How Small Business Leaders Can Care for Their Employees
For small business leaders, returning to the office along with employees leaves a lot of questions and concerns about safety and comfort. After all, small-business workers want to return to the office in order to better accomplish their work as a team. If discomfort or safety concerns are jeopardizing an office’s sense of community or productivity, employees ought to remain safe at home. Owners and executives should make a plan to keep employees safe and foster a healthy work environment focused on all aspects of their wellbeing.
Keep them Safe
The first step is to follow CDC guidelines for small businesses in order to keep employees safe from viral infections. At the core of these guidelines is flexibility. It is time to rethink how offices operate and are organized. Working with employees and appointing one staff member to be in charge of coordinating COVID-19 related issues is essential to opening back up in a smooth fashion. With communication channels in place, start making a plan. Reimagine office space to separate employees as much as possible or at least six feet apart. Develop leave, pay, and telework policies that reflect the needs of the current situation and allow employees to stay home without having to jump through hoops; it is best for employees to stay home rather than chance the whole office getting sick. Finally, create a backup plan in the event that circumstances change drastically whether that is a change for the better or worse, it is safest to be prepared in all cases.
Keep Mental Health in Mind
With employees being protected from viruses to the best of the office’s ability, it is important to promote the well-being of employees in other ways, namely through care for their mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 20 percent of U.S. adults experience a diagnosable mental illness every year. While a small percentage of those are very serious illnesses, anxiety and depression are quite common, especially in the workplace. The circumstances of returning to work amidst a pandemic will likely exacerbate these challenges. A few simple policies can help employees feel comfortable and willing to voice their concerns in order to care for themselves: foster open communication about reopening plans, be flexible allowing work from home and short notice sick leave, and finally, actively address the circumstances at hand. Fostering open communication about what employees feel comfortable with and granting flexibility will help them be able to adjust to returning to the office. It is key to remember that everyone has different concerns, some care for others that are more vulnerable while others do not. Addressing the seriousness of their safety amidst the pandemic and voicing your concern and attention to the mental wellbeing of employees helps them feel comfortable in getting the help they need.
Facing down the challenges ahead seems daunting and exhausting, but it is important to remain open-minded and focused on the health of your small business staff as many small businesses function as a tight-knit community. While these are often difficult topics to handle, employee health and safety in all regards should be a top priority of any business leader. This article is not a conclusive list of precautions, so businesses should be sure to consult the CDC guidelines for small businesses. A safe and healthy business community will function effectively and efficiently to provide customers with the best experience possible. Perhaps most important is to remember to keep an open line of communication with your staff, if your staff knows their thoughts and concerns are being heard and respected you’ll get a better end result for your products and services.
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