Woodworking businesses are taking a variety of steps to combat the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their workplace procedures.

In our recent survey, in which we polled more than 560 wood professionals, 52.8 percent of respondents reported having changed work procedures. Of those, 41.6 percent have curtailed business travel. More than a third (34.3 percent) have reduced their work hours, and 32.4 percent have reduced or curtailed public hours.

About half the reporting businesses (50.4 percent) say they have limited face-to-face contact when dealing with outside business people, clients and the public. Nearly as many (49.1 percent) report ordering no face-to-face contact and using only phone and email for communication. A full shutdown of communications was ordered by 7.1 percent of respondents, but that contrasts with 5.5 percent who said they are making no change in communication at all.

Layoffs are one response reported by 32 percent of survey respondents. Some businesses have resorted to temporary business closures (23 percent) or even an indefinite shutdown (6.9 percent).

31.3 percent have ordered some staff to work remotely. 

These are massive changes. Uncertainty and unfamiliarity plague the industry.

A webinar from global insurance Hub International hopes to help managers in a presentation titled: Managing the New Norm: Nurturing a Virtual Culture. While not specific to woodworking or manufacturing, the webinar will highlight points relevant to all industries, including how to keep employees engaged and motivated, how to properly communicate, and go over tools that can ease the process and transition.

The webinar will be held Tuesday, April 14 at 1pm central. Register here