COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus that has spread rapidly worldwide, causing widespread illness and death. The virus is contagious and can infect people through respiratory droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze.
The outbreak of COVID-19 is a fast-moving situation, and your business will likely feel some effects as the pandemic continues to develop. Here are a few ways COVID-19 may impact your business productivity and what you can do to prepare.
Employee Absences
As the virus spreads, more and more employees may fall ill or need to take time off to care for sick family members. This could lead to significant absences from work, which can impact your business productivity. To prepare for this possibility, consider cross-training your employees so they can cover for each other during an absence. You should also develop a plan for handling customer service if absences become too high.
Supply Chain Disruptions
The outbreak of COVID-19 has already led to disruptions in global supply chains. If these disruptions continue, it’s possible that your business could feel the effects in terms of reduced inventory or delayed shipments. To prepare for this possibility, try to build up inventory levels now to have a buffer in case of delays later. You should also develop relationships with multiple suppliers to have backup options if one supplier cannot meet your needs.
Reduced Customer Demand
As people become increasingly worried about the spread of the virus, they may reduce their spending on non-essential items. This could lead to a decrease in demand for your products or services. To prepare for this possibility, now is an excellent time to focus on marketing and promotion to maintain or even increase your customer base despite reduced demand. You should also keep an eye on your finances and cut costs to weather any potential revenue decrease.
The outbreak of COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, and your business will likely feel some impacts as the pandemic continues to develop. Therefore, preparation is critical when it comes to operating during this time. Thankfully, there are also ways you can get infections in your office. Here are five tips for preventing COVID-19 infections in your office.
Clean Your Office
The COVID-19 virus can survive on surfaces for a few hours to several days, so regular cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces in your office can help prevent the spread of the virus. Here are ways you can sanitize your office:
Wipe Down Counters
If your office has multiple workstations or shared surfaces, regularly disinfect these areas. Use disinfecting wipes or a solution of water and bleach to wipe down all surfaces frequently touched, such as desks, keyboards, doorknobs, and phones.
Use Alcohol or Soap
Viruses have a protective layer that can be disrupted by alcohol and soap, so when you clean your office, you should use these products to disinfect surfaces. Make sure to follow the directions on the cleaning product for appropriate dilution and contact time.
Hire Professional Services
Cleaning your office can be a lot of work. That’s why an experienced office cleaning company can help ensure that your office is sanitized correctly, reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. It’s a worthwhile investment knowing that it can reduce the abovementioned problems.
Limit Shared Items
To prevent transmission, limit the use of shared items in your office. This could involve providing disposable utensils for communal areas or adjusting meeting rooms, so they no longer require a shared remote control.
Encourage Good Hygiene
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is through good hygiene habits, such as regular hand washing and avoiding touching your face. Encourage employees to wash their hands often and provide hand sanitizer throughout the office—additionally, frequently clean commonly used objects like doorknobs and light switches.
Implement Social Distancing
COVID-19 spreads through close contact with infected individuals, so practicing social distancing can help reduce the risk of transmission in your office. Here are ways you can implement this without bothering your employees.
Rearrange Workplaces
The first step is to rearrange workspaces so that employees have enough room to maintain a safe distance from each other. If possible, this could involve adjusting cubicle walls or having employees work from home.
Limit Gatherings
Large gatherings, such as meetings and conferences, should be avoided or held through video conferencing. Make sure also to limit non-essential visitors to your office.
Encourage Sick Employees to Stay Home
Employees who feel ill should stay home and not come into the office until they are symptom-free. Encouraging sick employees to stay home can help prevent the spread of illness in the workplace.
By taking these steps, you can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in your office and ensure that business operations can continue as smoothly as possible during these uncertain times. Stay safe and stay prepared.
