehand.
Each case is different, of course, but there are some general rules you can follow to ensure your business stays on top and, most importantly, everyone is safe and healthy.
Here is what a professional home maintenance services provider proposes to everyone who is providing services during Covid-19 pandemic.
Safety first
As morbid as it sounds, the only thing we cannot take back is death. That’s why we urge people to always put the safety of their employees and customers in the front lines. You need to show both the customers and your professionals that they can count on you and here are a couple of tips on what you can do in order to be responsible in these dire times.
- If your business consists of providing services to clients, appropriate gear must be provided to all your employees. This includes gloves, masks and overshoes.
- Make sure to check daily the temperature of your staff and yourself. This also includes being vigilant about any other symptoms – cough, tiredness, chest pain, etc.
- Disinfect all your equipment at least two times a day and if the professionals are the ones responsible for that, make sure they have all the needed sanitisation products to perform that.
- Make sure that your employees have not travelled outside the country in the past three months.
- Check if any of your employees live with people with a higher risk of getting sick like people with chronic illnesses and the elderly.
- Develop a sick leave plan that will encourage your employees to stay home and seek treatment should they have any symptoms. They should not be afraid to share any concerns they might have regarding their health and that of the people living with them.
- Keep in mind all the other stress factors that might influence the performance of your workers. Death and sickness of family members, friends and coworkers, change in financial support systems and similar obstacles can really affect a person’s ability to work and use their full potential. See if there are any programs or specialists that deal with trauma and similar situations in order to help your employees. A business is nothing without the people and now is the time to show them how valued they are.
- Encourage people to start working from home, if that is possible. The people who do not have the required equipment should be provided with such.
- If possible, change all your payments and other financial procedures to them being entirely online.
- Encourage that they go along with these guidelines in their personal life, as well. In order to be fully responsible for our health and that of others, these steps need to be followed in our day to day life. And it’s the job of CEO’s and leaders to be a proper example of what should be done.
Building agility is the key to survival
In order to survive this storm, you will have to navigate carefully and resourcefully. Now more than ever you have to think of the present and future of your business and the people who depend on it.
- Make sure you are aware of all the actions taken by the government and the National Health Service regarding the pandemic. Things change by the minute and you have to be certain you are not putting anyone at risk while performing services for your customers.
- Communicate with your suppliers, should you have any, and be aware of any changes that might take place. Talk with them about the situation, their plans for the future, if they have any problems, etc.
- Preparing people on time about what is to come and being completely transparent is extremely important. You might be scared, probably everyone is, but it’s important to be stable in critical situations and honest with the professionals you work with.
- Be prepared to work with a limited force. As we mentioned, these are the times of constant change, which means you might get to a point where you will have to let go of some people. Make sure that they are rightfully compensated for their work even after they are no longer part of your company.
- Invest in a more tech-driven and digital commerce operating system.
- Get rid of outdated practices and research the ways successful companies operate.
Life and business after a global pandemic
Many people use the phrase “when things go back to normal”. Truth is, things will never go back to what they were before. There is going to be a new normal where people will be a little more appreciative of the things that they have and realise the importance of change.
Businesses that have relied solely on their reputation and old practices for many years will now grasp how important it is to move with the flow of the world, follow the changing cultural norms, the consumer’s behaviour and their social values. People are now realising what is essential to them which includes both services and products. These changes will affect not only the present market and demand but the future one, as well.
It’s vital to understand that this is not the time to stay still but a time to move forward and reinvent yourself and your business. Make sure people know they can count on you – that means customers, partners, suppliers, and most of all, employees. However, you also have to make sure that everything is done in a balanced manner that will not result in burning out and giving up.
It will not be easy, but it will pass, and in the meantime stay safe, stay healthy, and stay home.