The corona virus crisis has infused our vocabulary with new words and phrases; ‘Social Distancing’ and ‘The New Normal’ among them. The meaning and context these phrases will change as the situation changes. Social distancing, if it is still required will be different in one year than our understanding of it today. The new normal will also be an evolving situation. The current new normal in many businesses is not allowing clients into the waiting room, screens and strict PPE. But these measures will change and evolve, maybe not back to the old ways but we won’t live this way forever.
The standards which we are working by are being handed down by the government, our governing bodies and social expectations. Our businesses must interpret them as they evolve. It is important that businesses communicate a clear vision of what the current new normal looks like to their team members and explain what is expected of them. Lapses in the way team members work could lead to increased health risks for staff or clients and also a loss of public confidence in the business.
The way changes in protocols are delivered to the team is hugely important. It must be accessible. There must be recording of acknowledgement or assessment of knowledge. Supervisors need to be able to see who has not passed on a protocol and be able to easily remind them to take action. Proof of training may be important; to prove a business is taking responsibility for training in these matters or as a tool for the HR department should a team member repeatedly fail to comply.
It is also really important that team members feel they can contribute to changes as they are being made. If a new protocol is not workable, team members need to be able raise the issue simply and easily.
Homeworking is a big change which has occurred in many work places. Many commentators feel that is may well become a new normal. In which case, protocols, guidelines and work related documents need to be available via cloud-based systems to ensure no break in service.
For hygiene reasons, we may find there is a need for less paperwork cluttering our work stations. Laminated sheets stuck up around reception should be a thing of the past. Information and forms delivered via electronic devices will save paper and improve hygiene (so long as devices and keyboards are regularly and efficiently sanitised).
Training-Progress is a Team and Quality Management System which has been taking these changes in its stride. It is a cloud-based system which means that clients were already taking advantage of easy access from all practice sites and for homeworking team members. The integrated document management system allows protocols to be regularly updated and ‘pushed back’ to team members’ training programmes. Reporting systems allow supervisors to keep an eye on the uptake of changes and to send reminders if necessary.
Important communications can be sent via the Urgent News feature which requires acknowledgment of messages. No longer can team members miss important emails.
If you are interested in how Training-Progress can help you shape your vision of the new normal for your business, then please email info@Training-Progress.com or call 01423 313323.