Small Business Tips for Exiting Lockdown

Fortuous • May 21, 2020

In recent weeks the direction of discussion surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has turned to the measures and strategies for coming out of lockdown and what this means for businesses. For many businesses, of all sizes, the lockdown was challenging, forcing a lot of brick and mortar businesses to close temporarily, and many offices to learn how to work from home. Leaving lockdown and the hope of going back to normal is exciting and a positive thing for businesses, but there is understandably some anxiety around what the new normal will look like and how business founders can ensure success when they reopen. Here are some small business tips for exiting lockdown successfully.

Staff Briefing

We all know that it’s the staff that make the businesses a success or not, and it’s important to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable going back to work. Support your staff by hearing their concerns, implementing their feedback and providing them with information and resources. Keep them up to date with government advice, ask about their health and wellbeing and ensure they don’t work if they show symptoms of illness. Remind them to give each other space and not share items such as pens, keyboards or drinks to limit unnecessary contact.

Social Distancing

Though the rules and restrictions may change in the long-term, it is wise to assume that social distancing will be necessary for a while yet, and potentially, as attitudes change, people may adopt more personal space than before. Small businesses should plan for their customers to want more space and ensure their shops are set up to meet their needs. It’s crucial to put the customer’s needs first and ensure they feel comfortable and happy in your business. The British Retail Consortium has suggested that businesses limit the number of people in store and potentially barrier the walkways to protect social distancing measures.

Hygiene

Most people’s attitudes surrounding hygiene and cleaning has changed for having this experience, including customers and your staff. It’s important that everybody feels happy and safe and that includes your team! Where possible, minimise face to face contact among staff and implement no-contact deliveries. Provide hand sanitiser and anti-bacterial soap in staff and customer bathrooms as well as the front of store for customers to use at their will. If your small business has baskets or trollies, provide a sanitation station to disinfect and wipe down handles. Small businesses would also do well to note other touch points such as doors, keypads and handrails and increase the rate of cleaning and disinfecting in those hot spots too.

By staying alert, being proactive and implementing new changes, your small business can open safely after lockdown and can get back on its feet. If these changes require extra budget or you need finance help to assess what support might be available to your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch to get a quote from our team at Fortuous. Get an instant quote here.

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