Opening up and making sure our staff and customers are safe

We’ve all heard enough to last a lifetime about Covid-19, however it isn’t going away and the reality of running a safe secure business for the longer term really hit home as we prepared to open our doors recently. I think it’s safe to say planning how to keep our business safe and secure is something that perpetually built in complexity the more we though about it and the closer we got to opening. At that stage, the sheer task began to hit home, and it was clear we needed to engage with some consultancy to add clarity to what in fact is a niche area of work and expertise.

So, we needed a supportive consultancy to come in and assess our business from top to bottom and help us go from point A to point B quickly. We needed to create internal processes that were achievable for the long term, as cost effective as possible and scalable within our growing business. Fast forward and I tentatively met with Ian Jackson from Clean Safe Standards, ready for a day of office visits and education! Luckily for me it was much more enjoyable and beneficial than I ever would have imagined. We began looking at our business in detail from the perspective of customers and staff interaction, touchpoints, high risk areas and correct cleaning regimes. Whilst we had already got a lot right which was reassuring, it was clear with Clean Safe Standards experience we could easily implement actions to reassure our staff and customers we really were looking at everything possible to create a safe environment which remained practical in regards to our commercial operations.

What impressed me the most was the thought provoking questions that allowed me to see things from a different angle and whilst some were obvious, you just do not see them. Clean Safe Standards catalogued issues/considerations effectively with descriptive text and high-quality photography. Within 48 hours I had received a comprehensive report that detailed where we were, what we needed to do and how to implement it. We had clear guidance and templates to use to improve our standards and look to achieve the recognised “Clean Safe Standard” award.

Sometimes I think this kind of work can feel like one big mountain to climb, especially whilst running a very busy business. However, the project has been broken down into phases which really helped us navigate the journey. Breaking it down from office to office and putting step changes in place has worked well so far and we are continuing to engage with Clean Safe Standards in this area.

Overall, we have been very impressed with the service provided from Ian and his team and would urge anyone looking for support in general health and safety advice or specifically post Covid policy to reach out. We all have our part to play in creating a new safe working environment and protecting our clients and having the support and expertise of Clean Safe Standards has been invaluable.

We look forward to a future beyond Covid-19, but until then we are proud that as a company, we have invested time into our people and much valued customers.

Ed Tyman – Sowerbys Group Operations Manager