Webinar Summary: Return to Work – Global Workplace Strategies & Guidance
With a number of countries gradually reopening after coronavirus COVID-19 lockdowns, employers are looking at how best to get employees back to work safely. Key challenges remain around the logistics of screening and testing, workforce planning and the overall employee experience and support. At the same time it is understood that some employees will remain working from home. According to the Global Work-from-Home Experience Survey from Global Workforce Analytics 77% of the workforce say they want to continue to work from home, at least weekly, when the pandemic is over.
The International Organisation of Employers (IOE) referred to the support and guidance provided by the local / national employer organisations (www.ioe-emp.org/en/policy-priorities/covid-19/). Key elements include:
- coping with the after-effects
- sustaining the right culture post COVID-19
- embracing the new realities of work.
View IOE Presentation: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IOE-Return-to-Work.pdf
The European Union (EU) guidance on a safe return to work was presented by the
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU OSHA) and features the following major components:
- minimizing exposure to COVID-19 at work
- managing workers working from home
- resuming work after a period of closure
- utilizing key principles of occupational safety and health like risk assessment.
View EU OSHA Presentation: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/EU-OSHA-COVID-19-for-Global-Alliance-Webinar.pdf
Multinational enterprise Unilever introduced its gating criteria using a four tier system involving internal and external health indicators as well as market indicators related to public transportation and social gathering. Unilever’s Safe 6 principles for workplace readiness include:
- prepare the building
- prepare the workforce
- control access
- create a social distancing plan
- reduce touch points and increase cleaning
- communicate for confidence
The Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces will continue to gather and highlight primary international resources and is currently working with global leaders to generate good practice on return to work.
For more return to work and COVID-19 resources visit www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/news-media/coronavirus-covid-19-resource-hub.