​The Covid-19 panic is lifting and people around the world are beginning to cautiously exit quarantine. But after the initial socialization and eating at restaurants subsides, it’s time to prepare for the return of businesses and figure out how to move on. Now, returning from social distancing may mean businesses are back to physical work. However, this does not mean business as usual. As consumer behavior adapts to the new economy, businesses must also evolve with them. Find your first, go-to steps for life after quarantine with this handy back-to-work business guide!

Gather the Troops

Let’s start with basics - Communication 101. It may have been a while since all employees were in the same place. Your first stop to ensuring success is making sure internal business workings are running smoothly. Check in with employees to make sure they are supported during this time of transition, and communicate the company’s needs, so everyone is on the same page.

Support Small Businesses

While a small percentage of the current population has lived through the Great Depression, the majority of us have never been faced with such a sizemic economic shift. Some small businesses did survive this fallout, but they are at a disadvantage when compared to large corporations. Make sure you support them! Not only do small businesses help your community and the economy, but they are eternally grateful and usually are able to give you personalized and caring customer service in a way that’s difficult for big business to achieve.

Cut Costs

As we head into hard economic times, make sure your organization prioritizes ROI, and do everything in your power to become recession-resistant. This means auditing your spending, and seeing what you can afford to not have. In some cases, this requires some creativity. For example, how much are you paying for traditional instructor led courses or travel expenses for training purposes? Go digital to remove those barriers and simplify your spending.

Increase Marketing Efforts

While it’s great to cut some non-essential costs, make sure you increase your marketing and sales efforts, as that’s what will allow your business to gain new customers. If people have never heard of you, they cannot buy from you. So while “cutting costs” is great, make sure you’re not absentmindedly budgeting things that help your business succeed.

Health and Safety Training

Many industries don’t feel that safety training is for them. However, it’s become clear that every organization needs to be vigilant about their health, as society itself is so dependent on it. Play it safe by inviting health training into your regular work hours, regardless of what industry you’re in. Not only will it show stakeholders, employees, and the public that you’re serious about the well-being of the world, it will also help prevent more future outbreaks and hopefully will keep your business running for longer. If you have healthy employees, you’ll also being paying less in sick leave and have boosted productivity from those who are at work. Studies also show that workers are more loyal to companies that take care of them with respect. Increase public health, employee retention, and lower turnover in one fell swoop!

Make the Move

In elementary school, children learn how to act in case of a fire and plan fire safety drills. Similarly, businesses must create remote working plans for their workers, in case something comes up. Because of the uncertainty during Covid-19’s reign, it’s understandable that organizations were hesitant to implement new systems during the height of the crisis. This would be the equivalent of buying a fire extinguisher during the fire; one should already be set up and in place before an emergency hits. Make the move to a comprehensive learning solution, such as a Learning Management System (LMS) or Course Creation services. It’s imperative you to do your homework before choosing a system, and make sure you choose one that’s right for you. Ask key questions during demos and prioritize systems that are known for great customer service, no matter what is happening in the world.

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