What the road to recovery will look like is, to a degree, a mystery. Some believe that the economy will rebound rapidly, while others think that the process will be slow and steady. Regardless of how it proceeds, businesses that want to thrive in the post-COVID landscape need to start preparing now.
Not only will readiness include developing new processes and procedures that align with reopening requirements, like social distancing and customer population limitations, but also ensuring that you can right-size your workforce whenever the need arises. If you want to make sure that your company is prepared to reopen, here’s what you need to know.
New Rules Will be the Norm
Even as states begin to allow companies to reopen, certain rules will remain in effect. For example, social distancing and staffing limits might be mandatory, and retail businesses may only be allowed to welcome a certain number of customers at a time. Companies may also have to supply certain kinds of PPE to employees, including face masks and gloves.
Businesses will need to adhere to those requirements as a reopening condition. However, that doesn’t mean it will be the last set of rules they need to follow.
Since the COVID-19 situation is highly fluid, adaptability is a must. Organizations need to be willing and able to make adjustments whenever new mandates are issued. This ensures continuing compliance, which will be critical for maintaining operations.
Right-Sizing Will be a Continuous Process
Just as rules regarding reopening and operating will likely change frequently, so will a company’s workforce needs. Most businesses won’t be able to accurately predict demand fluctuations due to the uniqueness of the situation.
For example, customers may initially return in droves only to back off after a few days or weeks. It’s also possible that business will return gradually, like an even uphill climb. However, growth may occur in fits and spurts instead.
Ensuring you are able to handle demand changes means have an agile workforce. Ideally, you want the ability to scale up or down quickly, empowering you to adjust whenever the situation demands it. That way, you can manage your personnel costs while maintaining appropriate levels of productivity.
Companies that want to streamline their workforce needs must adopt the right recruitment and hiring methods. Usually, this involves a combination approach, bringing in full-time permanent staff for critical roles as well as augmenting your team with highly capable temporary workers, enabling you to adjust to demand shifts.
Additionally, businesses must adopt new best practices for hiring. Phone and video interviews should become the standard, expediting hiring while minding safety. Similarly, using web conferencing software or other technologies to conduct portions of the new hire onboarding process could be wise, both from speed and health perspectives.
Ultimately, the road to recovery will be challenging, likely including obstacles that companies won’t anticipate. However, by using the right approaches and being mindful, progress can occur with surprising speed.
If you’d like to learn more about how right-sizing your staff can lead to greater success, the team at GSG Talent Solutions will be happy to answer your questions. Contact us to discuss your needs today and see how our workforce management expertise can benefit you.