6 best practices for launching a workplace vaccine strategy

February 16, 2021 10:00 AM

As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more readily available, management is considering the best way to safely get their employees back to the office.

While just 6% of employers plan on requiring employees to get vaccinated before returning to work, companies will need to have a strategy for navigating the complicated political, emotional and administrative hurdles around post-COVID work.

“It's the employer's obligation to ensure that the workplace is safe,” says Robin Samuel, a partner at Baker & McKenzie law firm. “An employer may not require vaccinations, but they should take additional measures to make sure workers are protected.”

See the top tools, resources and tips for implementing a vaccine plan:

Can employers mandate workers be vaccinated before returning to work?

With COVID-19 vaccines now being administered in the U.S., planning for a post-pandemic future could soon be a reality. As employers prepare to reopen offices, they have to consider whether they are going to require employees be vaccinated, and have the processes in place to support such a mandate.

“Protection is a must, not a nice to have,” says Gary Pearce, chief risk architect at Aclaimant, a workplace safety and risk management platform. “If you can't demonstrate that you're protecting your own people, you're not going to be able to keep employees.”

Pearce shares how employers can navigate vaccine mandates for COVID-19 and the best way to enforce these rules before returning to work.

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Can employers mandate workers be vaccinated before returning to work?

Employers have no plans to mandate vaccines

The vast majority of employers have no plans to enforce vaccine mandates, according to a survey by law firm Littler Mendelson. Less than 1% of employers have a vaccine mandate in place currently, and just 6% plan to implement one once vaccines are more readily available.

While safety is a top concern for employers, establishing a mandatewould be a blow to company culture, the survey found. Sixty-seven percent of employers believe mandating a vaccine would have a negative impact on employee morale, and 79% are concerned with resistance from employees as reasons they don’t plan to mandate them.

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Employers have no plans to mandate vaccines

Buoy Health launches tool to gauge employee vaccine concerns

Buoy Health launched a new tool that utilizes artificial intelligence and behavioral science to keep employers informed of vaccination rates among their workforce.

This vaccine launch is an expansion of Buoy’s Back with Care platform, which provides employers with daily screening and workplace return guidance. The expanded offering will provide employers with a dashboard used to measure employee interest and hesitancy over vaccinations. These insights will help employers design and execute a communication strategy around their reopening plans.

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Buoy Health launches tool to gauge employee vaccine concerns

Wellthy helps employee caregivers access COVID-19 vaccine

Caregiver benefits provider Wellthy is expanding its supportive offerings for employers by providing resources to help get people vaccinated against COVID-19.

Employers have been turning to the benefits provider to help employees with older loved ones get inoculated against COVID. Wellthy has helped families gain access to COVID vaccinations, providing help with transportation and appointment scheduling.

Wellthy’s care coordinators have been working with various county health departments to help facilitate waitlist access, provide realistic timelines and answer questions for families hitting roadblocks in remote areas. Care coordinators have also been helping families understand vaccine eligibility requirements, providing guidance on where vaccines are being administered and coordinating vaccine appointments.

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Wellthy helps employee caregivers access COVID-19 vaccine

How to get employees vaccinated and back to work

VaxAtlas, a vaccine management company, launched a digital platform to help users through the vaccination process from start to finish. The app connects employees to certified pharmacy networks to schedule vaccine appointments, sends alerts and reminders for their second vaccine dose, and provides QR-coded passes as proof of vaccination.

Eighty-four percent of Americans say they plan to get the vaccine, according to a December poll by Ipsos and ABC News. However, just half of employees believe their employer should require a COVID-19 vaccine before allowing employees to return to work, according to Eagle Hill Consulting.

Navigating this complicated process is an insurmountable challenge for employers, Korzec says. She shares how VaxAtlas can help employers navigate the challenges she anticipates with more wide-spread vaccinations and rebuild trust within their workforce.

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How to get employees vaccinated and back to work

The latest workplace debate: Do employees want a COVID vaccine mandate?

Just half of employees believe their employer should require a COVID-19 vaccine before allowing employees to return to work, according to Eagle Hill Consulting. Gen Z employees were the most on-board with a vaccine mandate, with 62% supporting a requirement, compared to 46% of Gen X and Baby Boomer employees.

The Eagle Hill survey found that 46% of employees think employers should encourage COVID testing, with just 24% saying it should be a requirement for returning to work. More than half of employees think their employer should enforce wearing masks in the workplace, even after a vaccine is widely available, according to the survey.

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The latest workplace debate: Do employees want a COVID vaccine mandate?