"The New Normal" Questions About ReOpening During Covid-19

Businesses are opening back up after nearly 3 months of sheltering in place. We are obviously so pleased to be able to move forward, but for all businesses, there are a lot of questions about how to open safely and compliantly.

OWNERS/MANAGERS HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE THE FOLLOWING FLOATING THROUGH THEIR HEAD:

• How do we handle employee health screenings and temperature checks?

• Is social distancing being enforced effectively?

• Masks or no masks?

• Do I have to send them home for that?

• Do we even offer paid leave?

  • Wait, we’re REQUIRED to offer paid leave?

• Uh oh, who all have they worked with?

• What do we tell them?

• What can we tell them?

• Shoot, when was the last time someone checked the supply closet? We’re out of hand sanitizer! Now what?

AND FOR EMPLOYEES, THEY LIKELY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS LIKE:

• When can I return to work?

• Am I going to get fired for missing work?

• Am I allowed to do that when working from home?

The amount of changes that businesses have had to undertake over just the last 3 months is honestly and truly astounding. We usually manage change, right? We make slow and incremental changes that give people the opportunity to adapt because change is hard.

If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be entire sub-genres of self-help and self-improvement books on change management and adapting to change. Right now, we’re essentially pulling a giant band-aid off in one swift and painful swoop, and it’s going to sting for a minute.

We’re all just trying to figure out how to adapt- to roll with the punches- while keenly aware that these adaptions are necessary, urgent, and imperative to protect the health and safety of employees and customers, to comply with a host of new laws and orders, and to continue business operations consistently throughout the remainder of the pandemic, however long that may be.

Contact us with any questions you have about these posted resources, for assistance in updating your policies, or for any other assistance in adapting your policies and people practices to our current, but temporary, “new normal”. 

FOOTNOTE:

*Keep in mind that as state orders are updated and agencies like the CDC, WHO, EEOC, Treasury, DOL, SBA, and IRS release and amend guidance regularly in this rapidly changing environment, changes in guidance may alter direction relied upon in the creation of these documents; forms available on this site may be revised to maintain compliance with law and guidance after your initial download date.