At the onset of the COVID-10 pandemic, many people assumed that organizations and individuals alike would save more money now than in the past years. With remote work becoming a necessity rather than an option, companies can cut overhead and operating expenses like an office lease, electric bills, and other facility costs. While this is true to some degree, most of the money retracted from the usual expenditures was redirected to new ones.
The pandemic came with health protocols and restrictions that are expensive to comply with. To create a safe workplace, both on-site and virtually, there are three primary costs companies can’t escape.
Sanitation Equipment and Services
It’s no longer enough to place sanitation gels on every desk. Companies have to ensure that everybody who enters the office isn’t carrying harmful particles, especially in their shoes’ soles. This makes disinfecting mats essential at your office entrance, as well as automatic sanitizers that can reduce contact.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that the virus is most frequently spread through contact with contaminated surfaces. Providing cleaning wipes for gadgets like phones are essential to minimize the chances of bringing in possibly contaminated objects. Depending on your office structure and the volume of employees on-site, the costs of maintaining these sanitation measures can skyrocket.
Now is also a good time to hire commercial janitorial cleaning services. While this does not replace good hygiene practices among your employees, it does provide an extra layer of assurance that the workplace is as clean and risk-free as possible.
Long-term Remote Technology
Remote work was a trend long before the pandemic, but relatively few companies were equipped to operate off-site until the outbreak happened. This is why when the global health crisis hit, the majority of the companies worldwide scrambled to convert their operations to a virtual platform. Doing this was expensive, and even months into the pandemic, many still haven’t fully integrated their operations online. The technicalities of creating a portal for a company’s specific needs require the attention of an IT professional, which in itself costs quite a sum.
Those who cannot invest in a virtual workplace for their employees are experiencing losses greater than what they would’ve shelled out initially. Maintaining these websites and portals also cost companies, but now more than ever, it’s essential to have them to ensure that they can handle a future crisis.
Specialist Consultations
The coronavirus era introduced a greater need for specialists who will ensure that companies’ protocols and measures are efficient and government-compliant. More and more companies are looking for human resource specialists to outline safety precautions and new protocols for remote work.
Failing to produce such protocols and safety measures increases the risk of conflict and unnecessary expenses. A prime example is how remote employees will clock in and clock out daily and how to validate overtime work if the company permits it. There’s also the physical distancing and proper gear implemented in the office, which has to be aligned with CDC guidelines.
Even in terms of redesigning the workspace, companies benefit from hiring contractors to ensure that the materials used won’t degrade due to humidity levels. All these can be overwhelming without specialists’ help, which further makes it a necessary expense that mustn’t be overlooked.
Investment or Loss?
It’s not a loss if the company and its employees adapt to the new normal because of these expenditures. True loss comes with opportunities missed and time lost because you couldn’t invest in these three expenses that will keep your company afloat even post-pandemic.