Businesses where able should consider implementing some structural changes and preventative measures to their workplace to protect the safety of employees and minimise the risk of the coronavirus spreading. Here are some suggestions for those businesses who are able to:

• Allowing employees to work from home and providing them with the resources to do so (e.g. VPN, computers, etc.).
• Becoming more flexible with working hours and dividing employees into different time slots to avoid contagion.
• Promote frequent and methodical handwashing. Consider putting up posters on how to wash your hands properly.
• Practicing social distancing (e.g. no handshaking)
• Encourage staff to sneeze or cough into their elbow rather than their hand and avoiding the workplace with any illness.
• Ceasing all employee travel (domestically and internationally) and moving meetings online.
• Make sure you meet all WHS obligations to your employees.

With fears of COVID-19 on the rise and more people choosing to drive over using public transport, problems of traffic congestion and lack of parking are likely to arise. This will also pose as a significant problem for companies specialising in delivery services. It is thus important to recognise these flow-on effects as a result of the coronavirus and remain flexible with your daily business operations.