Protecting the health and safety of your employees during the ongoing pandemic should be your top priority. After all, your restaurant couldn’t function without their hard work! Today, we’ve gathered some tips and guidelines that will help you do just that!
How to Protect Employees From COVID-19
Your restaurant simply couldn’t function without its employees–that’s why protecting them from COVID-19 should be your top priority. Plus, employees who feel like their needs are being cared for will be happier at work. Having happy and safe employees means having a happy and safe work environment, so make sure you’re prioritizing their needs!
Follow Local, State, and National Guidelines
In all areas of operating your restaurant, it’s important to follow government guidelines. This means guidelines surrounding sanitation, operating structures and capacities, as well as protective precautions for your employees.
Embrace Contactless Service
We’ve made several blog posts on different methods of contactless service, from [LINK] mobile ordering and payment to [LINK] guidelines on turning your existing staff into delivery drivers. No matter how your restaurant is operating at the moment, limiting contact keeps both guests and employees safe. In many cases, it’s also more efficient, and can be incorporated into your business post-pandemic as well!
Increase Sanitation
Train all employees in sanitation procedures so that tasks are never left unfinished. We also recommend increasing handwashing frequencies to further prevent the spread of germs. Keeping hand sanitizer at the ready for both employees and customers is also a great idea.
Health Screenings
Each employee should complete a health screening or check-in upon arriving to work each day. This screening should check not only their health but also that of their housemates to make sure no symptoms are being shown.
Invest in PPE
PPE–personal protective equipment–comes in many forms. When it comes to masks, make sure that the ones your employees are wearing include filters and comply with CDC guidelines. All staff working in the kitchen should of course continue to wear gloves and hairnets in addition to face coverings.
Protecting Employees with Plexiglass
We’ve already made a post on using plexiglass to protect both employees and customers, but we’ll briefly mention it here because it’s a great method of doing so. Consider investing in plexiglass shields for areas such as hostess stands and check-out counters especially.
Prioritize High-Risk Employees
Some of your employees, such as those with underlying health conditions, will require extra effort in order to keep them safe and healthy. This may mean shuffling positions or roles and allowing these employees to take ones that are not customer-facing.
Maintain Communication
Above all, it’s essential to maintain a dialogue with your employees when it comes to their safety. If they feel that improvements could be made to your protocol or guidelines, you’ll want them to feel comfortable enough to come to you. Remember to always stay positive and reinforce good practices to encourage employees to stay vigilant.
All in all, protecting your employees is essential to the success of your business. We hope that these tips are useful to you as you navigate establishing new guidelines!
