In today’s unprecedented times, it’s easy to feel like you’re losing grip on your business, having to make significant changes overnight to appease local lockdowns and updated government restrictions. As a result, you’re likely not operating at your full capacity and may even be running at a loss. Naturally, you’ll want to get people back into the office as soon as possible – below, we’ve rounded up some advice to ensure you stay both safe and profitable.

1. Invest in work-from-home technology

The chances are that your staff will need to work from home for the foreseeable future, so make sure that you are investing in scalable technology that can adapt as your business needs it to. It’s all well and good thinking that COVID-19 will be over and done by the end of the year, but the truth is that businesses may need to think many years into the future.

2. Identify an experienced FM provider

Working with a company that offers facilities management services such as office cleaning, workplace design, and fit-out, and security is a sensible idea. Knowing that you have an experienced professional team at the other end of the phone will give you reassurance and peace of mind. What’s more, FMs cut costs, taking advantage of bulk buying on everything from cleaning and maintenance supplies to office furniture; use them to your advantage!

3. Invest in enhanced daily cleaning

There’s never been a more important time to up your cleaning budget and ensure that your office premises are cleaned and inspected every day. Follow all government regulations on COVID-secure workplaces and consider investing in technology such as temperature scanners or even facial recognition devices to reduce close contact on your premises.

4. Offer your staffers the choice

The truth is that we’ve all handled the coronavirus pandemic differently, and it might be wise to offer your team the option of returning to the office or continuing to work from home. After many months of lockdown, some people will feel uncomfortable about returning to the office, so be flexible where possible – especially if productivity has remained consistent during work from home policies. It could even be an opportunity to introduce permanent telecommuting.

5. Put your customers at the forefront

Just because you’re facing new challenges behind the scenes, it’s doesn’t mean that your customers should have to suffer. Though most are understanding and will give businesses more slack during these challenging times, it’s vital that you’re thinking about the customer experience at every opportunity. Wait times and customer service shouldn’t be impacted.

6. Be prepared for upcoming change

The UK government is already encouraging people to work from home where it’s possible to do so, meaning most office-based roles should now be fulfilled away from the office. In the months ahead, these restrictions may change, so ensure you have a policy in place to safely welcome staff back to your premises. In the meantime, you can use the opportunity to update your working environment, implement new security and safety measures, and offer training and advice for returning employees to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Do you have any other tips? Let us know and check back soon for more business advice.