Keeping Employees Safe During The Pandemic.. It Can Be Done!

Employee Safety During The Pandemic

In these very taxing times of battling Covid19 and dealing with all the challenges this deadly virus brings with it, numerous businesses are finding it difficult to return to work in the normal office environment their used to. As is said all too often, “this virus does not discriminate.”

There are many different types of businesses feeling the effects of Covid19, such as Credit Repair, Debt Consolidation, Telemarketing, Internet Sales, Educational Seminars, Auto Warranty Services, Document Preparation, Mail Order, Nutraceutical Sales, etc. It doesn’t matter whether your business is high-risk or low-risk for merchant accounts, brand new or very experienced, nor does it make a difference what each company does.

Every firm and its employees are at risk when it comes to Covid19 and the dilemmas all businesses face are very much the same.  

Safety Compliance Is A Must

Although we haven’t yet figured out how to defeat Covid19, the government has provided safety measures and practices that all businesses should follow in order to keep their employees safe while in the workplace. These include:

• Taking the temperature of all staff when they first arrive as well as throughout the day and making sure they’re feeling well. If not well, employees need to be told to stay at home or return home and not come back until they’re well.
• Making it mandatory that workers wear face masks or coverings at all times. Disposable gloves may be helpful as well depending on the nature of the business and the employee’s position.
• Practicing constant social distancing, which means having to be at least six feet apart. This includes sitting at desks, having lunch or breaks in a kitchen or breakroom, or walking around the office for various reasons.
• Making sure the office or building ventilation system has been checked professionally and is in proper working order.
• Constant cleaning and disinfecting of the entire workplace using all the proper equipment and supplies.
• Limiting visitors to the workplace, if at all possible. If not feasible, all visitors must be subject to the same practices as employees.

Remote Working May Be The Solution

As many businesses have discovered, keeping the workplace environment safe and efficient during a pandemic is not only difficult, but can also be quite costly. In addition, no matter how careful a company may be, following all the guidelines, Covid19 can very possibly find its way into the work environment, infecting many in its path. A large number of companies have turned to remote working, that is employees working from home, as a way to keep their staff safe and their businesses functioning properly. Many firms appear to be having great success utilizing this practice.

Remote Working Is Becoming A Trend

The fact is, many companies have been so pleased with the results of having their employees work from home, they intend to keep this practice going long after the pandemic comes to an end. The many advantages provided to businesses by employing remote workers are proving to be very welcome by employers, who are not likely to give them up when Covid19 is no longer a threat. These include:

• Saving on rent, given that less or no office space is required.
• Happy and comfortable employees, resulting in more productive workers and greater staff retention.
• Less absenteeism, given commuting is eliminated.
• Depending on the type of business, employees can work the hours they prefer, day or night, providing greater availability to clients and customers.

Safety Is Essential

The bottom line comes down to this. It is extremely important for companies to do all they can to keep their employees safe. Of course, the main reason is because it’s the right thing to do. That goes without saying. However, let’s face the facts. Employees are the heart and soul of every business. Without them, there would be no business to operate. So for all the right reasons, businesses, for the most part, are doing all they can during the Covid19 pandemic to keep their staff safe and sound, as well they should.

Find us at: FirstCardPayments.com  to discuss your high-risk merchant account needs.

Joyce Hope( Merchant Account Specialist )

Joyce Hope is a writer who specializes in merchant accounts. She has worked for First Card Payments since 2017.