Employers should keep these things in mind:
* Your workers may not be familiar with the symptoms of coronavirus. Furthermore, it’s possible that they aren’t aware of steps they should be taking during this time. How should symptoms be reported? What sort of sick pay are they entitled to? Are the new requirements for cleaning? It’s smart to communicate this information to workers and ensure they have the information that they need.
* Make sure that social distancing rules are being following in rest and work spaces. Government guidelines should be used when determining how to reduce face-to-face contact with the public, staggering shifts, and avoiding travel during peak times.
* Ensure that workers have the knowledge and resources they need to keep workspaces clean and prevent infection.
* Ensure that workers have the time and facilities necessary for proper handwashing. You may also want to offer hand sanitizer that employees can use throughout the workday.
* Make sure you know which employees are classified as high-risk. Take the appropriate steps to keep them safe.
* Take advantage of the resources you have that you can receive more information and guidance from accredited sources. Organizations such as the Department of Heath provide information that can be useful to both you and your employees.
Read more about the impact of coronavirus in this article from Orion.
What is the best way to improve working conditions for people effected by COVID-19?
People are experience feelings of lethargy after recovering from a viral infection. This seems to be especially common for those that have contracted the coronavirus. Keep in mind that, even after recovery, it may take time to regain normal energy levels. This means that employees may not be able to work on a full-time basis for a period of time.
If possible, you may want to make these adjustments:
* Conduct a health assessment before the employee comes down to work and make adjustments where necessary
* People are working from home across the nation, and this may be beneficial for those recovering from an infection. If possible, you should allow employees to work from home. This can reduce stress and ensure that workers have the energy to get through the day. This can greatly benefit those that are struggling with fatigue after infection. Alternatively, you could allow a worker to gradually increase their hours until they’re back to their normal schedule. If you allow employees to return gradually increase the number of days and hours they are working, they can eventually return to their team and their usual workload.
* Allow the worker to take on a different role if necessary. As an example, if a job requires an employee to do heavy lifting, you may want to put them on light duty for a period of time.
