Tips for businesses re-opening this month
Covid-19 has a had a huge detrimental impact on businesses all over the world, in England (at the time of writing) non-essential businesses are planned to reopen on April 12th. It’s been a long time since many non-essential businesses have opened their doors to customers, we take a look at some tips to help businesses get back on their feet.
Plan
Unfortunately with the unpredictable nature of the pandemic it is not 100 percent certain that non-essential businesses will be permitted to open on April 12th, this decision will only be made if the four tests for easing restrictions are met. For some businesses this uncertainty will cause issues when planning what stock to order and how to ready business premises prior to this date. We suggest if you are in this position to bear in mind that things may change, always keep an eye on the latest news and updates to find out the latest predictions. Having plans in place to regulate staff and stock based on demand will be vital in these uncertain times. Businesses will need to be as flexible as possible whilst trying to minimise any potential loss. Social media can be a good tool to find out what demand is likely to be once you re-open, consider booking appointments in advance and asking your audience what they are interested in when you do open again.
Government funding
The government has allocated a pot of funding for businesses that have been required to close during the pandemic. This funding is in place to help businesses re-open again once permitted by the government. Businesses who need capital to get things organised before any additional money comes in from sales can use this money to fund their business opening and restocking. We suggest conducting your own research into what funding is available for your business. Do also consider any interest implications of taking government loans and how this could impact your business in subsequent years. The furlough scheme has also been extended to allow businesses to continue to take advantage of this payment on a flexible basis, where possible businesses should be furloughing employees when they are not required in the operation in order to save costs.
Social distancing and Covid precautions
Although at this current time non-essential businesses should be able to re-open on April 12th, Covid-19 is still very much an issue in the UK. Social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) are still required to help stop the spread of Covid-19 whilst the country is continuing to roll out the vaccination programme. For businesses opening on April 12th we recommend making sure your business is set up to adhere to the social distancing guidelines and employees are aware that they need to wear PPE before coming back to work. Before opening your doors to the public again you should consider providing employees with Covid training so they are clear on what is required of them and how they can keep themselves and the public safe. Displaying clear signs outside and inside your premises will help make the transition to opening a Covid safe premise much smoother. Hand sanitiser should also be offered to staff and visitors, you may also want to look at increasing the cleaning of key touch points on a regular basis.
