Businesses are reopening across the U.S. and owners are adjusting to a “new normal.” One that includes balancing health concerns and safety while still providing goods and services that generate revenue.
BIC Graphic NA is here for you with the best products, sales tools and resources to help you be #ReboundReady™. So, if you and your customers are reopening your businesses, here are some ideas to welcome back staff and customers with confidence. (1)
Get Ready for a New Environment
The CDC guidelines for social distancing require people stay at least six feet apart. You may need to change up your floor plan, install physical barriers or create more space in common areas to accommodate social distancing. Staggering shifts and breaks can also help minimize groups. If necessary, provide training to your staff to ensure they are committed to new, safe habits.
Keep an Eye on Health
Many businesses are allowing employees who are able to work remotely to continue the practice, even as stay-at-home orders are lifted. However, if part of all of your employees are returning to the workplace, now is the time to update your safety and wellness programs. Here are a few ideas you could implement:
- Provide personal protective equipment and/or face coverings for staff and guests.
- Administer temperature checks before entering the building.
- Provide self-reporting tools for employees to document symptoms prior to starting work.
- Set up an employee resource center with the latest information on COVID-19 and related business updates.
- Hang safety posters, signs and use floor stickers to make following health and social distancing guidelines easier for your team.
- Enhance cleaning protocols with extra frequency and sanitation. Provide wipes and hand sanitizer throughout your facility.
Limit Contact
Even as businesses reopen, consumers will continue to be cautious before their fears may fade. Taking additional steps to limit contact lets your customers know they can trust you are doing your best to keep them safe. Accept only cashless payments, establish a no-contact pick-up area and include safety seals on packaging to help reassure patrons.
Keep Your Own Pen initiatives are another way to minimize person-to-person contact. Encourage customers to take and keep writing instruments from your business, which will also get more impressions for your brand.
Clearly Communicate
A communication strategy is important to let staff and customers understand your reopening strategy. Make sure everyone involved knows their role in minimizing risks associated with COVID-19 in the workplace.
Try having morning huddles with your teams to share any updates and helpful tips. Have a concise and consistent message on all your communication channels where you engage with your customers. Listen to their feedback and stay up-to-date with the latest governmental guidelines to adapt your business operations as necessary.
Plan for Success
Owners are facing a whole new set of factors to consider as they resume business. Taking time to incorporate thoughtful measures into a reopening plan now can help focus on building business in the new environment. Inc.com suggests these 5 helpful tips for your comeback plan:
- Consider how budget reductions will limit your ability to generate revenue and keep business going. Only cut costs if necessary, and do so wisely.
- Revisit your business model to see if diversifying revenue can help. Decide if changing what you sell or whom you sell it to or could boost your reopening strategy.
- Check in early on VIP clients to see how their needs have changed, and how you
#16145 Executive Meeting Kit may be able to help. Reinforce vendor and supplier relationships so you aren’t surprised by changes in their operations that could impact your business.
- Contact local economic development groups or community development financial institutions for state and local programs that may help lessen financial burdens during reopening.
- Reach out to employees and let them know your strategy to bring them back to work. Be honest and listen to their concerns and feedback.
Your #ReboundReady™ Checklist
Use this checklist as a starting point to help your team come back safely, so you can be there for your clients as they get back to business in this new environment.
- Start doing temperature checks with no-contact thermometers at entrances.
- Post clear communication so visitors know the preferred processes for your facility and understand your enhanced safety measures.
Provide PPE like face coverings for team members, with extra on-hand for visitors.- Welcome guests and clients by appointment only. Update sign-in logs to include your company’s COVID-19 health statement.
- Measure and mark six feet separations on production floors, common areas, lobbies, hallways, etc.
- Install protective barriers between workstations that are less than six feet apart. Suspend the use of any co-working spaces.
- Work with your maintenance staff to ensure all machines and HVAC systems are operating cleanly and efficiently.
Use posters, temporary signage, stickers and magnets to reinforce healthy practices like hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette.- Update incident and injury reporting procedures to include COVID-19 exposure.
- Stagger break times, start/end times and work from home days to maintain social distancing.
- Have scheduled times for employees to clean and sanitize workstations on every shift.
- Post occupancy limit signs on conference rooms, training rooms and break areas. Limit any events to less than 10 people and only in spaces that can accommodate social distancing.
- Evaluate travel policies. Consider surveying your team to gauge their comfort level with traveling for sales calls, tradeshows or industry events.
- Provide hand sanitizer at doorways, common areas and throughout your facility.
Are you #ReboundReady™? Visit bicgraphic.com for more great products and creative ideas to make sure you and your customers are prepared to get back to business!
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