While a lot of employees work beyond their scheduled shifts, the businesses they work for are only technically open during set hours. Because so many businesses continue working beyond their set hours of operation, many are considering switched to 24/7 operations so that they can always meet the needs of their customers from around the world. This is an admirable goal, but how do you keep your business operations running 24/7 without hiccups? It’s a lot to juggle at once, but it is possible, and with the right planning and management, it can be easy.
Have Rigorous Procedures
One thing you need to implement early to ensure your business can run smoothly 24/7 is rigorous procedures. To keep a business running for long shifts, you need a clear outline of what everyone needs to do at all times and what to do in case different situations arise. You will likely develop this outline based on the number of staff you have available for a typical daytime shift. However, because you likely won’t have the same staff working during graveyard shifts, you’ll need to adjust the plan slightly.
This team will be smaller, but your business still has a job to do, and you need to be prepared to serve your customers at all hours of the day as a 24/7 business. Outlining your business’s standard operating procedures and ensuring they’re understood by your staff will guarantee that your team is prepared for any and all situations.
Invest In Standby Generators
Logistically, investing in standby generators is the best way to keep your business operations running 24/7. Your business’s power could go down for any reason and without these generators, your claim to offer 24/7 services will no longer be true. Instead, people will struggle to get access to your services, forcing them to leave unsatisfied and take their business elsewhere.
A standby generator will not kick on unless the power goes out, at which point, your business will automatically switch to using the standby generator. This switch happens because of the role of the transfer switch in these standby generators. An automatic transfer switch will ensure your power returns without delay. Something like this will help keep your business running and your customers happy.
Care for Employees
If you want to keep your business running smoothly through all hours of the day, you must also care for your employees. Employees who are willing to work at the wildest hours must be aware that the shift likely won’t be easy. All employees, working day or night, need to be cared for, and you can do that by managing their fatigue and boosting their morale. If you want your employees to work at their best, you must keep them happy in the long term. You can manage short-term happiness and fatigue with things like pizza parties, but to keep employees energized for the long haul, you must show that you value them. That means providing fair wages, comprehensive benefits, and even the option to work from home.
Keeping your business operations running 24/7 can be difficult, but it will become easier with the right planning, procedures, and equipment to support your business. Switching to 24/7 operations can seem incredibly daunting to many fledgling businesses, but they should consider it. It’s a great way to stay competitive, separate their businesses from the competition, and give customers the service they need.
