As I write this most businesses and trades are now in serious lockdown. With jobs and livelihoods at stake, how do we protect ourselves from insolvency, use the ‘down time’ to best advantage and prepare ourselves and our businesses to be ready to hit the ground hard and fast when life (and work) gets back to some sense of normality?
First priority is to stay safe and well
Protect yourself and your staff and communicate with your customers. Keeping them informed will help to keep them with you during this crisis. If you still have a office and need to keep operations going, here’s a few tips on what you can do to help your team stay well…
- Ensure hand washing facilities are available, soap is always onhand and everyone knows how to wash hands properly,
- Offer alcohol based hand sanitors at entry and exit points and areas like lifts and meeting rooms,
- Ensure your team has the Flu shot (you could subsidize this for your staff or they can do it independently),
- Provide tissues to workers and encourage their use,
- Remove magazines, papers and shared items from common rooms and waiting areas,
- Speak with cleaners and ensure (or extend) their cleaning regime to include disinfecting sinks, door and cupboard handles, railings, counters etc (if not already done),
- Make sure ventilation and reverse cycle systems are clean and working properly – they can be sanitized regularly,
- Adhere to government instructions,
- Use phone, video conferencing and internet to conduct as much business as possible,
- Allow your team to work at home if possible,
- Cancel or postpone any meetings that are not absolutely necessary, and
- Avoid shaking hands, hugging or any other personal contact.
- Check if you’re able to claim any of the government assistance. Remember to check both federal and your own State or Territory resources.
Use the ‘Downtime’
Over the next month (or months as it could well be), use the time to do all those things you normally wish you had time to do, but don’t, such as…
- Catching up on all that paperwork (exciting I know!),
- Do all that office refurbishing – energy efficient upgrades needed anyone (great time to do that)? Painting? Reorganising?
- Updating your website and social media accounts and finding ways to update them all with one edit,
- Review your energy provider and check you’re getting the best rates,
- Set up your energy, water and waste monitoring systems (see our remote business services here)
- Setting up sustainability (or other) policies, processes and procedures for your business (part of our remote business services),
- Training and upskilling – there are some great online training courses out there. We have some online here, or see Green Building Institute,
- Preparing your rebound strategy and positioning marketing ready to go as soon as the time is right, or
- Just have that well earned rest you’ve been needing for months / years!
Coming back strong
If you’ve managed to get all that done in your ‘downtime’ you’ll have done extremely well and are ready to hit the ground running.
Kick off your Marketing Plan – did you call it Operation Rebound? Use any new found skills to extend your services and communicate to all your customers you’re back on deck and open for business.
