Post-COVID-19: How St. Louis Businesses Are Preparing to Reopen
Covid-19 has significantly affected businesses. Some of the impacts are short-term, while others are long-term. Examples of the effects are:
- A shift in consumer and supplier patterns
- Closing of startups
- Reduced availability of funds for business investment
- Transfer of funds to support Covid-19 measures
The impacts, however, are becoming short-lived with the potential reopening of businesses. An important consideration for most businesses after the Covid pandemic is providing a safe working space for their employees. The pandemic brought significant changes within the workforce, from video conferencing of meetings to remote working.
Most of these strategies have worked for some companies, while for others, a physical presentation of employees is required.
With the declining rate of infection rates across the globe, businesses are returning to their usual operation ways, but with a twist. It is paramount that as a business owner, to ensure minimal risks in your workplace.
As you prepare to open up shop in St. Louis, here are a few items to consider as a top list.
Change Your Physical Space
Social distance is recommended as one of the measures to mitigate the Covid-19 risk. You need to ensure that your employees’ working space is adequate to accommodate physical distancing. This would mean moving desks, purchasing more items, or creating a new workspace.
You need to assess your number of employees versus the amount of workspace you currently have. Do you need to create a make-shift room for extra equipment to create office space? Whichever you choose, it is essential to have in mind that the pandemic could last longer.
Remote Working
Having your employees work remotely minimizes the risks, and you can also significantly save in your business. You won’t have to incur utility costs and probably wouldn’t need to pay for the internet.
If remote working works for your organization, you can consider retaining it. Flexible working schedules have proven to increase productivity among employees. One way to test out whether remote working is for you, you can assess whether your employees’ productivity is still top-notch.
Inquire also on what their preferences are with regards to remote working. You may need to upgrade your technology to accommodate your working-from-home policy. You can consult any IT company in St Louis on how to boost your business technology-wise.
Mental Health
You may not be aware, but the pandemic might have significantly had an impact on your employees. The shift in usual programming for most people has led to devastating outcomes. Lack of human interaction, loss of loved ones, and the fear of infection, among others, could be one of the reasons behind your employees’ emotional turmoil.
It would be best to promote a supportive work environment by providing avenues for counseling and training on wellbeing.
Create a Plan and Communicate It
Before your employees return to work, you need to create an effective Post-Covid plan and communicate it to your staff. Some of your team may be hesitant to return to work; however, making them aware of the importance of returning to work could change their minds.
You can appoint one staff member to be in charge of the communication. Inquire from your team on what other measures they would want incorporated to ensure their safety. This will significantly boost their confidence in returning to a safe working environment.
Finally, your employees are your greatest assets. Health and safety should be of paramount importance to you and your business. Incorporating adequate protection measures in the workplace is essential to keep your business running. You can find more information on reopening businesses post the Covid-19 pandemic from the CDC or WHO.
