Many brick-and-mortar stores were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as states are slowly reopening, these businesses have other things to mind. Apart from working to recover losses from the lockdown orders, they must also figure out how to keep customers and employees safe while adhering to employment laws and government guidelines.
If you are a retailer who was deemed ‘non-essential’ during the stay-at-home orders and now on the verge of reopening, unique employment law challenges are coming your way. From temperature checks and finding the right Dahua product supplier to sending a notice to employees, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Follow Government-Mandated Health and Safety Guidelines
Reopening is not an option unless you implement safety procedures that will protect your customers and employees. Each state and city has its own safety standards for what shops must do to ensure a safe re-opening.
These requirements often include rules on social distancing, donning personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves and masks), the number of employees allowed in a store at one time and more. For more information, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Create a COVID-19 Safety Plan
Your business’s COVID-19 Safety Plan assesses your readiness for reopening. It also minimizes the risk of transmission in the workplace when you do reopen. Your safety plan should accomplish the following:
- Ensure you comply with the government-mandated health and safety guidelines
- Steps in safe reopening and operations during COVID0-19
- Reassure your staff and customers that you’re taking all the necessary steps
An effective safety plan clearly documents your plan on minimizing the risk of transmission in the workplace, which includes:
- How you clean, sanitize and manage social distancing for customers and the staff
- How your workplace is arranged and organized
- How you sanitize the store and manage social distancing for customers and staff
Send a Notice to Employees
Once your local government allows you to reopen, share all the relevant information with your staff before their first day back to work. Send a letter to the team, explaining how the shop will follow government-mandated guidance for social distancing, store sanitization and hand-washing.
The notice should include health and safety guidelines for customers and employees, as well as personal hygiene reminders and rules for in-home visits and deliveries. Your notice can tell employees to avoid touching their nose, mouth and eyes; discourage the collection of signatures and stay home if they are sick.
Acclimate to the New Normal
Retail will be different once you reopen: everyone will be wearing gloves and masks, frequent sanitizing is a requirement and the number of customers allowed in the store is limited. It takes a while to adjust to the new normal. In fact, some of your employees might struggle.
Support the adjustment period by looking for ways to make it easier for everyone. Check up on your employees regularly. Keep everyone safe by providing personal protective equipment. Remind customers to practice social distancing.
Reopening in the pandemic helps you recover losses due to stay-at-home orders. But when you do reopen, prioritize health and safety to ensure a smooth reopening.
