Employers’ Top 3 Coronavirus Concerns and How to Address Them
With the world being challenged by an unprecedented pandemic, it is now more important than ever for employers to maintain a safe working approach for their employees to help mitigate any risks.
But many employers wonder what the best ways are to protect the health of both their employees and their business, as many economies have felt the hit of the pandemic and had to strategically adapt their operations accordingly.
Here are three of employers’ top coronavirus concerns and ways you can address them:
How can I keep my employees safe at this time?
With rapidly emerging developments everyday, employers are advised to remain informed of government updates and to communicate regularly with employees to discuss any significant changes to the workplace. Many businesses are currently working remotely, but with state reopenings in the works, business owners should also consider how they can continue to implement safe at-work policies when employees are allowed to return to onsite work.
As you stay in contact with your employees and listen to appropriate updates surrounding the virus, you can reassure your staff that their health is a top priority. It is also valuable to offer employees digital resources to stay up to date with the developing COVID-19 situation, such as the official World Health Organization website.
How can I maintain productivity while my workforce is remote?
The current circumstance has seen a surge in both remote work and work-from-home arrangements in businesses large and small. In order to function and collaborate productively away from the office, it’s important for employers to offer their employees remote tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, custom software, VPNs, and other safe remote technology.
Further, as the demand for contract workers has increased to fill temporary gaps, employers should utilize online hiring tools such as remote background checks to keep their current workforce and business as safe as possible as new staff members are brought onto the team.
Fortunately, our temporarily shifted professional world has offered a huge opportunity for employers to be creative with roles and to offer positive and productive change, including re-assigning employee responsibilities and titles as required.
How can I help my employees safely return to onsite work when the time is right?
The transition to onsite work after an uncertain period of time will mean employees will still want to feel comfortable and protected, even after the risks of coronavirus have become significantly flattened.
Implement Safe At-Work Policies
Solutions for ensuring the safety of your staff include offering convenient work opportunities and potential continuations of remote roles for those who express health or travel concerns. Returning back to onsite work will be a complex and gradual process and will vary depending on the business’s location and industry.
Above all, employees will want to know that their employer has regulated safe measures in place upon reopening, such as social distancing, improved hygiene best practices, restricted use of shared items, as well as drug and health screenings to ensure your employees are healthy and ready to return to work. Employers should also ensure that new safety rules within the workplace are communicated with clarity. It may be of use to provide hardcopy posters or video training to help introduce employees to these new safety measures.
Prepare for Business Changes as States Prepare to Reopen
While it is unknown exactly when state reopenings will occur and the economy will start to normalize, many states are lifting restrictions gradually and allowing businesses to go back to limited onsite work.
Employers impacted by the viral spread up to now may have had to rethink product and service offerings, invest in remote tools such as cloud solutions and VPNs, and reduce certain service or product options based on needs to decrease costs. But as states prepare to lift certain restrictions, it’s wise for business owners to consider how they will return to onsite operations.
Will those limited service and product offerings continue, or will your business return to offering the same goods it did before the pandemic? Preparing for reopenings by asking questions such as these will help business owners make strategic decisions based on customer demands and product availability to keep their business healthy.