The pandemic had a considerable effect on businesses after forcing people to stay home to avoid getting infected. Aside from lower revenues, businesses had to deal with lower productivity and efficiency as health protocols affected daily operations.

Even over a year after the pandemic started, people still had to follow health protocols with the emergence of variants of the virus. But businesses can still promote productivity and efficiency while following health protocols during the health crisis.

Here are the measures that businesses can implement to remain productive and efficient while keeping their employees and customers safe.

Focus on Keeping Everyone Healthy

Businesses should prioritize keeping their employees and customers safe. Even though around 59 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated, the virus is still causing people to get sick. So businesses need to continue implementing measures to protect everyone. They should continue to encourage their employees to get vaccinated unless the state makes it mandatory for them.

They should also install hand sanitation facilities within their premises for their employees and customers. Businesses should also provide masks for their employees to use if they have to deal with their customers directly.

Businesses should also upgrade their facilities by installing better ventilation equipment. They should also conduct regular cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas in their premises. Additionally, they should stay updated with the guidelines the authorities release during the health crisis. These guidelines will change depending on the situation.

Adopt innovative Technologies

The adoption of innovative technologies increased after the pandemic started. These technologies allowed businesses to reduce face-to-face interaction between their employees and customers. While big businesses already used these technologies, smaller businesses had to adopt them to stay afloat during the health crisis.

Small businesses should implement no-contact payment systems to eliminate contact whenever their customers pay for their purchases. They should also work with delivery services to connect with customers who want their purchases delivered to their homes.

Businesses should also work with companies offering enterprise resource planning or ERP business systems. These systems allow businesses to streamline processes to enhance productivity. They also give business owners insights about their businesses and make informed decisions when implementing revenue-generating activities.

Augmented reality is another innovation that businesses should consider adopting. The technology allows customers to check their products even without visiting the store. It offers a huge potential for retail businesses to offer products that customers should check before purchasing them.

Offer Flexible Work Arrangements

Businesses should also offer flexible work arrangements for their employees whenever possible. The productivity of some employees will increase when they work from home since they will not be anxious about the health situation.

Allowing employees to work at home also improves their work-life balance, translating to efficiency and productivity. But they should establish policies to ensure the employees are working while they are staying at home.

Aside from working from home, businesses should explore the possibility of letting their employees work in coworking centers. These centers have a suitable internet connection that allows employees to work without staying in the office the whole day.

Take Human Connections into Account

Businesses with work-from-home arrangements for their employees should also stay connected with them. Staying connected promotes collaboration, which is necessary to ensure the employees stay productive. Collaboration also helps employees become efficient with their work.

And even though businesses want their employees to be efficient and productive, they should also consider the possibility of digital fatigue creeping in. So, businesses should also use technology to let their employees interact at a personal level.

Instead of focusing on their tasks, businesses should integrate virtual coffee get-togethers or happy hours into the schedule. They should also encourage their employees to stay off their computers over the weekend to fight digital fatigue, which is becoming prevalent because of remote work.

Continue Engaging Customers

Customer engagement offers more benefits than just increasing the online presence of a business. It can also help businesses enhance their operational efficiency. When businesses engage with their customers, they understand the needs and wants of their customers. And when they understand these needs and wants, businesses can focus their efforts on meeting them.

The current health situation highlights the importance of connecting with the customer to ensure businesses meet their needs and wants. Engaging with the customers also allows businesses to focus on finding ways to deliver popular products and services in their market. It also increases their trust level with their customers and encourages them to stay loyal to their brands.

Increasing efficiency during the pandemic is important for businesses to do even without compromising the safety of their employees.