Coronavirus has had a huge impact on the whole world that none of us could have anticipated just a few months ago. We’ve had to self isolate and socially distance in order to slow the spread of the virus and protect ourselves, others and key workers. Of course, this has had a profound effect on businesses across the world. Non essential workers can no longer come into the office or whatever other commercial premises you may be running. If your staff can work remotely from home, you’re in luck. You can keep things up and running. At the same time, times are bound to be hard, as increasing numbers of consumers are reducing their spending as they aim to protect their own incomes and prepare for their own hard times. You can, however, keep afloat. Here are a few things you can do to adjust to running your business from home!
Keep Track of Government Help
The government knows that businesses are struggling right now. The economy is struggling. So, they’re taking steps and measures to keep as many businesses afloat as possible. Take a look at current government help to see whether you qualify for any aid. Whatever is offered could help to tide both you and your employees through these hard times, so it’s more than worth the effort of researching and applying.
Make Sure Your Workplace is Ready for When People Can Return to Work
Eventually, social distancing measures will be relaxed and people will be able to start returning to work. It would be naive, however, to think that things will simply jump back to how they used to operate. It’s likely that some distancing measures will be implemented in the workplace to continue reducing the spread of coronavirus. Take steps to make sure your workplace could be prepared for these. Have Deep Cleaning carried out in the entire space. Start separating up desks so people can sit at least two metres apart. Make sure there are plenty of spaces for employees to wash their hands effectively and invest in disinfectant wipes so surfaces can be wiped down after use.
Make Sure Remote Staff Have Everything They Need
In the meantime, people are going to be working from home and you have to make sure that all of your staff have everything they need to be productive in their own homes. Does everyone have a laptop to work from? Is there any software that could help? Microsoft Teams is great for helping remote workers connect and communicate with each other from their own homes. Does everyone know what’s expected of them? Setting KPIs and targets can help to keep people productive and motivated. If in doubt, simply ask your staff. For honest answers, you could send out an anonymous survey where they can suggest ways to help them thrive in this hard time.
Of course, running your business from home is going to take some getting used to. But things won’t remain this way forever. Hopefully, the above advice can help you to adjust!
