Now lockdown is easing and businesses are starting to return to work and open their doors, what’s your plan for returning to business? Have you thought about who, what and how this will look?
We’ve created a 5-point checklist* to help you with planning your return to work:
- Timing
- Plan who you’re going to bring back from your team and when
- Which suppliers will you need to engage with and when, as demand rises
- Forward-plan for customers; will you have a big influx when doors are open or do you need to look at planning your marketing to create new business?
- Safety Plan
- What procedures do you need to put in place? For example: hand sanitising stations, limiting number of people in and out of premises
- Regular cleaning, including daily wipe downs of contact surfaces
- How can you ensure safe social distancing where necessary?
- Can you arrange a staggered return to work and operations?
- Reassurance Plan
- Make sure you’re up to date on best practice from the government
- Consult HR to ensure you’re compliant and staff feel supported
- Set up regular meetings with team members, suppliers and customers – how are they coping, what can you do to help, what do you need to provide?
- Communication
- Schedule weekly, if not daily, catch ups with your team; include something light-hearted like a quiz night to boost morale
- Have regular catch ups with your suppliers, weekly or fortnightly; keep them close so that they can support you if demand increases or drops off
- Use the channels available to communicate with your customers: pick up the phone, post on social media or send them an email
- Look ahead
- Have a clear, measurable and achievable plan for the next 12 weeks, review every week and update accordingly
- Plan ahead for your cashflow; this will identify any potential issues that may arise
- Which services and/or products are you going to start offering again?
- Which services and/or products are you going to stop offering?
- Which new services and/or products are you going to start offering?
- Consider how your business and our economy will change and take action
We’ve compiled this into a handy downloadable check list for you here.
And for more information click on the below link to read the gov.uk guides, which include specific guidance on industries.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
*Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of steps that every business will need to take, however is a guide to planning the steps you may need to consider as businesses start to reopen
