The novel coronavirus or covid-19 emerged in late 2019 when panic arose in China after numerous cases were registered and spread fast among the region, taking lives with it. On the other hand, panic in the West was contained until 2020, when the first cases of Covid-19 were spotted in Italy. It went down-hill from there. Now, if you look at this case tracker by John Hopkins CSSE you’ll see that over 90k individuals have been affected by the virus.

While medical researchers are keen on producing a coronavirus vaccine, people around the world are encouraged to comply with some basic health and safety regulations. However, the day-to-day routine is constantly being disrupted, and businesses have to think quickly on their feet about safety procedures that need to be implemented. In this article I will go through the basic policies and procedures examples that every business should keep in mind in case of aerial quarantine.

How should businesses handle Covid-19?

The exact effect the novel coronavirus will have on general world economics is yet to be determined. However, certain sectors can already feel the strain with factories slowing down due to quarantine procedures and consumers buying less altogether.

Companies that have an office-based regime should think ahead about general health and safety precautions that should be implemented in case of an aerial quarantine, to which remote work seems to be the only logical solution.

How should businesses prepare for mass remote work?

If the number of infected individuals increases in your area, be sure to provide a remote work company policy for your employees.

Time-frames for remote work:

Workers that have recently been out of the country and/or have visited areas that have officially registered cases of the coronavirus should be advised to stay and work from home till they are sure of their own health.

As a business owner implement a 1–2 week mandatory remote work policy so that possible virus infectees stay at home until they are certain of good health so as to prevent any further spreading of the virus.

Tools for effective remote work:

While remote work may not be a practice your business is familiar with, there are ways to make this transition easier. Be sure to invest in tools that will better communication among employees and help with general workflow. Have a look at some of these remote utilities:

NordVPN Teams — a business VPN that provides security and the ability to access company data out of office bounds. “Make sure everyone in your team can smoothly and safely access business data. NordVPN Teams provides a secure connection to work resources on any device, including laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and phones.”

— a business VPN that provides security and the ability to access company data out of office bounds. “Make sure everyone in your team can smoothly and safely access business data. NordVPN Teams provides a secure connection to work resources on any device, including laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and phones.” Slack — a chat tool for businesses. “Teamwork in Slack happens in channels — a single place for messaging, tools, and files — helping everyone save time and collaborate together.”

— a chat tool for businesses. “Teamwork in Slack happens in channels — a single place for messaging, tools, and files — helping everyone save time and collaborate together.” Zoom — a tool meant for conference calls and online meetings. “Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.”

— a tool meant for conference calls and online meetings. “Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.” Team Viewer — a tool with which you can remotely access and control other desktops. “Remotely access, manage, and support computers, mobile devices, network machines, and more — from anywhere, anytime.”

— a tool with which you can remotely access and control other desktops. “Remotely access, manage, and support computers, mobile devices, network machines, and more — from anywhere, anytime.” Asana — a project management tool that helps PMs and employees stay on track with their tasks. “Plan and structure work in a way that’s best for you. Set priorities and deadlines. Share details and assign tasks. All in one place”

The benefits of a remote work policy:

Having a remote work policy in check will ensure that your company decreases the possibility of in-house virus spreading and also allows your employees to be fully prepared for a possible quarantine teleworking transition.

In addition, having a well-adjusted remote office system can determine how your business will adjust to possible economic changes due to Covid-19.

Other general precautions to keep in mind:

Hygiene

Have common use spaces cleaned and disinfected daily. Provide a guide for health precautions to your employees via email and, if possible, have hand sanitizers installed near the exits and entries of the office area.

General health precautions that should be shared among employees:

Wash hands regularly Do not touch your face Cover mouth while coughing and sneezing If possible, avoid contact lager gathering places (concerts, fairs, markets, and so on.) If possible, postpone travels

Travel

Postpone non-urgent travels to infected areas or conferences. Advise employees to avoid large gatherings or personal trips as being around larger groups of people can increase the potential for illness.

Useful links concerning Covid-19:

Just don’t panic

One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is not to spread unneeded panic. While the virus is spreading, there is no need to cause fear or confrontation as there are solutions to the problem.

All you can do now is take the right precautions to ensure effective workflow and healthy staff members.

Remember to read-up on news and updates and act accordingly. Stay safe!