By Noah Rue, Contributor

There’s no denying it. Life has changed. In a matter of weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has dismantled a record-breaking economy and ravaged many segments of the restaurant industry.

You may have gone from making plans to expand your restaurant to wondering how long you will be able to keep it afloat.

But now the country is working to return to a new normal. Lockdowns are lifting and we’re figuring out how to thrive again in our post-pandemic world.

When you own and operate a restaurant, though, you’re going to face some particular challenges. Your relationship with your staff and your customers will undoubtedly change as we all learn to live with the presence of coronavirus—at least for a while.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be an exciting opportunity. It just means you’re going to have to work both harder and smarter to make your restaurant a safe and welcoming place it was meant to be before the pandemic.

Next to Godliness

When you own a restaurant, chances are you’re already pretty obsessive about cleanliness. Those habits will serve you well now, though. In fact, you may even need to amp-up your cleaning game, being extra vigilant both to help safeguard against the virus and to reassure your staff and guests that their safety is your top priority.

As we learn to live with coronavirus in our world, your employees, as well as your customers, are likely going to be watching your sanitation practices as diligently as they expect you to take them. At the very least, they’re sure to appreciate the extra efforts they see you and your team making, so make sure you’re doing a good job communicating your cleaning & restaurant hygiene efforts.

So, for the sake not only of the public health but also the health of your business, your restaurant is going to need to be pristine. And your guests are going to need to see your employees cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and adhering to CDC guidelines.

This starts with getting rid of the clutter. The fewer objects and surfaces for the virus to propagate on, the better.

You’re also going to need to not only clean but also to frequently disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as tables and countertops. This is more than a simple clearing of surfaces followed by a wipe-down.

Make sure you and your staff use disinfecting agents, such as bleach, to kill any pathogens that may have accumulated on the surface. Above all, take care to ensure you’re using these agents properly, such as by giving the disinfectants enough time to kill the germs before wiping the solution away. You may even want to consider having hand sanitation stations easily accessible to guests as they arrive and leave your restaurant.

Employee Education

Teaching your employees how to properly disinfect surfaces, though, is only part of the story. Your staff is going to be your restaurant’s — and your guests’ — best defense in ensuring your restaurant is the virus-free haven it was meant to be.

One of the first and most important things you can do is to help your employees understand the importance of frequent and effective handwashing. While hand sanitizers can be a quick and convenient solution when you don’t have access to hot water and soap, when it comes to killing germs, nothing can compare to a good, thorough hand-scrubbing.

Make sure they understand cleaning and hygiene best practices, are following local regulation in terms of social distancing and mask use, and how to handle guests who may not want to follow those regulations.

A Safe Space

As a restaurant owner or manager, your first obligation is to your staff and your guests. And that means that you have a particular responsibility to create a space for them that will keep them from getting sick.

To do that, you’ll need to identify particularly high-risk areas and activities. For example, when it comes to the spread of infections, public restrooms, perhaps not surprisingly, require special attention.

You’re going to need to make sure, then, that you and your staff keep your restaurant bathrooms gleaming. If disinfection is important in your cooking and dining areas, it’s just as important in the bathrooms.

But while the restrooms might be an obviously high-risk area for coronavirus, there are other dangers that you might not be aware of, such as asbestos. But you don’t have to develop mesothelioma to experience the harm of asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can compromise lung function. And when your pulmonary function is compromised, that means a greater risk for contracting the coronavirus or suffering more severe outcomes.

The Takeaway

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic effect on our world and our work. But that doesn’t mean that your restaurant has to be the latest victim of this virus. There are things that you and your staff can do to make your restaurant a safe and inviting space again. The key is to ensure your business is as unwelcoming to the virus as it is welcoming to your guests. And that means vigorous employee training; informed and encouraging leadership; meticulous cleanliness, and a calm, clear, and confident mind.

The coronavirus may be with us for a while. But with strategy and commitment, you and your business will be here even longer.