What should I consider before bringing employees back to work?

Caroline Mboijana. PHOTO/FILE 

What you need to know:

  • A critical guide that needs to be in place as you manage staff to return to the workplace is to ensure your organisation has an HR/ People Policy that specifically provides guidelines on how to manage Covid-19 within the organisation. 

Dear Caroline,  
With the end of the lockdown, we are planning to allow employees back in the office. We do have the standard operating procedure in place. However, is there more we need to consider before we allow everybody to come back? For instance how do I handle employees that have recently recovered from the virus? Peter Opata

Hello Peter,
Supporting your employees back to work is a complex activity but also exciting. Many organisations are trying to find the best approach given the sensitivity around Covid-19 and the changing landscape. 

It is good that you have Standard Operating procedures (SOP’s) in place, and there are undoubtedly other strategies that you can think about as you manage the transition.

A critical guide that needs to be in place as you manage staff to return to the workplace is to ensure your organisation has an HR/ People Policy that specifically provides guidelines on how to manage Covid-19 within the organisation. 

The framework will guide your organisation’s commitment to addressing Covid-19 in the workplace. In addition, aspects you may want to consider having your team members return to work in shifts.  

Staff will work a certain number of days a week. You can start with staff working one to two days a week. Manging staff in this manner will help you manage the number of staff in one location within the offices. 
 
Having a controlled number of staff in the workplace lets you implement the social distance guide of two metres between staff members. You will need to set up a rota of sorts to manage this intervention. 
To do this, you will also need to consider whether this can be practically implemented.

 Of course, you will have to assess whether you have the relevant tools of the trade (desktops, laptops, etc.) and consider that staff will be sharing desks. If you do choose the above, you will need to maintain the remote working model. 

This means that your ICT infrastructure needs robust and responsive enough to allow staff to work from home. Many organisations have already addressed this matter as many staff have continued to work from home during the lockdown.  Other measures such as sanitisers and masks should remain.  

Additional ways to support your team is consider teams working together in the same environment. One of the arguments that support return to work is the socialisation that has been missing as people stayed at and worked from home. 

This is an important issue as it addresses aspects of mental well-being. These are a few and it is important you find solutions that work for your reality.
 

Caroline Mboijana,
Managing Director, The Leadership Team (U)  [email protected]