COVID Safe Tips for Your Business

Here in Australia, we are in rather a privileged position compared to the rest of the world. With the number of new COVID-19 cases generally remaining low since late 2020, it appears we have a degree of control over the virus that would be hard to imagine in many other countries. 

As we begin our return to normalcy, many of those who shuttered their businesses are starting to reopen and office workers are once again commuting to work. Keep reading for advice on staying safe as you and your employees return to your business.

Regulatory resources for small businesses

Safe Work Australia has a dedicated site for COVID-19 information for small businesses. This makes it easier to understand:

• your responsibilities to your workers, and
• how to take simple actions that lower risk.

Are you looking to learn about compliance, or how to fill out a COVID-19 risk assessment? This is a great place to start.

Practical steps toward a safer workplace

As a business owner, following relevant federal and state or territory laws should always be your priority.

And closely following these rules and regulations means fewer troubles down the line.

Some of the most effective ways to limit the spread of the virus are simple to implement and enforce, such as masks. However, there are plenty of additional steps you can take to keep yourself, your staff, and your customers safe.

Engineering controls may sound like a complex term, but in the context of limiting disease spread, it simply means making changes that discourage the spread of the COVID-19 virus. You might like to consider: 

• using plastic, perspex, or a similar barrier to separate staff from customers at checkout. 
• offering social distancing markers on the floor in areas where people queue or congregate, such as outside fitting rooms.
• printing signage advising customers about applicable capacity limits in your state or territory.
• placing hand sanitiser at the entrance to your business, and next to your payment terminal. 
• using contactless deliveries and payments. 
• rearranging your office space and/or warehouse, so that all desks, workstations and other areas where your staff do their jobs are, at minimum, 1.5 metres apart.
• reducing the use of recycled air in HVAC systems, and increasing fresh air intake and natural air flow.
• talking to the owner or manager of your building, as well as any other businesses in the same building, to work together on risk mitigation. You might discuss staggering staff arrival times and rules for limiting exposure in common spaces, for example.

Safer payment processing

There are plenty of ways businesses can limit the conditions that lead to the spread of COVID-19, with many involving reduced contact between staff, customers, and others. You should look for payment processing options that support this same goal.

There are a few options to consider when it comes to a safer strategy for processing payments. You can:

• encourage customers to use contactless payment options, such as using tap-and-go cards or mobile wallets.
• place your EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale) terminal behind a barrier with a small area for access, limiting interactions between staff and customers.
• regularly sanitise your terminal between uses.

Zeller offers an integrated payment processing solution for businesses across Australia. By supporting contactless payments, including payments made via mobile wallets, Zeller Terminal helps you create a safer environment — for both your staff, and your customers.