How to Protect your business from Covid-19 Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic made it very clear that business-as-usual can be interrupted for extended periods of time. Whether it’s a pandemic, a local public health crisis or any other event that requires workplace adjustments, employers who are prepared have an easier time recovering. Here’s a quick guide on how to protect your business and your employees.

1. Know Your Legal Responsibilities as an Employer Every employer has a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace. In the event of a health crisis, your responsibility increases. You must identify workplace hazards and take every reasonable precaution to address them. This includes:

• Keeping up-to-date with public health recommendations and amending your policies accordingly
• Regular communication with employees about workplace safety
• Providing PPE and hygiene supplies
• Documenting all efforts made to protect employees’ health Not taking these steps can lead to lawsuits, loss of credibility and reputational damage. Prevention is always less expensive than remediation.

1. Allow Employees to Work Remotely If Possible The best way to protect employees from a contagious illness is to reduce close contact. Remote work eliminates commuting, shared spaces and most of the risk of person-to-person spread. To facilitate remote work:

• Purchase communication and collaboration tools ahead of time
• Ensure employees have what they need to work remotely productively
• Set clear remote work expectations and communicate them clearly
• Train managers to manage remote employees Not every job can be done from home. Employees who must work on-site need extra protection.

1. Follow Workplace Safety Best Practices Employees who cannot work remotely need an extra layer of protection. Use these best practices to minimize the risk of contagion.

Hygiene:

• Offer soap, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies throughout the workplace
• Encourage employees to wash their hands frequently for at least 20 seconds
• Increase the frequency of cleaning high-touch areas, such as: doorknobs, Shared equipment, Keyboards, Phones
• Ensure good air flow by opening windows and properly maintaining HVAC systems

Social distancing:

• Rearrange the workspace to keep people at least 6 feet apart
• Implement staggered shifts and breaks to prevent crowding in common areas
• Limit capacity in meeting rooms, break rooms and locker rooms
• Use visual cues like tape on the floor and signs to remind people of the 6-foot distancing guideline
• Use virtual meetings instead of in-person meetings whenever possible

Personal protective equipment (PPE):

• Offer employees the level and type of PPE appropriate to their risk level and public health recommendations
• Provide training on proper donning and doffing techniques
• Establish a reliable supply chain for PPE so you don’t run out during an extended public health emergency.

Protect Your Most Vulnerable Workers

Because some workers, such as older adults, workers with compromised immune systems, those who are pregnant or those who have underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more severe illness, special consideration should be taken to protect these employees. For example, consider offering alternative job duties or providing reasonable accommodations such as offering remote work arrangements, temporary job reassignment, flexible scheduling or staggered shifts to reduce the risk of exposure. If a worker is still required to work on-site, you should ensure that they are paid and continue to receive all the benefits that they would if the workplace were open. Taking care of your most vulnerable workers is not only a moral obligation, but it can also foster a sense of loyalty and trust throughout the entire workforce.

Have a Plan in Place

In addition to preparing for a pandemic, all employers should have a comprehensive plan in place to address workplace emergencies such as a pandemic. All employers should develop such a plan even if they have not been directly impacted by a pandemic. It is important that all employers create a plan before a pandemic occurs and that employees fully understand the plan. Your plan should include:

• Procedures for identifying and isolating sick employees on site.
• Procedures for notifying and coordinating with public health authorities.
• Procedures for closing the workplace, if necessary, as well as procedures for restarting business operations.
• Communication plans for workers, customers and the general public.
• Procedures for cleaning and disinfecting contaminated surfaces, equipment and materials.
• Procedures for addressing workers who have been potentially exposed to someone who has pandemic flu.
• Procedures for workers who are sick or have been exposed. Employers should designate a specific person or persons to be responsible for each part of the plan. Employers and workers should understand the plan and take active roles in maintaining a safe work environment.

Plan for Business Continuity

Because a pandemic could require your business to shut down for an extended period of time, planning for business continuity is essential to the financial survival of your business. To ensure business continuity, employers should:

• Identify essential employees and job functions.
• Develop a contingency plan for delivering essential products and services.
• Develop a communication plan for use during a pandemic.
• Establish procedures for working remotely.
• Develop procedures for monitoring and responding to absenteeism at the workplace.
• Plan for interrupting non-essential operations.
• Identify essential elements of the supply chain.
• Develop a plan with redundant systems to maintain business operations.
• Establish relationships with key customers and vendors.
• Develop memorandums of understanding (MOUs) or contracts with other businesses.
• Plan for financial interruption.
• Establish policies for flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts).

Communicate Clearly with Your Employees, Customers and the Public

Clear communication is critical to successfully managing any crisis. You should inform your workers about:

• Their risk of pandemic flu.
• The benefits of getting vaccinated.
• What measures they can take to protect themselves at work and at home.
• What measures the employer is taking to protect them.
• What the plans are if there is significant absenteeism or changes in workplace policies and practices. You should also communicate clearly to your customers about the actions you are taking to protect them and your workers. And finally, you should inform the general public about your company’s status and response to a pandemic.

Consider the Long-term Implications of a Pandemic

In recent years, businesses have been faced with unforeseen challenges, including a pandemic, that few were prepared to address. Companies that fared the best during the pandemic were ones that were able to adapt quickly to the pandemic, that invested in the health and well-being of their employees and that had the systems in place to weather the storm. Each time your business faces a pandemic or other major crisis, use that as an opportunity to learn what worked well in your response and recovery efforts and identify areas for improvement. Once the immediate threat of the pandemic has passed, assess your response efforts to identify successes and areas for improvement. Update your pandemic plan to incorporate lessons learned. Conduct training and exercises to ensure that your workers are familiar with your pandemic plan and procedures. Ensure that your pandemic plan remains current and relevant.