Here we are in late August and in the U.S. the pandemic has been going on for 5 months now. While you and your workforce have likely already made big and small changes to manage this new reality, it’s a good time to take a proactive approach so you’ll be prepared for twists and turns that may lie ahead. Ideally, by following these tips, you’ll be able to maintain critical support for your workforce regardless of what happens.
Establish pandemic-responsive staffing plans
Changing guidance is the name of the game when it comes to COVID-19. While we can’t predict what will come next, creating (and communicating!) staffing plans that address a number of possible scenarios can help lessen uncertainty and confusion when government officials change recommendations and regulations.
As you think about those staffing plans, contemplate how you can reposition workers. In our report Next Normal: Creating Stability and Certainty During COVID-19, we profiled Two Betty’s Green Cleaning, a local business that relied heavily on their responsive staffing plan when tough decisions needed to be made. By following their lead, you can protect critical operations, tap into workers’ strengths, and protect your bottom line.
Support the mental health of your staff
These are difficult times and your workforce needs support now more than ever. Take a sincere and active role in the prevention of suicide, domestic violence, child neglect, and drug overdose by extending health benefits and your network to laid-off workers if possible. Keep in mind that extreme and ongoing stress has a negative impact on our physical, emotional, and mental health. Your support will make a big difference in the lives of your workers, especially those who aren’t able to work right now.
Create effective leave policies
Leave policies that protect workers make it easier and much more likely that your employees will do the right thing and stay home when they need to. Ideally, those policies will:
Encourage sick workers to stay home
Protect financial compensation
Assure insulation from other consequences
Working on the Saint Paul Restaurant Resiliency Project has given the NCXT team the opportunity to guide owners through implementing these critical steps in the areas of customer engagement, workforce, infrastructure, and compliance. We’ll continue to share advice, tips, and suggestions through our newsletter. Sign up below to stay fully supported while confronting the challenges of 2020 and beyond.