After the third coronavirus lockdown in the UK, non-essential shops and businesses were allowed to reopen from April 12th, 2021. Whether you own a small boutique, run a firm in an office, or you’re implementing outdoor service at your café, there’s a lot to consider in terms of health and safety. Reopening after a prolonged period is complex at the best of times – but in a pandemic, there’s a whole other set of restrictions to consider! 

Join us as we share 7 top tips to bear in mind as you reopen your business, from sticking to social distancing to upgrading your security system.  

1.    Follow social distancing & PPE guidelines. 

From the 2m rule to compulsory mask-wearing, guidelines around distancing and PPE have evolved a lot over the last year, so make sure you’ve put the latest batch of recommendations for businesses in place, and all your staff are aware of them. 

2.    Invest in clear signage. 

If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to invest in some new signage for your business regarding coronavirus trading restrictions. For example, if you run a bookshop, you may need a sign on the door to indicate the maximum number of customers. 

3.    Adapt your premises.

To comply with COVID-19 guidelines, many businesses have had to change the way they use their premises. For example, many businesses in the hospitality industry adapted their operations to provide outdoor seating and delivery services, until May 17th – and after this, adaptions to lesser restrictions (such as the rule of 6) will remain in place too. These new operations bring with them new health and safety, fire prevention and employee protection requirements – so don’t forget to assess your workplace throughout these changes.  

4.    Reassess your security system. 

The landscape for criminals has changed massively during the pandemic, so it’s worth reevaluating the security measures you have in place to protect your business. For many companies, a professional system like ADT Smart Business could be the securest choice. 

With ADT Smart Business, you can gain access to a whole host of security features remotely via the app – like checking the alarm has been set, viewing live footage from your Wi-Fi cameras and backing up recorded in the cloud.

5.    Keep your customers (or clients) up to date. 

Many businesses might decide to partially reopen, and operate within limited hours, or only on certain days. If this is the case for your company, put your trading hours on your website, and announce them on social media – or make sure it’s circulated to your staff. 

6.    Organise your staff presence. 

If you’ve had staff on furlough and you’re planning to temporarily operate on part-time hours, you might not be able to bring all your employees back at once. The government furlough scheme has been extended to 30th September 2021, so look at how many staff you can realistically support based on your business, and go from there. 

7.    Implement extra hygiene and ventilation measures. 

As well as incorporating additional signage, factoring social distancing and PPE, you’ll also need to make an extra effort to improve the hygiene and ventilation within your business. This will look different in every sector, but it might include hand sanitiser stations, an open window policy and regular deep cleans.