covid-19

After shuttering their windows for weeks or fundamentally changing their operations to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 virus, companies also have to prepare for the reality that things will be different even after normal commerce resumes. Businesses need to consider the continuing need for basic personal health safety measures well into the future and adjust their strategies to accommodate the potential for future pandemic situations.

Give People More Space

Social distancing remains an important tool for combating the spread of infectious diseases even after they have reached their peak. Businesses that see a lot of foot traffic, like grocery stores or salons, should allow their patrons to leave as much space between each other as possible. Companies with large numbers of employees also need to look for similar opportunities to distance and protect their workforce.

Encourage Sanitary Practices

Encouraging sanitary usage of company property is often a matter of convenience, so businesses have to look for ways to make sanitary behavior also a convenient choice for workers or customers. For example, installing automatic doors can reduce the spread of germs compared to one with a handle and can make life easier for customers in general. You can also put some creative effort and branding strategy into designing signs to show proper positioning, indicate recent changes in layout or remind people to be mindful of their behavior.

Make it Easier to Clean

A sanitary workplace should be the goal of any company, even when they aren’t faced with the challenges of a pandemic. Businesses should evaluate how they position their equipment and their general interior layout to make it easier to completely clean all surfaces. You should also consider finding commercial electrical services to develop more comprehensive internal lighting to improve visibility.

Consider National and Local Guidelines

It’s impossible to predict exactly how COVID-19 will affect daily business operations in the months or years ahead. Business owners should stay aware of all relevant rules and guidelines issued by government authorities, particularly if they directly serve the public. Guidelines from federal departments often form the foundation for state and local laws, which may be strictly enforced depending on the area.

Businesses around the world face many different challenges as they endure the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some companies will essentially return to the status quo after reopening, businesses in many major sectors have to prepare themselves to adjust to a new normal.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

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