Are you ready to open?
May 15, 2020
You’ve read the safety guidelines detailed in local and state orders about reopening your workplace. You’ve secured a PPP loan and you’ve been able to keep paychecks going out. You may have even gotten legal counsel to help you navigate the ins and outs of sourcing and providing proper PPE for your employees. You’ve trained a number of employees to take everyone’s temperature, daily. There is new signage throughout the space describing the new procedures and protocols and you’ve planned a company-wide Zoom call to go over all of that before the doors open back up. New plexiglass barriers have been installed. The HVAC system now has additional filtration. The floors have been marked to remind people what 6 feet is. It seems like you are ready.
Are your employees ready to come back?
Some may not have any child care options and cannot leave their kids at home alone. Some may have pre-existing conditions or are at an age where they are in the high-risk category. Some may have overdosed on news coverage and be so far down the rabbit hole that their anxiety makes them panic at the thought of being around people again. Some may be ill informed or just generally reckless and are of the opinion that since the pandemic is nothing more than a tempest in a teapot, they may not want to comply with measures you need to implement to keep the workplace safe for all. You’ve done your best to make the work environment safe but inevitably some people will think it is not enough and others will think you’ve gone too far. You’ve dealt with this variety of response before, but never when the stakes were so high.
Are your customers ready to come back?
Governors may say their state is open for business but for retail and restaurants the consumers are the ones who decide how true that statement is. If they aren’t convinced it’s safe to venture beyond their driveways, they will stay home. Creating a safe environment and then effectively communicating that message is key.
Beyond following state and local guidelines, how you communicate to your employeesyou’re your customers will determine the success of your company’s reopening strategy. Vague assertions and false promises won’t fly and they will undermine your efforts. People want useful information. If you do not know the answer to something, admit it, work to find out what you can and then follow up. Clear and open communication is key. In this time of widespread uncertainty, people value transparency and honesty. It is how you will build the critical currency of our time, trust.
My series of posts will take on what it takes to successfully open your doors in this new and uncertain environment. Here are some of the specific issues I will be covering:
• Why should employees follow these new protocols?
• Good planning limits liability
• On-site work versus work from home
• Have a plan, but know it will change