How to Keep Your Business Running in Times of CoronaVirus?

The coronavirus (COVID-19), which started in China, has spread to the entire globe like a bushfire, infecting millions and leaving trails of death. Businesses have also not been spared.

As countries implement preventive measures such as curfews and lockdowns, businesses are the hardest hit.

This brings about one question for managers and entrepreneurs: “what can you do to keep your business running during a pandemic crisis, such as COVID-19?” The following are some useful tips for you.

Draw a Plan 

As COVID-19 spreads to more countries, businesses are installing operational safeguards to protect their systems and employees. One of the best measures is creating or revamping your emergency preparedness plan.

The plan outlines the steps that your business will take to protect the businesses from the effects of a disaster. The plan should include:

• Your effort to protect employees.
• What to do if an employee is affected.
• The channels of communication during the crisis period.
• How to keep the business running during the period of crisis.
• Pooling the resources during crisis.

Create a Work from Home Policy

Do you have a work from home policy? If not, you better craft one right away.

A work from home policy is an arrangement that allows your staff to operate from their homes so that business does not grind to a halt. Indeed, the bulk of business activities, including accounting, meetings, marketing, and customer support, can be offered by your staff from home.

So what do you need to make staff operate from home?

• Ensure workers have computers and access to internet.
• Establish working hours when the staff need to be on the business system.
• Set a routine for meetings through video conferencing.
• Draw a plan for reviewing staff performance from home to assess the process

Keep Your Staff and Employees Updated 

As the pandemic rages on, you need to keep your staff well updated. Whether you are in the mining industry as captured here or not, your managers and staff want to know what the company is doing to protect them, the plan for continuity, and post-crisis preparations.

For example, you might want to relook at the staff-medical cover to ensure they are well catered for in case any of them or their family members get infected.

You should also not forget to regularly remind your staff to stay safe. For example, you should remind them always to use face masks and maintain social distancing.

Well, you could even run a program to provide your staff with essential products, including food and safety supplies such as sanitizers and high-quality face masks.

When a crisis such as COVID-19 strikes, it calls for better business planning, and commitment to your staff. Well, you need to know one thing: how you sail through the crisis is what will determine your success after the crisis.