Steps Responsible Businesses should Consider amidst Corona Outbreak!

The COVID-19 has spread throughout the world like wildfire. The consequence of the pandemic is so that we have been in lockdown and will be (god knows till when) to battle it. With no antidote, remedy or vaccine viable, it is imperative for each one of us to be responsible enough and look after oneself and our loved one’s safety by strictly following all the guidelines declared by World Health Organisation which includes maintaining “Social Distancing”. The only way to contain this deadly virus from spreading.

Businesses and employers should now come to terms with this global health calamity and play their part effectively by doing as much as they can to fight this fatal virus. However, responsible businesses do acknowledge the fact that business doesn’t run in a vacuum. Humanity and commerce are inevitably connected. Therefore, are doing their bit and are very well upholding their corporate social responsibility.

Now, a lot of you must be pondering how can we help combat this?
Well, it isn’t that we are not capable of reflecting changes to the workplace or our process. The need of the hour is a change in policies and work culture until we overcome this plight.
Now is the moment when we need to show up in the way of safeguarding the herd. It is not just an act of compassion but are traits of responsible companies and their smart moves.

So, here we’ve rounded up some steps we, at Innoraft are following and would recommend to the companies and human resources departments who are unsure of the steps they should implement to mitigate risk, protect employees and support clients during the outbreak of COVID-19.

• Place a remote work option or WFH plan till this continues

With a plethora of people already working remotely, there are a lot of available tools employers and the HR departments can utilize so that teams can keep in touch and continue working even if they aren’t in the very place.
Execute a remote work policy that includes when you demand your team to be online or accessible, how to interact (via email, Slack, or video call, for example), and what deliverables per team member is accountable for completing.

• Put an end to F2F meetings and travel temporarily

Try to prevent chances for exposure to the virus to a minimum. Suspend any team meetings or take them virtually. Skip any conferences or other before-planned business tours. If your workers get infected because of a business tour or meetings, you could have a liability issue on your hands, so better avoid it as you might also have to maintain low morale and sick leave requests.

• Grant flexibility to Employees

Schools all over the world are shutting, as are offices, stores, businesses, and industrial centers. With everything literally closing, we are moving towards a total lockdown, you will require to be flexible with your employees’ time. Some team affiliates may have to leave surprisingly if their child’s daycare closes. Others may have students or children who have come home from school for a break and aren’t returning due to the pandemic. Don't be harsh on them rather try to be as understanding as possible when instances like this come up. Also, have a contingency strategy in case you abruptly go short-staffed.

• Communicate transparently with your clients

We are all facing this hard time, nobody is an exception. So, be transparent about what your business is going through with your clients. Clients do empathize with brands enduring a crisis moreover we are all together in this. Thus, as long as you communicate with them properly they'll certainly stick your side.

• Make the most of technology

Platforms that enable teams to collaborate and interact effectively can be utilized while work-from-home days. Conferences can be arranged over Skype, Google Hangouts, or Zoom. Besides, real-time collaborations can be done using a number of free platforms available on the internet.

Initiatives that HR Departments should take:

• Provisioning of free masks and sanitizers. Also, the cleaning schedule of the office should be increased.
• Senior administration has to move words to deeds and ensure they mask up wheresoever appropriate to.
• Temperature screening could be incorporated so that everyone in the office has their peace of mind and are not paranoid by the thought that their co-workers might be contaminated. Such information should be transparent and available so that workers have complete faith in the information presented.

Note what you are learning from this, empathize and be charitable.

We are all learning a lot about how we could have adequately planned for this tragedy. Nevertheless, accept this time as a wakeup call and learn from this happening. Start exercising notes and don’t revert to the status quo when all this is over.

• Must plan a financial reserve or savings account for your company that could support in times of urgency.
• Prepare for having a personal monetary reserve of a few months of living payments.
• Analyze new small or big income sources for changing business demands.

Lastly, aim to serve and help those in your community. The more you treat and help them heal, the better you’ll feel.

This article is sparked on coronavirus only to make people especially, businesses aware that this deadly virus has and will have a bearing on all of us if not prevented timely! Look, it is always good to be optimistic and hopeful that this "tormenting phase of the pandemic" will pass any time soon and you will certainly escape this but it is clever to be prepared for the worst as nobody knows how the situation is going to unfold in the coming days.