a recent survey
from Alignable, a small-business referral site, 76% of 5,164 small businesses said they feared Delta surges would hurt their recovery. About half said another wave of government-mandated closures was their top concern. The survey found that these concerns were more pronounced among minority-owned businesses and those in hard-hit industries such as restaurants, travel services, and event planning.
Every business owner's approach will be different based on their needs, but business professors and seasoned small-business owners say that some best practices can help entrepreneurs prepare for the months ahead. If you're a small-business owner, here's how to stay sane and maximize your chance of recovery and growth.Denise Rousseau, a public-policy professor at Carnegie Mellon University, gave five ways companies could make their employees feel safe, valued, and supported.Keep a baseline safety protocol for everyone, and ensure company leaders follow it."If the managers don't comply, that says they're not serious or sincere," Rousseau said.
, and reading fiction as hobbies to indulge in during these stressful times."It will help you stay clearer" and focused, he said.Don't spend every second of the day reading every news story about the pandemic, Faherty said."Looking at case levels gets in the way of running a business," he said, adding that he expected the economy toSign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know.