As restrictions ease and the world begins returning to normal, it’s important to think about how it’s best for your small business to move forwards.
What works for your people
Among those who have been working from home for the first time, some have found it better than they expected and others can’t wait to get back to the office. Staggering the return to the office is a great way to maintain social distancing and allow your team the choice of coming in or continuing to work from home. If everyone is keen to get back to the office, some companies have been splitting the week and having half the office in at a time. And of course it’s vital to support any team members in high risk groups by enabling them to continue working from home for as long as possible.
Know the state of your state
It’s important to know if your area is a hotspot or if there are no cases. However, even a very small active case number doesn’t mean it’s time to go gung-ho back to business as usual. As states with no or very few active cases (all states except Victoria at the time or writing) ease restrictions, it’s important to stay up-to-date with social distancing regulations. In this precarious time, the last thing most businesses need is a hefty fine for not providing enough room for everyone’s larger-than-usual personal space bubble. As well as the four square metre per person rule, the New South Wales Government has created a COVID safety plan for businesses that can help you ensure you’re meeting all the requirements as well as making your employees and clients feel secure. Victoria is still asking that wherever possible people still work from home, and the Victorian Government has a variety of resources to help businesses achieve this.
Cleaning
Unfortunately, it’s not yet time to return to the office cookie jar. It’s still important to regularly disinfect communal surfaces, and objects such as phones. Many retail stores are still implementing a two-hour cleaning routine to help keep everyone stay healthy and feeling safe. Along with regular cleaning, keeping a log of who was in the office at what times can help your team feel secure. If anyone was to become unwell it’s easy to see which other team members they’ve been in contact with. Good general hygiene measures such as hand washing are still an effective measure to stay healthy, particularly as flue season gets underway!
Has anything good come out of the changes in terms of how you work? Have you discovered the greater flexibility of working from home? Or maybe you’re a little more aware of how dirty your desk was! Let us know on Facebook or twitter.