When You Can’t Work from Home: What to Do with Services That Cannot be Done Remotely.While the rest of white-collar America retreats to their homes with their jobs secure and finances somewhat assured, millions of other Americans aren’t as fortunate to be able to do remote work.

With the directive that everyone should be off the streets other than health care workers, police and military forces, and other essentials, what’s the rest of America to do especially those who work in the service industry?

Mechanics who work at service stations in Providence, professionals of window installation businesses in Salt Lake City, airline personnel from Seattle, and those whose work requires them to be outside of the house and interacting with other people (which puts them at a high risk of contracting the disease) are all living in uncertainty due to the effects of the global health crisis.

What Are Some Things That Companies Can Do For Those Who Cannot Work Remotely?

Improve And Enforce Stricter Sanitary And Health Practices.

When dealing with the pandemic, one has to understand that we’re still dealing with a virus that spreads over surfaces and through contact with an infected person.

While experts are still trying to figure out whether the virus is airborne or aerosol, one of the main tools we can fight it with is proper hygiene and sanitation. Enforcing higher standards for hygiene and sanitation in the workplace helps keep the virus at bay. Proper washing of hands, coughing or sneezing into inner elbows, not touching faces, and sanitizing surfaces around the workplace already make a huge difference.

Observe Proper Social Distancing. 

Social distancing is to be strictly observed in the workplace. This means that employees and customers cannot shake hands, hug, or do any kind of close social contact with each other.

Social distancing also includes restricting unnecessary travel. Limiting human movement lowers the risk of spreading the disease even further. This is especially true for those who are elderly and who have health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the disease.

Expand Employees’ Sick Leaves. 

We are living in unprecedented times where the usual things no longer apply and new norms are being made to compensate. This includes the implementation of sick leaves.

A lot of companies now have expanded their sick leaves to accommodate the present circumstances. Understandably, not all companies, especially smaller businesses, could afford an emergency employee leave program like Walmart’s, so take this time to evaluate what you can offer to your employees and agree on terms that are beneficial for both parties.

Immediately Close Business And Cease Operations Once Exposure To The Virus Takes Place. 

If one of your employees has been exposed to the virus or has been diagnosed to have the disease, shut down your shop and cease operations immediately for decontamination. Close your business for a day and give your workplace a thorough cleaning and disinfecting, just like what a Starbucks branch in Seattle did after confirming that one of their employees has tested positive for the COVID-19 disease.

For the millions of Americans who are left with no choice but to report for work, these significant steps will make a huge difference for them. The name of the game now is survival, from the health crisis and from starving.