With the Philippines having one of the highest COVID-19 cases in Asia and the vaccine still a few months away from being safely administered to the masses, every Filipino needs to do his or her share to help stop the spread of the disease. Even businesses have to do their part.
So if you’re a business owner of a small, medium, or even large enterprise, here are some suggestions for helping make your place of business safer from the threat of COVID-19:
Prepare your place of business
First, you need to make your place of business less conducive to the spread of COVID-19. This will help protect not only your clients but also your employees. For one, if possible, have workstations or whatever area that people might gather in spaced apart (at least one meter), so everyone can observe social distancing. Installing protective barriers is also a sound idea. Many fast-food restaurants, banks, and retail stores in the Philippines are actually already using acrylic shields as barriers for added protection.
Of course, regular sanitation of the entire establishment, especially common areas like restrooms and the office pantry, should be done more often now. If you have a spare room, you can turn it into an isolation area to keep employees who show symptoms of the disease away from other people.
Protect your employees
Second, you should make it easier for your employees to protect themselves. Yes, your business might have already taken a serious hit from the pandemic, but so do your employees. Help them out a bit by providing them basic personal protective equipment like face masks, face shields, and goggles. For good measure, you can also throw in some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizers.
Your employees will surely appreciate a monthly supply of vitamin supplements as well. If you can, provide a shuttle for your employees who take public transportation to minimize their exposure to other people. Plus, you have to ensure your company’s health insurance covers the costs of COVID-19 tests should any of your employees need one.
Enforce health protocols
Third, you have to enforce the minimum health protocols set by authorities in your place of business. And this goes for everybody—management, staff, and even clients. Put up signs reminding everyone to wear a face mask and shield, to practice social distancing, and to wash or sanitize hands frequently. They also need extra reminders to wear their face masks and shields properly and to avoid touching these protective devices. You should discourage your employees from converging in one place, particularly during their breaks, as well. Finally, employees must be instructed to report to management any symptoms of and exposure to the disease.
The Pandemic Is Far from Over
With the coronavirus mutating and the vaccine’s arrival still some months away, the pandemic is far from over in the Philippines (and the whole world, for that matter). There are ways, however, each Filipino can contribute to helping stop the spread of COVID-19. For business owners, these include preparing their places of business, protecting their employees, and enforcing health protocols.
