COVID-19 Guidance
How to manage the transition back into the workplace
The potential changes to the workplace have been a prominent talking point in the business world over recent weeks, with many forecasting a ‘new normal’ where remote working becomes more commonplace. Nic Redfern, finance director at
KnowYourMoney.co.uk, shares tips on how to manage the transition.
I
t seems likely that, having been forced to embrace it since the lockdown was introduced in late March, many
organisations will now be more open to allow employees to work from home on a regular basis. In fact, some employees will demand it, having enjoyed the various benefits of remote working over the past three months. However, in one form or another, workplaces will soon re-open as social distancing measures are relaxed, with staff asked to begin working from their usual location once again. This transition back from remote working or furlough will not be easy, nor should it be taken lightly by business leaders across the UK. Here are three questions businesses must
address before they return to their regular workplaces.
1. Can you keep your employees safe? Productivity, business continuity, serving customers – these are usually top of any business’ list of priorities. Now, though, they have been replaced by one core issue: the safety of their employees.
No business should be asking its staff to return
to the workplace until the necessary steps have been taken to make the risk of anyone catching or spreading COVID-19 as low as possible. Indeed, the Government has released its safe working guidance to help employers through this process.
Unless a business has a very spacious
premises, they will need to look at the layout, which could have workers in proximity that does not align with health and safety guidelines. Furthermore, desks, chairs and storage units might need to be removed in order to make a space safe. Elsewhere, businesses should also consider
investing in other equipment to protect employees. For example, they might need to install screens between checkout counters, hand sanitiser pumps and clear demarcation on floors to help people keep their distance from one another. Employees will need clear instructions about
12 | electrical wholesalerAugust 2020
the new health and safety protocols, which should include conduct in the workplace (handwashing, coughing and sneezing, and so forth) as well as staying home if they are presenting any signs of being unwell. Businesses must be diligent in conducting or arranging regular deep cleans of their premises.
2. Who should you bring back to the workplace and when? It is unlikely that businesses will suddenly invite their entire workforce back at the same time and on a full-time basis. A staggered approach would make much more sense – having smaller groups of employees return on certain days, perhaps starting with just one or two days a week. When only having smaller numbers in the
workplace, it would be sensible to ensure particular teams are all invited in at the same
time, thereby maximising the value of them being back. After all, the return to the workplace is primarily a way of increasing the ease of collaboration and allowing certain tasks to be completed more effectively than when employees are working remotely or furloughed. Over time, as the virus hopefully subsides and people adapt to the new normal, more people can be hosted on-site at any one time. Businesses can also address the balance between time spent remote working or furloughed and time spent in the workplace, ensuring a happy medium is found.
3. Are you listening to employees’ concerns? The return from furlough or home-working will not be popular in some quarters. Many people have grown fond of working from home, free as they are from the hassle of commuting. Others will have serious health concerns about heading into more crowded spaces. Indeed, a recent survey of more than 2,000 UK adults commissioned by
KnowYourMoney.co.uk revealed that exactly half (50%) are anxious about social distancing measures being relaxed. Further anecdotal evidence certainly suggests that many people are non-plussed about the prospect of returning to work. After months of largely avoiding public spaces – and certainly indoor spaces – the prospect of crowded buses, trains, streets and workplaces is understandably daunting. Businesses cannot simply tell their staff to come back to work; they must speak to employees individually to assess their state of mind. Where possible, it would be prudent to be as flexible as possible in accommodating people’s requests for flexible working; as this ought to boost employee satisfaction and retention. Whatever strategy is chosen, it will require
careful thought. People’s safety is at risk, and there are very real anxieties about the prospect of businesses re-opening. Businesses should think carefully about how they manage the transition back to the workplace; it might prove more difficult than they first think.
ewnews.co.uk
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