We all have a part to play in reopening our economy

Last week, Governor Walz began the process of easing the stay-at-home order, and many businesses will go back to work starting today. The business community welcomes this news. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Minnesota Chamber has stressed the importance of balancing health and economic impacts. Now it’s time to get our economy moving again, in the safest way possible for employees and customers. 

We each have a part to play in the important step of reopening businesses. Private-sector employers are deciding how to reconfigure their workspaces, repair their supply chains and protect employees, based on government guidelines and best practices from other exempt businesses. 

The Chamber’s role is to help businesses make sense of what is expected of them in this “new normal.” Assembling a plan to design a business environment that is safe for workers and customers can be daunting. We continue to work with businesses who have operated safely throughout this ordeal to compile their best practices for the benefit of those who will reopen in the coming week(s). 

We will host three webinars this week for Chamber members, featuring experts in three different work environments – industrial, customer-facing and office. Our Grow Minnesota! Partnership team has worked with more than 700 companies in the last month – connecting them with resources and best practices to support and continue their businesses. Visit mnchamber.com for assistance and resources. 

All of us have a role to play as employees and customers, too. We have to feel safe in our work environments and in stores and other retail environments. Confidence in these precautions will help get employees back to work and increase demand for all businesses. 

There’s an emerging body of evidence about the economy for the long-term and how the pandemic has and will change the economic landscape. If we play our parts thoughtfully and expeditiously, our economy can be sustainable once again. We’re all in this together and it’s up to all of us to get our economy back on track.

Doug Loon
President
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce