It is up to us, communicators, to address this issue with HR and C-Suite executives in our companies. We need to discuss the reforms necessary for us to return to our companies safely and without regret, at the right time.
The government, political parties, and companies agree and are now forming a coalition to begin planning for economic and social reopening. And as the state of emergency is coming to an end, a desire to return to a “new” normal has become more evident. But the health and safety of employees and communities must be paramount when considering easing restrictions.
Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, a global communications agency affiliated with EDC in Portugal, quotes Dr. David Nabarro, the World Health Organization’s special envoy for Covid-19, on the challenges companies face in returning to work: “We must remember that the virus will not disappear in the near future: it will continue to be a threat to all of us, and we need to find ways to live with it. All companies need to think now about how to provide conditions for greater physical distancing and how to manage requests for leave for those who feel sick or are part of risk groups. It is a big mistake to wait to reflect on these issues until the local authority decides it is safe for employees to return to work. The time to prepare for new ways of working and discuss them is now. Communication matters: don’t stay silent.
Based on some guidelines from Dr. David Nabarro, we are releasing six tips today for living with COVID-19 in the workplace:
1. Wear a mask
Wearing a protective mask is essential. You don’t know who is infected, and some people will transmit the virus without knowing they have it.
2. Temperature check
Employees should be instructed to take their temperature at home before coming to work. It is also important to ask people regularly how they feel and make it a new part of the corporate culture to encourage them to take sick days if they are not feeling well, or to stay home as a precaution, erring on the side of caution rather than regret. Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 will need to remain isolated, even if they are not tested.
3. Make approved tests available
If antibody testing does not become widely available, special consideration should be given to higher-risk groups, providing them with the option to work from home.
4. CEO information channel
Follow weekly briefings on the status of travel, teleworking, and conference participation. Ensure that this is a two-way channel, with questions from employees, so that everything can be clarified by the responses of your company’s CEO. Companies are not communicating enough; perhaps they are concerned about getting the message right, but there is a real need for facts, to work with them, and to share ideas (and concerns).
5. Businesses = Community
Businesses cannot take care of their business until Covid-19 is under control. Their communities include their employees, customers, and neighbors. It’s about the health of the business and the health of the community. There can be no morality in choosing one over the other. It’s a false trade-off. Don’t go back to work until it’s safe to do so. Businesses are the spider web of the community, connecting all its parts.
6. Physical distancing
Businesses need to consider techniques for protecting employees. This means limiting the number of people who enter the elevator or gather at the coffee machine. It may be wise to have an A and B team, with the former working the first three days of the week in the office and the latter working the last two days, to reduce the number of employees in the office at any one time. It may be advisable to introduce flexible working hours at the beginning and end of the day to reduce crowding on public transport.
Society adapted when it was proven in the 1850s that contaminated water can transmit cholera, and adapted again when it realized 25 years ago that HIV could be sexually transmitted. And we will figure out how to live with Covid-19 if it continues to be a threat. It seems strange at first, but we will adapt and do so for as long as necessary.
It is up to us, as communicators, to address this issue with the HR and C-Suite departments of our companies. We need to discuss the reforms necessary for us to return safely and without regret, at the right time. Fear is insidious; we must be clear about the extent of the changes and our deep commitment to the precautionary principle. We will then be able to gain the confidence of our colleagues in a safe return to the office.
EDC is Edelman’s Affiliate Partner in Portugal. See the original Edelman news item here.
