As the economy slowly reopens post-Coronavirus shutdowns, there are many things small business owners need to take into consideration.  Just exactly what policies to put into place and how best to communicate them to employees and customers can be a daunting task.  We sat down Tommie Deaner and Tiffany Joy Greene, two subject matter experts in the fields of human resources and communications, to determine where to begin.  Simply put, we wanted to know what to do and how to talk about what we are doing in a way that breeds peace in the face of so many remaining unknowns.  Here are their top recommendations.

Be deliberate.

You may be so excited to reopen and get back to business that you haven’t really thought of all the specific details concerning reopening.  But you will need to consider not only when you reopen, but how, and how will your employees be impacted by reopening? When will you bring your employees back into the office?  Will some of them remain at home and be able to telework? Who really does need to actually come back into the workplace? What measures will you be able to put into place to ensure that your employees stay safe? Make a plan and be proactive.

Gauge the Temperature of Your Employees

At MPWRSource, we employ the Corona scale.  1 being super chill and 10 being donning a hazmat suit and entering a toilet paper fort.  At the beginning of every staff conference call, we are asked where we are.  Most people are fluctuating on this scale.  But it is good to know the level of anxiety your employees may be experiencing so you can access how best to support your team.  Are they in a high-risk category?  Is a member of their family in a high-risk category?  Do they have children at home who are no longer in school and suddenly find themselves without childcare due to daycare centers still being closed and many summer camps cancelled? All of these will be contributing factors to their level of anxiety and their willingness to re-enter the workplace.  Above all, empathize.  Having the ability to meet your employees where they are will assuage much anxiety.

Clearly Communicate Covid-19 Mitigation Steps to Employees and Customers

Part of keeping people calm is making sure that you are clearly communicating your expectations and actions. Have flyers posted around your workplace.  The US Chamber of Commerce has excellent resources that you can even customize for your business. If you are still able to communicate with your team via conference call, it is a great time to continue to structure your meetings in the manner you have before.  A virtual meeting through a resource like Microsoft Teams allows your employees to be engaged and a part of the decision-making process.  Your employees may have creative solutions that you had not considered such as staggered shifts to help them with childcare issues that will also help you practice social distancing measures. By engaging your employees in the process, you will have their buy in and be set up for greater enforcement of policies.

Once you have your game plan in place, make full use of all channels of communication: email, website, texts, newsletters, phone calls, and social media channels.  It is always best to overcommunicate than undercommunicate.  Spell out your core message and communicate it consistently through all channels.

Mind Your Own Needs First

You may be eager to get into business and serve the needs of your market.  The customer is always right, right?  Well, yes, but not exactly.  You will not be able to meet the needs of your customers or clients if your employees are not taken care of first.  Just like the flight attendant tells you to put on your oxygen mask first before helping those around you in the event of an emergency, you must make sure your employees needs are met first. Employees who feel safe will be better equipped to make your customers feel safe. Your safe employees will be able to empathize with anxious customers.  Empathy for one another will go a long way in these trying times.

Prepare Social Distancing Measures.

Look at your business layout.  Make sure that you provide ample space between workstations, and do not forget about waiting areas, employee break rooms, and storage areas. Listen to the Centers for Disease Control and the US Chamber of Commerce have excellent resources on how to reduce the spread of Covid-19 available for workplaces.  Having good hygiene protocols, perhaps a temperature check and health screening before coming into the building, making sure to social distance where possible, wearing masks, making sure to clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched a lot are all proactive steps towards keeping your employees safe.

We have made it this far.  And we still have a ways to go in this Coronavirus marathon. But through clear communication, transparency, and empathy for your employees and customers, you can make it successfully to the next phase.