1. Download and read the excellent “Senior Pastors’ Guide to Reopening” from Church Fuel. It may be American, but it’s anchored well and a good read for your minister to navigate a central line of balance between the spiritual and the practical.
2. Put health, safety and well-being of your employees first – which means an updated risk assessment. Think staggered working hours, bringing staff back in ‘waves’ and avoiding hot-desking where possible. An increased cleaning regime, and marking/tape to identify social distancing regions, and potentially moving desks around to ensure people face away from each other. The Government advises that employers should not encourage their employees to use personal protective equipment as a precautionary measure unless they are operating in a health and social care setting or are responding to a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19. This advice is based on the Government’s view that personal protective equipment will provide very limited additional protection unless the employee is working in a setting where the risk of Covid-19 is very high.
3. Any kind of return to a building or service must be collaborative with colleagues and in agreement with each person. Don’t do all the thinking in isolation and then try and dictate changes.
4. Take time over this – there is no rush back and it would be highly detrimental to find yourself unprepared if you find yourself with a diagnosed case of Covid-19 to deal with on site.
5. Clear communication with your staff, congregation is not optional. People are going to have a variety of perspectives on whether it is right to return to meeting others, and when.
We’ll be publishing further Covid-19 resources, looking beyond lockdown over the coming weeks and months, so do keep your eyes open for new content on our website and forums. Also, if you have anything particular that you would like to share with others, make use of the forum or get in touch at info@churchadministrators.net