It is amazing how fast the World can shutdown in time of crisis. One day you are going about your business doing your daily tasks and the next day you are locked down in the house. As we ease out the other side of the pandemic life will be a little different in many ways from the way we greet each other to understanding the importance of our health. Coming out of this is also going to change our policies at work and the workplace in general.
In the short term our workplaces will look very different. Masks and hand sanitizers will be the new safety equipment requirements and we may see many employees working from home. Video conferencing will be a new normal and travel may be a little less important. I imagine the first time someone sneezes in the hallway at work will cause people to hide under their desks and hanging out at the water cooler will be replaced with text messages. Even with a vaccine I believe people will be a little more cautious.
What does that mean for your policies and procedures. Once businesses are allowed to open again policies will change as to how people operate at work. We have been translating many documents to do with Covid-19 for places such as senior’s homes and businesses that are still open during the pandemic. Once everyone returns you will see changes to policies and procedures for the long term. So why not use this time to get ahead of the pack.
We know with guidelines changing, many workplaces are waiting to hear what governing bodies are going to dictate as procedures for the long term. When was the last time you reviewed your health and safety policy? Many of us in North America go to work even when sick in fear of losing our jobs or to complete an important project. Covid-19 will change the way we look at our health in general and who should come to work.
We always suggest that companies review their policies and procedures on an annual basis and with things being shutdown there is no better time than the present to get started on that daunting task. A way to get ahead of that is to start mapping out what will need to change in your workplace for the short term, mid term, and long term. Divide that up into sections and revise during those time frames as procedures change. This way you won’t have to change everything at once but will have everything ready to go once announcements are made. If your workplace is in Quebec realize you will need those policies in French, but of course you knew that. Good luck during the pandemic, be safe and if we can help you with your translation needs please don’t hesitate to contact us.
About the Author
Carmen Outridge is the owner of Outridge Translation Services and has been translating documents between English and French for over 30 years. Carmen is from the Eastern Townships part of Quebec and understands the language and dialect of Quebec. To learn more about Outridge Translation Services or to get help with your next project visit www.outridgetranslation.com
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