The Return to Work Causes New Worries for SMEs

By Geoff Lawrence, Managing Director, Vistage UK

The rise of COVID-19 has disrupted everyday life and business operations across the globe. After its spread through much of Asia, the Coronavirus remains a force to be reckoned with in the European market. Many organisations have had to make significant changes just to survive, let alone thrive – including stockpiling cash, stopping all unnecessary spending, furloughs and redundancies. Entire business models have had to adapt in order to manage.

As the government starts to allow lockdown restrictions to ease for certain industries, the return to ‘normal’ brings the next stage of uncertainty along with it. This will undoubtedly create new headaches for business leaders, as they implement their pandemic recovery plans to ensure all areas of the operations remain a safe, yet effective, environment to continue business – whether an office, storefront or on the manufacturing site.

Anxiety is sky high

In May, the government issued guidance for businesses regarding reopening, as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions first started to ease gradually. Such new directions include social distancing in workplaces and wearing face masks in enclosed places, and are designed “to enable employers to identify risks that COVID-19 creates and to take pragmatic measures to mitigate them” according to Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

Despite the introduction of official guidance and precautionary measures, a recent study by business leadership organisation, Vistage (2020), revealed that 63.2% of the UK business leaders are most worried about the safety of their workforce as economic activities resume following weeks of lockdown.

While many UK small- to medium-sized businesses welcome the new government guidelines, it is also clear that companies are at different stages of readiness to reopen. As a result business leaders find themselves in a difficult balancing act, weighing up the need for operations to ramp back up (at risk of going under) and precautions in adhering to the strictest of lockdown restrictions (continuing to work from home).It is, therefore, no surprise that leaders and senior executives are worried about bringing their staff back to work given the importance of adequate precautions in place to protect all stakeholders.

Preparation is key

One thing we can be certain of is that the return of normal does not mean the return to the way things were before. Even with the infection rates lowering day-by-day, the possibility of multiple waves of the Coronavirus remains, meaning that stricter health and safety measures need to remain an ongoing priority. There are four main considerations for business leaders as they begin to approach the idea of returning to work.

1. Evaluate the need to return

After a couple of months of working from home, which has generally gone well, corporate leaders should question whether office-life is a necessary part of their business. While the social aspect of business is important for relationship building, brainstorming and, in some instances, mental health, it may be something only worthwhile once the threat of COVID-19 lessens.

In fact, many are beginning to believe that the coronavirus will bring an end to office life as we know it. A recent PwC (2020) survey revealed that a quarter of chief financial officers were contemplating cutting down on company real estate.

Aside from the business itself, leaders will have to consider the emotional well-being of staff members and take each individuals’ circumstances into account, such as fears of using public transportation or infecting vulnerable household members and colleagues. The pandemic has been a deeply traumatic experience for some, who may not want to return back to the office all together, in favour of working from home on a more permanent basis.

1. Evaluate the risk

The UK government has proposed a three-step plan for the phased reopening of society and businesses. This is an opportunity for thousands of businesses that have been forced to shut during the lockdown measures to recoup lost business. However, the effort needed to make sure your workspace is safe should take place before reopening.

This could include looking into the use of personal protective equipment, the identification of communal areas as well as high-risk/vulnerable individuals, who then would require their own personal risk assessment.

Employers have a duty to assess and manage any risks of infection to staff and customers. They also have a legal responsibility to protect them and can be done in consultation with workers or trade unions. The Government guidelines are there to help owners get their businesses back to normal and operate as safely as possible.

1. Maintain two meters’ social distance

Under government policy a two meter distance should be maintained at all times. It’s the business’ responsibility to make the necessary changes and modifications to the workplace to allow for this. This should be maintained throughout the entirety of the working day and in all areas of the premises, including entrances and exits, fire-escapes, meeting rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

In addition to redesigning the workspace, policies should be introduced to decrease the amount of people in high traffic areas – some solutions include implementing staggered start times or the creation of one-way systems.

With that in mind the government is under increasing pressure from Tory backbenchers to scrap the 2m (6ft) social distancing rule in England with warning of dire economic consequences, for certain industries such as hospitality. Businesses will need to monitor the situation closely and assess whether any adjustments to the rules are in the best interest of staff, customers and their business.

1. Reinforce cleaning processes

Finally, work environments should be cleaned more frequently, with particularly attention paid to high-contact objects like door handles, keyboards and communal areas. Handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers should also be distributed throughout.

As the business world edges closer to normalcy, corporate leaders have rethink the role of the workplace after months of remote working, and for some a complete halt to business operation.

Any crisis is a test of character and while many business leaders admittedly feel as though a lot of what they usually do is restricted, they must instead focus on what they can actually control. Sometimes that may mean looking towards other business leaders for advice and council as the return to normal presents a new set of challenges to overcome. Preparation, communication and flexibility are key in navigating these unchartered territories.