Businesses have changed their mode of operations following the outbreak of coronavirus, and this is justified considering the unpredictable trend of the deadly virus. It has become of utmost importance for the businesses to follow WHO guidelines to curb the spread of this contagious virus and keep safe their employees plus their loved ones.
Governments loosen and tighten back the restrictions and it is very crucial to follow up these trends and plan accordingly. That way, you will be on the radar and you will not have much problem dealing with this virus. Here are some ways to keep your employees safe:
- Working Remotely
Most if not all industries have instilled the norm of working remotely. This primarily means that employees have had to work from the comfort of their homes. It is the best way to prevent your employees from contracting and spreading Covid-19. Remote working ensures that employees do not have to travel to their workplaces and meetings are done through video conferencing.
Limiting possibility of employees interacting with each other is a sure way to curb the spread of corona virus. This means that your employees will reduce traveling time therefore lowering chances of infection. Remote working also means that there is no or limited physical meeting as most of the meetings are done through email or video conferencing.
To ensure there is a perfect transition from office to working remotely, technology has played a huge part. Most softwares have been developed or improved to ensure the new culture works. Some of the essential softwares for a great work experience at home include; video conferencing, project management and document signing.
However, some industries cannot do full remote working. The best way is to rotate your employees to reduce office congestion such that when some are in the office some are working from home.
- Reduce Travel.
According to WHO, traveling is one of the major ways that lead to faster spread of the virus. For instance, if you are in an area that handles Covid-19 with utmost care then travels to a red zone area, you will increase your chances of getting the virus.
You can avoid traveling by resolving to virtual conferences and meetings.
- Enforce Sanitation.
One of the ways of stopping the spread of coronavirus is regular hand washing. A sanitary place must have hand-washing points where employees wash their hands and sanitize regularly.
Achieving a sanitary place where workers work freely means implementing the best cleaning and safety practices. Sick employees should stay at home.
Also, frequently measure your employees’ temperatures when coming and leaving the workplace to detect abnormally high temperature. One of the early signs of Covid-19 is fever, and detecting it, an early stage is one-step towards ensuring workplace safety. With this, you will take a bold move to help curb the spread of this deadly virus.
- Educate your Employees.
The jury is not yet out on how best to stop the virus but the information from science researchers are enough to help you keep safe. It is advisable to roll out an educative session that would give employees an insight into this deadly virus. Some of the key things your session should cover are:
What are the causes of Covid – 19?
How is Covid – 19 spread?
What are the Covid -19 safety measures?
What type of masks are available and which ones are best for Covid -19?
Other than having an educative session through video conference, it is also important to avail videos or science materials that would inform them on this virus. Also, as part of the education involve healthcare professionals to guide persons with STDs such as HIV/ Aids, persons with compromised immunity or people undergoing cancer treatment on how to take extreme measures to take care of themselves.
- Conduct Online Hiring
Combatting Covid-19 means zero or minimal contact and that should be applicable to Human Resources executive search Firms looking to hire new employees. In the hiring process, there are always aptitude tests and interviews to be done and because of the nature in which the virus spread, the tests must be done virtually.
- Revise Company Policies.
Imagine working and you are insecure. You are not sure if you will work tomorrow or not. Or whether you are entitled to benefits like sick leave or paid time off or not. Many employees would want to know if their companies understand their needs especially during these tough times of coronavirus.
As an employer, it is important to revise your company policies to accommodate your employee need. Your priority should be their protection.
- Sanction Quarantine and Isolation
If one of your employees contract the virus, they should isolate and quarantine as per the CDC recommendations. This also applies in a case where they come in contact with someone who has the virus.
During quarantine period, they should not come into contact with other employees. They should also limit traveling to reduce further exposure. However, if the health condition allows, they can always handle lighter duties remotely.
- Develop Procedures and Protection in Case of another Outbreak
Before your employees get back to work, you must answer the following question. Are you prepared to handle an outbreak? Have you made sure your workplace is safe? Do you have what it takes to work within the guidelines of WHO? And most importantly can you guarantee your employees’ safety? If you can answer these questions, then you are good to go.
Keeping your employees safe should be your number one priority. In some instances, you will have to work with health professionals to come up with workable workplace safety to curb the spread of the virus. Whichever the situation, purpose to put the health of your employees at hand.