By Jack Porter, TPP Managing Director . “The Trucking Activist”
The frustration of 300 million people is bound to show with regards to this virus shutdown. This week, the media began showing a small subset of people protesting the shutdown and showing disregard towards the Country’s safe distancing protocols. If these businesspeople and workers show disregard during a protest, what will their protocols be when they reopen their businesses? In every business situation we need to measure Risk vs Reward, but usually, the risks are confined to your business, not the total U.S. business.
My main plea is that we must have a plan for reopening, and ensure that business owners follow some of the practices that truckers have put in place: Consider your at-risk employees, remote work where possible, provide readily-available masks in the workplace, ensure people stay the requisite 6 feet apart, implement electronic meetings and contacts, routine sanitization, entry testing, and positive test protocols, to name a few.
Without these small businesses adhering to these proven protocols, my fear is these people trying to reopen will cut corners, infecting the essential workers in the supply chain, and set this country into a true depression. It seems that social distancing is working, and parts of the country are better off, so maybe we focus on this new horizon weighted against premature openings due to protests!
No one wants to go back to work more than me; to return to the industry I love, but let’s consider Risk vs. Reward. For any new job opening, every employee should come in with the mindset that they’re an “essential worker.”
My hope is that our leaders at all levels put the “Blame Game” on pause and focus on a unilateral federal, state, and business coalition and task force to develop a testing program. Many smart people are currently pointing fingers at others. As my mentor once said, “When you are pointing one finger at me, you’re pointing three at yourself”
Stay safe out there,
Jack Porter