Quick Read – 4 Steps To Get Post-COVID Ready
How can organisations preserve integrity of their supply chains, protect their workforce and prepare to ramp up operations in the post-COVID world? Here are four quick steps.
At some point soon, the worst of the COVID impact will have passed. And so, organisations need to work now to preserve the integrity of their supply chains, protect their workforce, and prepare to ramp up operations in the post-COVID world.
With lockdown restrictions easing across the globe, returning to a regular work schedule is imminent. Some of the basic near-term measures include:
- Scanning body temperature at work site entrances
- Reorganising the workplace to minimize common touchpoints.
- Implementing effective disinfectant processes
- Training employees on workplace hygiene practices
- Developing contingency to respond to suspected infections
These can be achieved through a four-step process:
1. Plan a Phased Reintroduction to Worksites
A large number of workers returning to a shared worksite pose a significant risk of the virus spreading in the workplace. The higher the number of workers the higher the risk of contagion. Remember that managing the number of workers entering a worksite will be critical in ensuring overall workplace health in a post-COVID world.
2. Revisit the Workplace Setup
Granting worksite access to employees doesn’t essentially mean removing all the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 outbreak. You will still need to closely follow all the government regulations pertaining to employee gatherings, social distancing and workplace hygiene best practices. And, it’s likely that the pre-COVID working environment will be unsuitable for these new restrictions to be implemented.
3. Transport Inventory and Operations to Non-Affected Areas
Many regions at the heart of several global supply chains have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sudden supply shortages from these regions or over-dependence on a single supplier for inventory in these regions may lead to operational delays.
Shifting inventory and production lines elsewhere or opting for local sourcing alternatives can help lower your risk exposure. Additionally, you can also start sourcing pre-approved inventory or raw-material substitutions from regions where a primary supplier has been impacted but a Tier 2 supplier is still operational.
4. Mobilise Support Structures for the Extended Enterprise
Proper technology can help you quantify the pandemic’s relative impact on contractors’ supply chains. Leverage advanced cloud-based workforce management platforms to collaborate with workers working on remote locations. Keep communication as consistent and frequent as possible to remediate pitfalls.
The Long-Term Landscape: How to Evolve Your Business
Short-term measures will provide businesses and supply chains with the much-needed foundation for proactive resilience. However, enterprises are steadily coming to terms with the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly and irreversibly transformed the future of supply chains. In order to ensure long-term pandemic-proofing of global supply chains, organisations need to take several measures.
These measures are outlined in Avetta’s recent whitepaper, What Happens After COVID-19? Download for free today.
