How to Prepare Your Business for a Second Wave of COVID-19

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic, we have all had to make difficult decisions, work through emotional and physical ailments, and learn how to adjust to a “new normal” way of living. However, it seems that even once when have begun to direct this new normal, we find ourselves facing another potential threat. We may not know exactly what to expect in the upcoming months, but predictions suggest that a second wave of the virus will come and last longer and with push even further with the upcoming flu season approaching.

We must adapt to this ever-changing timeline, and employers must continue to focus on the current measures created to enforce social distancing, personal hygiene, and the use of PPE.

Employers must enforce and implement strong, concrete COVID-19 health and safety guidelines to help prevent future waves from impacting their company and most importantly, their employees’ lives. This virus is no longer new, and we now have the ability to create strategies that can effectively combat the issues created by the widespread pandemic. It is time to reflect on your actions over the past six months and analyze where your company could improve for the future.

In this post, we’ll explore several areas you should consider as your prepare your team for a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

Prepare Your Workplace

If your employees are planning on reentering the office space, you must ensure that the environment adheres to the highest level of health and safety regulations that are expected of you. Make sure that you continue to monitor the effectiveness of your strategies and give your employees the given space to express their opinions. Consider how you will implement and enforce social distancing, and also ensure your safety protocols will be compliant with any state or local mandates in place. Additionally, think about your overall employee communications strategy and how you will continue to keep you team updated and feeling safe and secure during this challenging time.

Stock Up On Essential Supplies

Make sure that your employees have access to all of the essential supplies that they need while in the workplace. Make it a priority to purchase plenty of materials like PPE, paper goods, and cleaning supplies that were largely unavailable in the early hours of the first breakout. The need has gone down substantially, so now is the perfect time to stock up on these items before the potential next wave. It may be the best time to think about the possibilities of vaccination for the virus and what distribution of this element may look like for your business as well. Your healthcare provider can help you consider strategies to continue to keep your workforce healthy and performing well at work.

Establish Safety Measures

In order to keep your customers, employees, and guests safe, many local government offices have created a strict guide for reopening that businesses must adhere to. It will be essential to stay up-to-date with these mandates and to share them with your company at large to keep everyone educated. Even if you are seeing a decrease in the spread in your area, maintaining these precautions could help build confidence in your staff that you are keeping their safety at top of mind. Consider asking a trusted safety partner to review your procedures to gain an extra level of security during all the uncertainty. Also, ensure you have a plan in place for how to handle if one of your team members is positive for COVID-19 and how you will transition them back to work once they’re no longer infectious.

Consider New Ways of Doing Business

Several employers have had to shift their mindset when it comes to operations during a worldwide pandemic. Many employers had no other choice but to send their employees home and set up a new remote working process. If this applies to you, it may be the best time to consider how these changes have impacted your bottom line, and how you can make this new way of work more efficient in the future.

Preparing Your Employees

One of the most integral things to consider, as we continue to live through this ever-changing landscape, is our communications efforts with employees. You must remind your workforce that they are an essential part of the process and that you are working diligently to make sure they are heard and understood. This is a difficult time for everyone, and it is extremely important that you continue to offer physical and mental wellness opportunities to those on your team, and leave them with a higher level of confidence and reassurance that your company will keep them updated and cared for.

Cross-Train Employees

This ever-changing time is a great opportunity to begin building all of your employees’ skillsets. In a time where employees could be out unexpectedly due to extended sick leave, it’s important to have another team member who can fill in and get these essential tasks done on short notice so that you avoid any shortfalls in your business’ workflows.

Conclusion

Overall, it is important to understand how this virus has already impacted your business, employees, and customers when evaluating your future plans. Make use of the data you’ve collected over the first few months of the outbreak in order to create stronger processes in the future that make everyone feel safer and understood. Ensure you have a strong base of safety procedures and excellent employee communications in order to keep you team happy and healthy.