Guide to Reopening Your Business After COVID-19

We understand if you and your company have felt severely impacted since the outbreak of COVID-19. Who wouldn't? Businesses around the world faced one unprecedented challenge after another, while society had to endure countless disruptions and a tremendous loss of life. Now, as vaccines offer hope that the worst is soon over, companies that temporarily shifted to remote work face their next major challenge: reopening after COVID-19 and bringing employees back to the workplace.

In this article, you will find expert tips for reopening from Cassie Whitlock, Chief People Officer at IceHrm, as well as a list of helpful free resources.

What to expect when reopening

At first glance, reopening a business after COVID-19 may seem as simple as flipping a switch: you set a date when everything returns to normal and ask all employees to come back to the office and continue working as usual. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Even after the pandemic subsides, many health considerations still need to be taken into account and important business decisions need to be made.

Questions and Answers on Reopening Your Business After COVID-19

To help you identify and address challenges related to reopening your business after COVID-19, we spoke with Cassie Whitlock. Below are her answers to our questions, as well as a list of additional resources.

Much has changed over the course of the pandemic. How have your plans for reopening the IceHrm offices evolved since we switched to working from home last spring?

CASSIE: Initially, the focus was on the general steps for returning to the office. Now we recognize the greater opportunity to intentionally define office and remote work and enable success in a hybrid work model. Not all companies have the ability to work remotely, but we can use this opportunity to focus on communication, collaboration, and fostering employee success. At IceHrm, we are developing our strategy for a successful hybrid work model and outlining a gradual, team-based approach for returning to the office.

Does the process of reopening after COVID-19 differ for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) compared to larger organizations? What specific challenges do SMEs face?

CASSIE: Yes, there are differences depending on the size of the company, but there are also specific needs that arise from the team structure and, if applicable, individual requirements. With fewer employees, the transition can be easier in some ways for SMEs, but they also have fewer staff and resources available if gaps in the plan are discovered or something unexpected happens. This requires better planning and more intensive communication. To ensure the success of your plan, it is advisable to conduct a trial run to identify helpful adjustments.

How does a company decide when the right time is for all employees to return to the workplace after COVID-19? And should everyone come back at the same time?

CASSIE: There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that. When deciding on the right timing, three important aspects should be considered:

First, the impact on business results, especially with regard to seasonal or special fluctuations. Consider factors such as workload, dependencies, and effects on upstream and downstream processes.
Second: resource constraints. For example, it would be impossible for my IT team to onboard all 700 employees in one day. This means it will likely be difficult to reintegrate all 700 employees into daily work in a single day. Unplanned resource requirements will arise.
And third: individual readiness. Depending on how the pandemic progresses, individual employees may have personal concerns or issues. Make sure to take your employees' needs into account and communicate your transition plans early. Give your employees time to provide feedback or share any personal limitations.

Given the generally visible success of working from home during the pandemic, the question arises whether employers and employees will make greater use of this form of work in the future. What advantages and disadvantages result from more employees working from home?

CASSIE: When it comes to the question of using remote work, the core issue is to ensure or even expand success. Similar to a product: if development costs are higher than the selling price, a company is not competitive. This means that managers, teams, and each individual must contribute so that remote work provides real value to the company.

Remote work can promote focused work but may hinder collaboration. Company culture and employee engagement will remain central issues for remote work even after COVID-19. Determination and innovation are essential for company culture, especially under the conditions of remote work.

How can companies prepare their employees for returning to the workplace after COVID-19?

CASSIE: Start with early communication, gather feedback, and allow enough time for adjustments before implementing your plan. My favorite idea is a journey map: a one-page document that shows each employee the necessary steps for returning to the office. Simple, easy to understand, and with the clear goal of working motivated and focused.

What should an employer consider when developing a comprehensive workplace plan for dealing with COVID-19?

CASSIE: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are an important resource when creating or updating your COVID-19 policies. Your plan should include:

Employee training
Office hygiene measures
Facility inspection and maintenance
Screening procedures
Testing and reporting of cases
Contact tracing

What role should tests and screenings play in reopening a business after COVID-19 to ensure workplace safety?

CASSIE: The testing requirements largely depend on the specific circumstances of your company. At a minimum, employees should undergo daily screenings. The implementation can be tailored individually, but it is the best proactive measure to minimize or prevent potential COVID-19 infections in the workplace.

Many leaders and HR managers are currently discussing how we can influence employee behavior outside of work in relation to the pandemic. This is a complex issue, but in any case, training employees can be helpful. Make sure your employees have access to guidance and information on how to minimize their risk of contracting COVID-19.

What about visitors in the workplace? What should employers consider when deciding whether to allow visitors and what safety precautions apply?

CASSIE: The company is obligated to provide its employees with safe working conditions and to offer visitors and customers general protection and safety. Therefore, aligning the safety measures for both groups simplifies processes and promotes sustainable development. Communicate early and regularly so that everyone knows what to expect.

How are employees' needs regarding their mental and emotional health likely to change when they return to the workplace? What can employers do to meet these needs?

CASSIE: Returning to normalcy after COVID-19, or at least to a consistent work routine in the meantime, can minimize stress and distractions. Mental and emotional health remains an important aspect of employee well-being. Workplace support programs will continue to be a key part of benefits, but we can also get more creative in promoting mental and emotional health. Start by talking to employees to understand their needs.

How should employers decide when and how to resume business travel?

CASSIE: The decision to resume business travel is another topic for which there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Each company can make a good decision by evaluating travel based on the same three factors I recommended for deciding on employees' return to the workplace:

What happens if an employee does not feel comfortable returning to the workplace after a COVID-19 illness? Or if an employee refuses to get tested or vaccinated?

CASSIE: There are ongoing regulatory changes that impact what employers can do in this case. However, the basic principle is expected to remain: In general, an employer can deny an employee access to the workplace if they pose a danger to safety or health or otherwise cannot meet operational requirements.

Impact on business results
Resource constraints
Willingness of individual employees

An employee can be dismissed for not complying with company policies… but should an employee be dismissed for refusing to be tested or vaccinated? That is a difficult question. You should seek advice from legal counsel to determine how your company will handle this.

How can companies avoid common mistakes when reopening after COVID-19?

CASSIE: I don't believe that a flawless plan is realistic. Instead, we should focus our energy on developing a solid, comprehensive plan and including a contingency plan. Use your professional network to improve your plan: your industry peers are facing the same challenges, and together you can effectively implement health and safety measures when reopening your business.

Prepare now for a better future

In addition to Cassie's advice, when developing your post-COVID-19 reopening plan, you should consider the following points:

Every organization is different. This article provides important information that most organizations can benefit from. However, you may face additional challenges that are specific to your situation. Therefore, invest time and resources in identifying these individual challenges and developing effective strategies to address them.
COVID-19 is a dynamic situation. The conditions surrounding the pandemic are constantly evolving. Your plan will therefore most likely need to be adjusted as well. Even as the situation improves, you should continue to stay informed about the latest information on pandemic guidelines and recommendations from the CDC as well as your local and state health authorities.

As you develop and implement your plans for the future, your business may have undergone lasting changes – but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Solutions and innovations that COVID-19 has forced you to adopt can strengthen your business and better position it for competition in the post-pandemic business environment.

A solid, comprehensive plan for reopening your business after COVID-19 and resuming normal operations not only ensures your company's future success but also gives leaders and employees renewed confidence. After all that we have gone through during the pandemic, regaining inner peace may be the most valuable gain of all.

Helpful Free Resources for Reopening Your Business After COVID-19

IceHrm: What the Post-COVID-19 Era Means for HR Departments
A detailed look at the expected changes in benefits, hiring processes, company culture, and more

CDC: Guide to Resuming Business Operations

Includes a comprehensive checklist for preventing and reducing virus transmission, maintaining a healthy business operation, and creating a healthy work environment. It also provides a tool to protect employees, allowing you to select the most appropriate safety measures for your workplace.

OSHA: Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Explains measures that employers can take to protect all employees, and then explains how employee risk levels can be assessed and additional protective measures tailored to their needs can be implemented.

CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 for Businesses

How can you reduce the spread of illness in your workplace? What should you do if an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19? How can you tell if your business is considered essential? Here you will find simple and understandable answers to many common questions about COVID-19 that affect businesses.

Returning to the workplace post-COVID-19 is a complex transition that requires HR leaders to adopt a proactive, flexible, and communication-driven strategy, often pivoting to a hybrid work model. Success depends on detailed planning, transparently communicating changes, ensuring employee health and safety through measures like daily screenings, and maintaining legal compliance regarding vaccinations and access. IceHrm directly supports this transition by enabling organizations to manage the complexities of a hybrid setup, including tracking attendance for those returning to the office, documenting custom leave policies for illness and quarantine, and utilizing the Communication tools to distribute essential employee training and journey maps. By using IceHrm, businesses can navigate the ongoing dynamic situation with confidence, providing the structure and peace of mind necessary for both leaders and employees to thrive in the new work environment.