>> WISCONSIN'S POLITICAL
INFIGHTING HAS BUSINESSES
AND CUSTOMERS ALIKE CONFUSED
ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THE PANDEMIC
AS WE HEAD INTO THE HOLIDAY
WEEKEND.
TOURISM AREAS ARE PREPARING FOR
AN INFLUX OF CROWDS AND TOURISTS
FROM ILLINOIS AND MINNESOTA
WILL JOIN WISCONSIN RESIDENTS
HEADING TO CABIN PROPERTIES.
LAKE GENEVA HAS SEEN AN UPTICK
IN BUSINESS AS THE SUMMER
TOURISM SEASON LAUNCHES AND YET
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT ALWAYS
OBSERVED THE WISCONSIN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OFFERS
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE TO BUSINESS
OWNERS ON HOW TO REOPEN WITH
SAFETY IN MIND.
>> SECRETARY DESIGNEE AND CEO
OF THE WEDC, MISSY HUGHES,
JOINED US EARLIER FROM VIROQUA,
AND THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR DOING SO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> SO, EVEN AS WISCONSIN
STARTS TO REOPEN,
HOW BAD IS IT OUT THERE
FOR BUSINESSES AND THEIR WORKERS
ACROSS WISCONSIN ECONOMICALLY?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A REAL
STRUGGLE FOR MANY BUSINESSES.
WHETHER THE BUSINESSES
WERE CONSIDERED
ESSENTIAL OR NON-ESSENTIAL,
MANAGING THIS NEW NORMAL
THAT WE'RE ALL FACING
OF KEEPING YOUR CUSTOMERS AND
YOUR EMPLOYEES SAFE
HAS CREATED CHALLENGES ACROSS
THE BOARD.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
OF EITHER HAVING TO
CLOSE YOUR DOORS
OR TO HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR
OPERATIONS HAS BEEN REALLY
CHALLENGING FOR BUSINESSES.
>> WELL, IN FACT, THE WEDC,
CREATED A KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE
REOPEN GUIDELINES.
THIS IS KIND OF A COVER SHEET
OF YOUR BEST PRACTICES
FOR BUSINESSES.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM
THEM ABOUT WHETHER
THEY'RE USING YOUR GUIDES
AND TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY?
>> WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD
A REALLY FANTASTIC RESPONSE
TO THE GUIDELINES.
WE STARTED CREATING THOSE
WITH THE GOVERNOR'S BADGER
BOUNCE BACK PLAN,
IN ORDER TO HELP
BUSINESSES BE READY
WHEN THE TIME CAME TO OPEN.
I COULD ONLY IMAGINE HOW HARD IT
IS AS A SMALL BUSINESS
TO BE STANDING INSIDE YOUR
BABY THAT YOU'VE CREATED
AND THINKING ABOUT 'HOW
DO I CHANGE MY TABLES?'
IF I'M A RESTAURANT
OR I'M A RETAIL SHOP,
AND I'VE ARRANGED IT
ALL BEAUTIFULLY,
AND I NEED TO BE
THINKING ABOUT,
'CAN I DO SOCIAL DISTANCE
AND HOW WILL THAT ALL WORK?'
AND SO, THE GUIDELINES WERE
MEANT TO REALLY HELP BUSINESSES
BE READY WHEN THAT TIME CAME
TO OPEN.
BUSINESSES HAD TO ASK THEMSELVES
HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO
OPERATE.
THE GUIDELINES WERE MEANT TO
HELP, KIND OF,
WALK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BECAUSE OF THE SUPREME COURT'S
RULING WITH SAFER AT HOME.
WE NEEDED TO, YOU KNOW,
SPEED THAT PROCESS UP
AND I'M GLAD THE GUIDELINES
WERE THERE TO HELP BUSINESSES.
>> YOU HAVE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
ACROSS INDUSTRIES,
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE KIND OF
A SET OF GENERAL GUIDELINES.
WHAT ARE THOSE?
>> THE GENERAL GUIDELINES ARE
REALLY KIND OF YOUR FIRST FORAY
INTO HOW TO ADDRESS
YOUR BUSINESS.
SO, THINKING
ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING,
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WHAT ARE THOSE HIGH-TOUCH AREAS
THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF?
SHOULD MY EMPLOYEES
BE WEARING MASKS?
WHAT-- YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU
WORK THROUGH ALL OF THAT?
AND THEN, QUESTIONS LIKE,
'WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OF MY
EMPLOYEES GET SICK?
WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THAT?'
AND SO, THE GENERAL GUIDELINES
ARE REALLY MEANT TO HELP YOU
KIND OF APPROACH
THAT INITIAL SET OF QUESTIONS
AND THEN FOR SPECIFIC BUSINESSES
LIKE HAIRSTYLIST, OR
RESTAURANTS, CONSTRUCTION,
WE HAVE OTHER IDEAS AND THOUGHTS
THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER.
>> SO, YOU JUST MENTIONED
THAT EMPLOYEE--
EMPLOYERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
TELL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SICK
TO STAY HOME, BUT ARE EMPLOYERS
REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SICK LEAVE?
>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT STARTED
JUST AS WE ENTERED
INTO THIS PROCESS
WAS PAID LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES,
AND SO A LOT OF EMPLOYERS HAVE
TAKEN THAT UP
BECAUSE THEY WANNA MAKE SURE
THEY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
SO, THEY WANNA ENCOURAGE
THEIR EMPLOYEES TO, YOU KNOW,
SAY, "HEY, I'M NOT FEELING
WELL," SO THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES
STAY HOME.
>> AND EMPLOYERS ARE ALSO
ENCOURAGED UNDER THE GUIDELINES
TO PROVIDE A PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT TO THEIR WORKERS.
BUT ARE THERE ENOUGH STOCKS OF
THOSE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW
FOR EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE THAT?
>> YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM
EMPLOYERS IS CHALLENGES IN
FINDING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT,
WHETHER IT'S MASKS OR GLOVES
OR PLEXIGLAS.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE DONE AT WEDC IS STAND UP
OUR WISCONSIN SUPPLIER NETWORK
TO BE A LOCATION
WHERE YOU CAN RESOURCE PPE.
SO, WE'VE HAD THE WISCONSIN
SUPPLIER NETWORK
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS
TO CONNECT BUSINESSES TO
BUSINESSES,
ALONG THE SUPPLY CHAIN
AND WE'VE ADDED A FEATURE WHERE
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR PPE,
YOU CAN GO TO THE WISCONSIN
SUPPLIER NETWORK, WHICH IS
WISCONSINSUPPLIERNETWORK DOT COM
AND FIND SOURCES OF PPE.
OR, IF YOU'RE A PROVIDER OF PPE,
YOU CAN LIST YOURSELF ON THERE
TO HELP BUSINESSES FIND YOU.
>> WHAT IN YOUR MIND IS THE BEST
WAY FOR RETAILERS
OR RESTAURANTS OR BARS TO
ENGENDER CONSUMER CONFIDENCE,
WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY KEY
TO GETTING PEOPLE
BACK INTO BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK REALLY
IMPORTANT IS TO BE COMMUNICATING
WITH YOUR CONSUMERS
AND YOUR CUSTOMERS
THAT YOU'VE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION THEIR SAFETY.
SO, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SIGNAGE
OR MAKING SURE THAT YOUR
EMPLOYEES ARE TRAINED UP
AND ARE COMMUNICATING THE STEPS
THAT THEY'RE TAKING,
AND JUST BEING REALLY
ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT
ABOUT IT IS THE BEST WAY.
I CAME-- BEFORE I CAME TO WEDC,
ORGANIC VALLEY IS AN INCREDIBLY
CONSUMER-FOCUSED BUSINESS,
AND THAT'S ONE THING
THAT HASN'T CHANGED
THROUGH ALL OF COVID:
"THE CUSTOMERS IS RIGHT."
AND SO, THINKING ABOUT YOUR
BUSINESS
FROM THE CUSTOMER'S PERSPECTIVE.
AS THEY WALK IN
THROUGH YOUR DOORS,
WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO
EXPERIENCE?
AND WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO
KNOW THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT?
>> SECRETARY DESIGNEE AND CEO
OF WEDC, MISSY HUGHES,
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.