Guidelines for a successful re-occupancy

States are opening up and most leaders we are speaking with are targeting a return date by the end of July, while a few have already allowed key employees back in the office.

Here’s what we are hearing from our hiring managers:

Workforce

• Schedule shifts to isolate a potential outbreak if needed
• Stagger start, stop and break times to allow health screening and sanitation procedures
• Start with 25% “volunteer” return then build up over a predetermined timeframe
• Determine the need for developing a childcare plan for employees with childcare responsibilities

Recruiting & Hiring

• Identify opportunities to upskill your project team or right size specific roles
• Take advantage of this opportunity market to find and land high caliber people who are top performers that never become available in a “normal” market
• Utilize video interviewing software and limit in-person interviews
• Shorten the interview cycle to prevent top candidates from losing interest

Social Distancing

• Limit in-person meetings based on room occupancy restrictions
• Encourage social distancing in common areas: elevators, hallways, break rooms, etc.
• If possible, look at how your physical space can be adapted to encourage social distancing

Communication

• Understand employee’s concerns of returning to the office and work through these concerns together
• Communicate your sick time and paid time off policies to employees and discourage them from coming to work if they feel ill
• Consider adopting broader or more flexible work from home policies

Health Protocols

• Make hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap and water, or similar disinfectant readily available
• Provide equipment disinfecting products throughout the office for use on shared equipment
• If providing food for meetings, have meals individually packed for each person

The key is to be flexible and adaptable should there be another outbreak. If or when that happens, this time around we should all be prepared to maneuver our workforce to work remotely, keeping business moving forward.

Navigating COVID-19: Returning to the Workplace  (SHRM)
Is your organization prepared to resume on-site work? The journey back to the workplace looks different for everyone. SHRM’s newly released research looks at return timelines, strategy planning, workplace changes, and more from employers across the US.