During the crisis of coronavirus pandemic that the world is facing, employees’ well-being should be no.1 priority for all companies.
It is the time for organisations to show how much they truly care about their employees by taking impactful actions and precautionary measures. Avoiding a virus incident in the workplace will not only protect employees but it will also be a win for business continuity.
Work from home flexibility
Many people worry about getting infected at work where they need to attend meetings or be surrounded by colleagues who sit close to them, sneeze and cough.
To avoid these unpleasant feelings as well as the actual possibility of an employee transferring the virus to another one, organisations should offer work from home flexibility. Employees working from home will ensure they are kept safe and it will limit the chances of the virus affecting the business and office environment.
Let’s consider the cost of having an affected employee in the workplace and needing to shut down operations completely. Employees will be in panic, they will blame the company for not caring enough or not offering work from home flexibility plus there will be no staff to carry on with pending tasks. Allowing employees to work from home will help companies to avoid all that!
Online meetings and teleconferences
Encourage the avoidance of contact and interaction between people during this time period. Skip meetings or move them completely online through Skype, Microsoft Teams, Slack or other tools. Technology is so advanced in our days that there is no excuse for anyone not using it especially during such crisis moments!
Support parents
Be flexible and supportive to parents who have nowhere to leave their kids while schools remain closed. Encourage them to work around their schedule as it suits them best in order to accommodate both their child care and work.
Cafes/Restaurants/Shops
Businesses with frequent customer contact should encourage delivery of products instead of people coming in-store. Measures should be taken for a clean and hygienic environment and these should be communicated to clients in order to reassure them that everything is OK.
Keep clients informed
Clients should be updated on any operational changes or new guidance that might affect them. A common understanding is expected given the current situation.
Use of technology
It is the time for technology to shine! According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), six out of 10 individuals in the EU hadn’t worked from their home in 2018. In Italy, 67% of workers never worked from home before. Organisations should take this opportunity to test their technology capacities and make a step forward online and other solutions that are vital for business continuity.
Be human above all
While business is still important, it will not be possible if organisations do not take any measures to protect their employees’ health and safety.
Let’s all take care and stay calm!
An excellent and informative article!