Reopening your business after COVID-19 comes with new challenges and new regulations, not to mention a lot more stress and anxiety for both you and your teams. While some employers are easing minds and allowing their employees to continue to work from home, this may not be an option for others.
Over the last four months, new resources and guidance packets have been published by state officials to help ease the pandemic’s impact on small businesses. These resources are free and easy to follow and are essential to ensuring that your business doesn’t go under because of something out of your control. While our mission at HDYR8 is to provide clean drinking water, we want to be a supplier of resources and helpful tips for our clients as well. If you’re looking for resources to help your business survive this pandemic, we’ve got you covered!
Face Coverings
Wearing masks is likely to be the new normal for a while, and getting your hands on a stockpile for your small business and employees can be challenging. That’s why the NYC Department of Small Business Services is working with business-serving partners throughout the five boroughs to stock and supply small businesses with PPE.
To meet the requirements for this small business resource, you must have fewer than 100 employees. Make sure you contact distributors before you plan to reopen to ensure that your team is ready and protected before you reopen your doors. You can schedule drop-offs or pick-ups whenever it’s convenient for you.
Reopening Small Business Loans
Not all small businesses will be able to recover from being shut down for more than 12 weeks. The loss in revenue is too significant to recover. However, for those that have managed to keep their cash flow going, there is the New York Forward Loan Fund. This fund was created by the state to support businesses as they reopened.
Business or nonprofits must have fewer than 20 full-time employees and less than $3 million in annual revenue to be eligible for the loan. Companies may also qualify for this loan if they have not received funds from the SBA Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster loan for COVID-19. This loan program is targeted to minority and women-owned businesses. Those who are approved can expect three months of revenue up to $100,000 at 3% interest for companies and 2% for nonprofits. The loan terms include a 5-year repayment plan, and interest-only payments will be accepted for the first 12 months. Apply here.
Safety Plan Templates
Many businesses are now sitting down with managers and leaders to come up with pandemic response plans. Putting a plan on paper will help keep your team organized and answer any questions that may arise in the planning process of a new COVID-related procedures. Not only will your business benefit from a safety plan, but so will your customers. Tying in a safety and action plan around COVID-19 allows you to easily and quickly respond to your customers and keep your business moving, even if things shut down again.
If you need help with a safety plan for your business, state resources offer a template and guidance on implementing this new procedure in your workplace. Don’t forget to take a poll of your teams to determine their concerns before you start planning as well. Address things such as pay, which departments will remain open, and how many people you’ll continue to have on staff should New York be set back again because of the virus.
Know Your Technology
With everything going digital, using online platforms to run your business shouldn’t be difficult. With platforms like Zoom, Slack, and OpenForBusiness, keeping your NYC shop open during a pandemic is simpler and easier to accomplish. Many tech companies are also offering businesses the chance to use their services for free for an extended period. Every industry has been impacted, but keeping up with your technology can make your recovery a little easier.
Implementing a new platform or CRM to your company for more organization might also benefit you once everyone returns to work. These platforms allow you to communicate with your teams and keep each other up to date on projects. Do some research and find platforms that work well with your business processes.
Keep Everyone Hydrated
When it’s time to return to the office, don’t forget to upgrade your water jug to a bottleless water cooler from HDYR8. Our water coolers come with self-sanitizing tanks, multi-stage filtration systems, and a water foot pedal to make your hydration station hands-free and worry-free. To get yours installed today, contact us at (718) 313-0113.
Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/DBu9IrkuPFM