As plans for bringing people back from working remotely begin to roll out, we must examine the challenges and opportunities leaders face as they make decisions impacting both the future of their company and the future and health of their employees. Since business as usual— or rather as it was pre-pandemic— is not returning any time soon, employers are tasked with creating everything from new floor plans to new policies and procedures that will become the revised standards by which the business will operate. Let’s discuss some of the ways companies can create a people-focused return to work process that sets both the employer and the employee up for safety and success.
Considerations Businesses Must Make
The tight rope businesses are expected to walk, balancing smart financial decisions with careful health precautions without displaying favoritism or discrimination, feels nearly impossible to navigate right now.
In bringing employees back from home or furloughed positions, new policies and procedures must be crafted and implemented to strike a delicate and invisible balance. Decisions will be required for approaching a variety of topics spanning all aspects of a return to work:
Scheduling
The majority of childcare facilities remain closed, leaving parents to juggle having kids at home, finding childcare alternate arrangements, and returning to work. Quite a challenging position, given that many are still worried about potential exposure or health risks for themselves, their children, and other family members.
PPE and Health Screenings
Following federal and state guidance about the necessary precautions, employers will need to determine what protective equipment will be required for employees. Will the employer or employee provide such equipment? Will the employer provide cleaning and sanitizing items? What will be the policy for shared spaces? How will employers stay abreast of the health of their employees? Will there be temperature screenings? By whom, and when during the workday? These are challenging decisions for those not in the healthcare industry.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security has released an Operational Toolkit for Businesses Considering Reopening or Expanding Operations in COVID-19. This comprehensive resource allows “business leaders to work through a 4-stage process to obtain an overall risk score for their business and to identify considerations for reducing both operational and individual level of risks posed by COVID-19.”
Mandated Return and the New Normal
Once a business has assessed their risk and identified what can be modified to mitigate that risk, there remain a variety of liabilities and legalities related to the required or optional return of employees to the business setting. What emphasis should be placed on short term versus long-term profitability?
Phasing Employees Back Into the Office
The idea of bringing people back to the office sounds simple on the surface, right? But once all nuances are considered, options are evaluated, and expectations are set, only then can businesses truly begin to develop an action plan to evaluate the risks and how to face them. Here are additional questions employers should be asking themselves:
PPP Loans: What happens at the end of your 8-week coverage period? Will you be able to keep all employees? What will your business look like?
At-risk or high-risk employees: How will you handle their return? Many offices are still encouraged to telework, or only be at 50-75% capacity. How will you decide which employees return to the office? What restrictions will those employees face?
Generational challenges: How will older employees be kept safe from asymptomatic spread? Is there potential for these employees to be forced into early retirement? What risk does that pose for the company?
Parents: As mentioned above, what kind of scheduling flexibility will be permitted for parents?
Gender: Childcare responsibilities disproportionately fall on women’s shoulders. Will your female employees be forced to choose between work and childcare? How will that impact their career trajectory and earning potential?
Mental health: How are you providing support for employees facing depression and anxiety resulting from and associated with the pandemic and its economic fallout?
Like it or not, this global pandemic is presenting companies with the opportunity to showcase their ability to survive hardships and come out stronger. Strategies for proactivity, recovery, and response will be put to the test. Businesses that maintain their integrity by maximizing the potential and safety of their workforce stand the best chance to both survive and thrive.
We are navigating unprecedented waters right now, and there’s no rulebook for how to make the best decisions for your company during a black swan event such as a pandemic. However, there are ways we can make it through this together. Contact Dr. Delligatti if you need additional resources and support for leading during times of uncertainty.