Yes, it’s coming. Yes, you need to be prepared. No, you don’t need to go out and buy all of your employees a crate of toilet paper.

It seems like a very real possibility that your work place may need to make rapid changes to how you do your work in the coming months thanks to the terrible COVID-19. Some people are in total panic mode and others don’t believe there’s anything to be concerned about. I think we should all be somewhere in the middle. The truth is we are seeing school systems, colleges, and conferences shutting down, and it’s good to start thinking about “what if…”

Remote working - For many of us, remote working is possible, even if it is a huge departure from the way things normally run.

• Do a tech audit—who has what they need to work from home? Do you have access to everyone’s cell phone numbers? Let people try out the tech needed to work remotely AT the office so you can troubleshoot. Does everyone have access to internet?

• Establish some remote working norms before everyone is actually working in their homes—we will have a group staff meeting on Zoom every morning at 9am, all in-person meetings will now be conference calls, or we still expect you to respond to emails within a few hours when you are working. Remember it’s likely your staff will have less than optimal working environments at home during this time—no childcare means kids will be home and multiple working people may be sharing spaces that weren’t created to work in. Also, to be real, people are just going to get less done and it’s not realistic to believe they will be able to make it all up when they return.

• If or when the time comes make sure everyone is taking home what they need to do their work—this includes moving things onto the server or the cloud and taking all of the files, books, and tools you might need to do your work.

Big events with lots of people – events with lots of people are being cancelled left and right and honestly, if you don’t cancel or reschedule when everyone around you has, will it be a success?

• For future events make sure you are having the “what if” conversations with vendors and understand the refund process.

• Discuss whether or not it makes sense to reschedule – the thing about rescheduling is that if you are doing it, probably others will be too—there’s a real chance of over saturation of events whenever the virus passes, which isn’t good for anyone.

• Consider a “Non event” event—where people get to stay home instead of going to an event and still support you—it would be easy to make a case for how important it is for your supporters to donate to your fundraiser—because your work doesn’t stop with COVID-19, even if your fundraising event had to. These can be really cheeky and fun. (Remember—this might be a good email campaign not snail mail because, well, the post service may stop.)

Protect your clients and your employees the best way you are able

• If you are providing absolutely necessary services that can’t be shut down or postponed do your research and be prepared. Change the things that aren’t absolutely essential—for instance, if you are running a free clinic, maybe you don’t have well-child check up’s during this outbreak. Or if you are providing food to people perhaps you package the food and deliver it directly to people’s doorsteps, while giving your staff the proper protective gear to protect themselves.

• Make sure there is plan to ensure all of the operational things that have to get done will get done—bill paying moves to online payment, buildings are secure and ready to not have people in them for a while (turn the temperature up or down, make sure all living things have a home, all important paperwork is signed and delivered, etc.)

• Review leave policies with staff and as a leadership team figure out what exceptions you are willing to make. Remember that for many people, going without a paycheck because you don’t have paid leave is devastating and having to use all of your paid leave for a mandatory shut down will cause panic amongst your staff, get ahead of the chaos and be clear about what you are willing to offer to staff and what you need in return.

More than anything, plan now, so you don’t have chaos on your hands in a few weeks. I hope you never have to use your plans; but if you do, you will be in much better shape and prepared to navigate the unknown with more ease.

The Spark Mill team is figuring it out alongside of you – we are washing our hands a little extra, working really hard to refrain from touching our faces, and making short-term and longer-term plans for our team and our clients…oh, and ensuring we all have extra snacks at home, just in case!