4 Ways to Adapt Your Business for Social Distancing

The world has gone a bit bonkers and the new government guidelines and the words “social distancing” have a massive impact on how businesses operate.  Industries such as retailers, manufacturers and logistics are certainly feeling the pressure, having to work at increased distances whilst society relies on them more and more to continue in these bizarre times. 

The goal is to slow the spread of the disease, “flattening the curve” to give our brilliant NHS a better chance of providing care to all the people who need it.

Whether you’re a small services business like an accounting or consulting firm, a high-traffic business like a retail store, or even a restaurant or coffee shop, here are 5 points you can action to help keep you, your customers, and the community at large safer during these uncertain times.

1. Inform customers and employees about social distancing
2. Avoid direct physical contact
3. Create additional space
4. Stagger staff/customer flow

Let us dig into the most important tactics you can use to practice social distancing in your business.

Inform customers and employees about social distancing

Signage, signage, signage! There are many options available to help remind both staff and customers to adhere to the new social distancing rules and as more businesses are gearing up to open having the right signage act as constant visual reminders to stay safe

Types of signage

• Floor labelling for queuing and keeping 2m apart
• Posters to provide information
• Hard surface stickers for tables/mirrors/windows

Avoid direct physical contact

It’s been a while since we greeted anyone with a handshake but as businesses start to re-open we need to think differently about how we can carry on providing our goods and services while ensuring we are all kept as safe as possible.

Click and collect has become the norm for many businesses and creating suitable click and collect points for customers is critical. Collection point signage, barriers, tape, and cones are perfect for making these areas.

Create additional space

Some companies may benefit from a temporary physical change in their environment. For office spaces and eating areas, this could mean reducing the number of desks and tables in the room to increase the space between desks.

For warehouses, supermarkets and retail shops the racking/shelving and product displays may need to be re-located to increase aisle widths to help people keep their distance.

Stagger staff/customer flow

I’m sure by now we are all used to queuing at the supermarket as limiting the number of people allowed in a store. This will be challenging for some businesses but the correct signage and floor marking will make a huge difference.

Planning the queue direction and the flow of customers and staff around the business needs careful planning. Floor labelling works great for queuing before entering the premises or at the tills in retail environments.

Other businesses such as manufacturing plants, warehouse environments and even office spaces can benefit from one-way systems and floor labelling.

Conclusion

Even if you aren’t a member of an at-risk population segment, your participation in social distancing can — and will — save lives. You may not be able to follow all of these strategies, but the more active and aware you are, the better.

If your business needs help designing or implementing a social distancing plan we can provide you with the correct signage for your business as well as design the layout and even carry out the installation if social distancing can be maintained.