June 15th marked the day all non-essential retail opened back up to the general public, but what does this mean for business owners? Below, we explain how to run your business effectively and keep shop doors wide open to customers while still practising social distancing, health and safety measures, one way systems and more.
As a non-essential retail business owner, you may be concerned about life after Lockdown or life on-it’s-way-out of Lockdown, and that’s ok. Many people will be feeling the pangs of anxiety at this time, but, you mustn’t slow down, now is the time to pick up business, begin advertising (yes, advertising will be successful during this time!) and have your business at the forefront ready to welcome all of the excitable shoppers on the horizon, digitally and on the high street!
As before June 15th, if you can work from home, you must. But for the non-essential businesses where working from home isn’t possible, here’s everything you need to know to help manage the risk associated with re-opening your business during the outbreak:
Talk to staff and provide useful information
Firstly, communicate with your staff and workers. Explain the changes being made in the workplace via an email, phone call or Zoom call.
Make sure you ask for input, listen to ideas, queries and questions and work through every step with them to ensure you understand the seriousness of the outbreak.
Learn more on talking with staff about working safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Travelling to work and working from home
When travelling to work, especially on public transport, ensure your staff know to abide by the 2metre (6ft) social distancing guidance. Provide or ask them to wear PPE (e.g. gloves, hand sanitiser and PPE) for their journey.
People who can work from home, of course, request they work from home. Provide any equipment they need such as a computer or a phone, and ensure you keep in frequent contact.
Maintain a COVID-secure workplace
To avoid large groups of people gathering at work, stagger arrival and finishing shift times.
Provide clean hand sanitising stations and handwashing areas which should be used every so often.
Keep the number of people at work as low as possible and stick to the social distancing guidelines.
Use floor tape to mark working areas and 2m spacings.
Have people work side-by-side rather than face to face.
allow only essential travel from and to the workplace (e.g. essential deliveries or trips out).
Use screens for barriers between people.
Cleaning equipment
Ensure surfaces are cleaned frequently and disinfect objects that are used regularly. If equipment is used, such as tools, ensure each are cleaned after use.
Set clear guidance in how to clean equipment, what products to use, and how often.
Create a Promotion Post on Snizl
Using the Promotion Post feature on Snizl, tell 200,000+ people that you’re opening up shop once again and are open for business as usual.
It’s important you spread the word that your business is back open and running, but it’s also important you inform customers of the new safety measures in place so that they’re prepared once they visit.
Simply add your business for free, create a Promotion Post and set the Claim option to in-store.
Protect yourself, your staff and your customers
We understand re-opening your business may seem challenging at this time, but putting these steps in place to ensure your safety, your staff and your customers will give you peace of mind that you’re running your business well and correctly.