As most reopening phases have stalled over the last few weeks, businesses should use this time to determine a re-opening strategy and be prepared when mandates are lifted.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Understanding the Various Stages of Reopening in your County
- Stage 1: Essential Businesses Only
- Stage 2: Lower-Risk Workplaces
- Stage 3: Higher-Risk Workplaces
- Stage 4: End of Order
2. OSHA and CDC Workplace Safety Policies
- OSHA will not inspect home offices
- Social distancing, telework, amending sick leave policies, alternating shifts, personal hygiene, use of PPE, hazard control, and deep cleaning protocols still need to be considered
- Deep Cleaning Protocols should be one of the first tasks that an employer undertakes when reopening
- What needs to be cleaned
- What needs to be disinfected
- Frequency of cleaning and disinfecting
SHOULD YOU RETURN TO THE OFFICE?
- Ask Your Employees
- Create a company-wide anonymous survey asking staff the following questions:
- Do you want to come back to the office?
- If so, how often?
- If not, why?
- What are your biggest safety concerns?
- How can we support a return to working from the office?
- Use Data to Determine:
- If and when employees will return to the office.
- Who will return to the office.
- If you need to downsize the office space.
- Will you utilize hot desks rather than assigned desks.
- Which policies and protocols to implement based on employees’ concerns.
- How you will support both remote and on-site employees.
DOs
- Communicate Regularly
- Set scheduled touch points to update staff on current events and company decisions.
- Adhere to those touch points and expectations
2. Make Decisions Based on the 80/20 Rule
- Don’t let exceptions disable decisions
- You can’t make everyone happy, but you can make decisions that will leave most people happy
3. Implement Daily Department Goals
- Whether the team is remote or on-site, create standing meetings to communicate department goals for the day
- Track goals and discuss issues in standing meetings
- Measure employee performance based on these goals
4. Be Flexible
- There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for everything
DON’Ts
1. Neglect Wage & Hour Laws
- Non-exempt employees still must be given timely meal periods
2. Make Decisions without Employee Feedback
- Find out what works best for your employees specifically rather than following trends
3. Overload the Team with Meetings
- Allow employees to work during their peak performance times
- Standing Meetings shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes each day
4. Take your Focus off the Company’s Mission & Core Values
For more information about reopening protocols, send your questions to info@eva8.com
