COVID-19: Developing a Re-Entry Plan for Your Business

May 11, 2020

Is your business operating fundamentally different than before COVID-19? Do you have more employees working remotely or is your business location currently closed?

Now is the time to start thinking about the re-entry of your buildings and workforce as many states consider lifting their stay-at-home order. If you haven’t already started planning for this transition to the ‘new norm,’ keep reading for some things to consider whenever the time should come for you to (re)open for business. Our security professionals can work with you to develop a transition plan for re-entry that addresses your specific security needs. There is no charge for this consultation.

New Protocols & Limited Entry

Who will be allowed back in the building and what will your new set of protocols look like? Do you have the proper PPE to coincide with the new policies and procedures? Questions and acceptable answers will vary for every job site and business. Consider staggered schedules, phasing departments back in, and limited occupancy. Limited entry is also possible and Temporary Security Officers can help. Prior to staff and clients entering your building, Temporary Security officers can:

  • Administer pre-screening questions.
  • Take temperature readings.
  • Enforce sanitizing protocols you’ve put in places like offering masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer.

Call us to learn more about Temporary Security Officers or to discover how other businesses are using them to assist with the transition back to work.

 

Touchless Technology

There are a range of technologies that allow for touchless interactions. Even the simple turn of a door handle is under scrutiny now that COVID-19 is a rampant concern, which has forced families and business owners alike to rethink our everyday actions. Below are a few examples that may not only be desired by your business but necessary for the foreseeable future.

 

Visitor Management with Video Monitoring and/or an Intercom

The days of handshakes are gone, at least for now, and visitor management has taken on an entirely new meaning. In addition to security officers, video monitoring and intercom technology (both with two-way audio) can assist your receptionist, warehouse team and anyone who lets visitors and vendors in the building. Give real-time, touchless control to your staff to keep them safe.

Taking things a step further, consider the layout of your lobby and how people will move about and interact. Can it be rearranged to better follow COVID-19 safety guidelines? Can your sign-in clipboard or guest book be replaced with something that can be scanned or photographed? These modifications allow you to accomplish two things simultaneously because you now have an electronic record of all entrants and can retrace steps should someone fall ill.

 

Touchless Entry with Access Control

No key is needed! Entry and exit through any and all doors with the swipe of a preprogrammed access control card combined with an elbow or foot. Not only that but now you also know who is in your building and when. This solution is completely scalable down to just one or two doors and evolves with your needs. It also integrates with your burglar alarm and video surveillance systems.

 

Monitor Newly Created Safety Protocols with HD Cameras

The ability to see that your new policies and procedures are being enacted on a day-to-day basis even when you are not there is possible via high def cameras and your smartphone or other web-enabled devices. How are your employees interacting with customers and vice versa? What are your high-traffic areas? What improvements can be made to the new protocols?

 

Contactless Controls for Your Security System & Fire Alarm

‘Contactless alarming’ (a.k.a. remote access) has been around for a while now but this technology is more priceless than ever with all that is going on. With the ability to control your burglar and fire alarms via your own personal, sanitized smartphone or other web-enabled devices, you reduce your instances of community use of the keypad at the office. It’s one less thing to touch but still having the ability to control every aspect of your equipment while also knowing who armed and disarmed your system. It’s handy for those days you are working remotely but useful even when you’re not!

Social distancing has become synonymous with day-to-day life. As everyone gets into the groove of a new norm (the new ‘business as usual’), we suspect there will be a combination of being in the office and working from home for some time to come. The journey ahead may be a long one but we are in it together and together we’ll prevail!

There is no charge for a professional consultation to evaluate how you can safely get back to business in your actual place of business. Contact us to set up an appointment!