The phs Index: How has COVID-19 impacted UK organisations?
Since the full national lockdown was announced in March 2020, the way we live and work has changed dramatically. Through the news, word of mouth, social media posts, and the restrictions we ourselves have faced, it’s clear that the past six months have literally changed the world as we know it.
To find out the real impact that COVID-19 has had on organisations, phs Group has used its unique position as the nation’s leading hygiene services provider to gather unrivalled insights into the experiences of organisations throughout lockdown. This information has been analysed and presented in a new white paper, known as The phs Index.
The phs Index is a free digital resource full of information that businesses can use to help them confidently navigate the ongoing global pandemic.
Key statistics from the phs Index:
- Nearly one in five consumers (19%) admitted they were not confident about hygiene measures within local businesses.
- Just over a quarter of consumers (26%) said they did not feel confident about social distancing practices within these premises.
- Women are more likely than men to have concerns about hygiene and social distancing practices.
- Building occupancy is significantly lower today that it was pre-COVID; with premises 17% quieter nationally and 38% quieter in London.
Click here to read the full phs Index.
How can my business rebuild trust during the Coronavirus Pandemic?
It’s worrying that nearly one in five consumers are still concerned about returning to local businesses because they are not confident about hygiene measures or social distancing enforcement. It shows, that understandably, many people are still nervous about doing activities that used to be normal.
This lack of confidence should be a major action point for all businesses! And luckily it can be easily fixed.
Key advice from the phs hygiene experts:
- Make sure hand sanitiser is clearly available at the entrance of your building and at key locations throughout. Ask staff to encourage visitors to sanitise their hands.
- Hand soap alone isn’t enough. Make sure you also have adequate drying facilities in washrooms, as wet hands can spread more germs.
- Use clear signage to encourage people to follow social distancing guidelines and to demonstrate that your business is taking these rules seriously. The more obvious the better, people want to see positive changes.
- Consider installing air purifying devices at your premises to remove germs from the air. This is still a relatively unknown technology, so make sure to let people know what they do and why you’ve installed them.
- Work with a trusted hygiene services provider, such as phs Group, to guarantee high quality hygiene products and make staying compliant as simple as possible for your business.
By implementing enhanced hygiene solutions in your business, and by promoting them with front of house notices and social media posts, people will soon start feeling safer about returning to workplaces, retailers, pubs and venues they would usually visit.
Making it our business to help you adapt to the new normal
Need product advice? Read our in-depth list of easy ways to protect your business from COVID-19.
Or speak directly to one of our hygiene experts to find out how we can help you rebuild consumer and employee trust.
