REOPENING THE WORKPLACE DURING COVID-19_ SAFETY FOR EMPLOYERS

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REOPENING THE WORKPLACE DURING COVID-19_ SAFETY FOR EMPLOYERS

 


By:Resourceology360

The COVID-19 pandemic is weighing heavy on businesses in every industry, many of our leaders are trying to readjust to the new normal. These are uncertain times for many and we want to stay prepared for any changes to the business landscape.

 

Although many employers have adopted the CDC guidelines as leaders it is key that information is consistently communicated to all employees and vendors that come in contact with the business regularly. Information provided by the CDC has provided resources and information that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace such as ensuring that employees, vendors, contractors, who are not sick to stay home. If an employee is showing signs of sickness (i.e. fever) they should be sent home immediately to minimize the spread of the virus. Wearing a mask is intended to help stop the spread and is highly encouraged in the workplace. Wearing gloves and disposing of them properly is also encouraged to help in the spreading of the virus. One of the most effective tools in prevention is training employees on the importance of maintaining consistent hygiene by washing and sanitizing hands, covering mouths when coughing or sneezing, and continuous disinfectant and cleaning of work surfaces they come in contact with. Social distancing in the workplace is probably the most challenging especially is your workplace is small, however to the best you possibly can stay in compliance with social distancing requirements of the minimum of 6 feet apart.

 

Plans to reopen the workplace

Many businesses have been given the green light to reopen whether on limited operations or full. We have to remember that this is a new situation for your employees and it will be necessary to ensure that you have the right resources available such as informational posters, hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray, gloves, disinfectant cleaners, and face masks. While many employees are experiencing uncertainty and stress it is key to provide support and flexibility to answer questions as well as handle issues surrounding this new normal. Some of the workplaces have not been impacted in terms of layoffs or furloughs and those employees who have been working throughout the changes may require support as well. You may have employees that are not comfortable in the work environment due to COVID-19 and this may pose some issues for the team, however, there are some recently announced guidelines by the TWC that can act as a guide to answer questions may have surrounding this. As operations return to the new normal in many cases business may increase and you want to ensure that you have enough employees in place to handle to flow.

 

Leave & Vacation Policies

Providing some level of flexibility and showing support to employees during this time is critical and can eliminate potential complaints and litigation. Understanding that due to the quarantine many could not take part in vacations or extracurricular activities that they normally if it wasn't for COVID-19. This may mean vacation and time off may be granted at a later. Also, ensuring that employees' benefits are up to date. Employers having a realistic plan in place for reopening the business to the "new normal" is the best practice. The plan should include all the CDC/OSHA guidelines surrounding COVID-19. Protecting employees is key to mitigating legal risks such as discrimination, OSHA violations, and personal health information privacy. Small businesses must be working with a dedicated HR Consultant to provide guidance and support to navigate through this new territory.

 

We are here to help. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns that may arise. Resourceology360 is a Boutique HR Consulting Firm headquartered in Austin Texas. Founded in 2016 we provide HR Consulting solutions for small to mid-size businesses. Our goal is to help small businesses succeed and we do this by partnering with each business to identify key areas to improve the overall business growth.



 http://www.resourceology360.net/

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