Help your employees feel safe amid COVID fears

Long story short: Help your employees feel safe amid COVID fears

September 3, 2021 10:26 AM

Employers have their plates full managing the logistical and emotional needs of a remote workplace. The delta variant has made that more complicated than ever.

While many employers were looking forward to a fall season back in the office, rising concerns around the delta variant have once again put those plans in limbo. As employee stress around COVID continues to rise, employers should prioritize the health, well-being and safety of their employees as they make adjustments and set new policies.

Making those plans easier to manage is Cleared4, a health management platform that allows employees to upload vaccination status and do regular symptom checks in order to get clearance to their workspace. Other employers like virtual events platform, Airmeet, have embraced remote work as a permanent way to ease employee fears. Airmeet’s CEO advises other employers to avoid setting timelines for returning to work and make decisions based on current information, over their long-term expectations.

See more ways employers are navigating the ever-changing COVID landscape in our top stories:

The delta variant squashes return-to-office plans

Before the rise of the new COVID variant — which is behind the 100,000 recent hospitalizations, a level not seen since early February of 2021 — many employers had hoped that they could soon

return employees to the office

in full once more vaccines were rolled out. But that plan has since been derailed.

Airing on the side of caution seems to be the largest trend — companies such as

Ford

, Apple, Google, Lyft and Uber have announced

new vaccine mandates

and delayed return-to-office plans altogether. While employers reconsider their strategies, one thing to keep in mind above all is the

health and safety of their employee base

. Most employee stress comes from the loss of control of their own work schedules and usual environments, and the delta variant has only exacerbated that fear as the labor force is presented with more upcoming change.

Read more:

The delta variant squashes return-to-office plans

This tech platform is making office reopenings safe

Health management platform Cleared4 works with various companies and institutions such as Netflix, Google, Madison Square Garden and the City University of New York to provide a cloud-based health verification system for those who wish to access their workspaces. Whether employers ask for vaccination proof, a negative COVID test or even a simple temperature check, Cleared4 is a one-stop compliance hub for employees to upload their information and have it accessible for entry.

Platforms like Cleared4 may be essential to long-term COVID protocols for companies looking to embrace the “new normal,” while getting people back to the office.

Read more:

This tech platform is making office reopenings safe

Addressing occupational safety hazards before employees head back to work

We all strive to work in a safe environment, a place where we are both physically and mentally secure. Thanks to a variety of laws and regulations, there have been numerous improvements to safety in the workplace over the years — yet there are still many hazards present in today’s work environments.

When workplace health and safety procedures are correctly followed, businesses can avoid and reduce costs such as disability benefits, medical care, and even frequent sick leaves. Carrying out risk assessments entails inspecting the workplace and determining possible health and safety hazards. After that, you have to put measures to eliminate, reduce, or control the identified risks.

Read more:

Addressing occupational safety hazards before employees head back to work

If the unvaccinated want to work, they face a series of hurdles

With the delta variant surging, a growing number of employers are tiring of merely cajoling workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and are following President Joe Biden’s protocol for federal workers: Either show proof of vaccination, or mask up and get regular testing if you want to work on-site.

Employers, fearing a backlash, frame the policy as a choice, with both sides of the equation seen as effective in reducing the spread of COVID. Do public health experts think this approach will help? All agreed the best solution is universal vaccination. Short of that, many said, the moves by employers will add a layer of protection — although how much remains to be seen.

Read more:

If the unvaccinated want to work, they face a series of hurdles