Coronavirus: 4 Things Your Small Business Needs To Do

In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, many small business owners remain unsure about what they need to do to stay safe while keeping their companies afloat. The following 4 tips are designed to help.

1. Establish Remote Services And Work Options

It’s quite possible that experts will look back on the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the driving factors behind the rise of remote work across all industries. Fortunately, we already have the technology–people have been making careers out of remote work for years–but many businesses never thought to use it until now.

With self-isolation and social distancing now mandated all over the country, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recommends establishing remote services and work options if possible.

For best results, lay out concrete remote work policies that cover:

• When your team is expected to be online (in the writing world, this is sometimes called HOKBIC–hands-on-keyboard, butt-in-chair);
• Preferred methods of communication (e.g. email, video chat, Google chat, SMS, phone);
• What deliverables each team member is responsible for completing.

As a Signworld partner, Baltimore Signs and Graphics offers remote sign consultations, custom design, manufacturing, and delivery for businesses across the country. That means we can get you any sign you need, custom-built to your exact specifications, without you ever having to leave your home. But just like you, we’ll be expanding our remote work options as we all do our part to fight the pandemic while keeping our businesses afloat.

2. Reduce Meetings And Travel

Building off the previous point, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce implores all citizens to minimize opportunities for exposure to the virus by holding virtual meetings whenever possible. If it needs to be done face-to-face, it needs to be postponed. If any employees get sick because of travel or mandatory meetings, you will have a serious liability issue on your hands, and team morale will plummet!

Don’t worry: most of our essential services are still available remotely. We offer virtual consultations, design collaborations, and customer service, and we’ll deliver signs right to your door, all completely “contact-free.”

3. Give Employees Greater Flexibility

Schools all over Baltimore and the rest of the US are closing, along with offices, stores, businesses, and commercial centers. The country is inching towards total lockdown, and everyone is making concessions–even court trials are being pushed back in order to help “flatten the curve.”

As a consequence, some team members may need to leave unexpectedly to care for children or self-isolation after coming into contact with potential carriers. Remember that we’re all in this together and try to be as understanding as possible.

4. Get Obsessive About Hygiene

The CDC recommends the following hygienic practices to reduce your risk of exposure:

• No handshakes–choose a non-contact greeting instead.
• Wash your hands–every time you enter the premises, as well as regularly throughout the day.
• Do not touch your face–and remind your employees to do the same!
• Increase on-premise cleaning–regularly disinfect surfaces, including door knobs, handrails, tables, point of sale system, and desks.

For best results, invest in signage that reminds employees of these important hygienic practices. Whether you want a quick and easy template or something more “on-brand,” our team can help.

Free consultations with Baltimore Signs and Graphics

Questions or concerns? Need to order custom workplace hygiene signage? We can help!

Call 410-877-6011 or fill out the contact form on our website to book a free consultation with a member of our team.