In employment, the interest of the employer is paramount. Employees are machines. This is however an old approach that ignores the contribution of human capital, the safety of workers and their interest.
Top firms such as Google have placed the interests of their workers at the top of their agenda. A happy employee is likely to feel more attached to his/her work, leading to increased productivity. Such employees require little to no supervision to realise their goals.
Covid-19 has destabilised the traditional work set-up, making employees workplace safety paramount. We are operating in a “new normal”, reporting to work in fear. All contact tools are presumed contaminated as Covid-19 rages on, plucking the cream of our labour force on its path. This is the reality and all must tread carefully or we perish.
A single infected employee can cripple an organisation for months. Employers must now invest in employee safety to survive this tumultuous period or lose their firm altogether. It is not just social distancing and masks that are needed for employee safety, additional PPE may be needed to enhance safety.
Have you trained first responders and employees on how to handle suspected cases? If not, your organisation is doomed. Invest in health training now, from the janitors all the way to the top. Janitors hold the key to our workplace survival, cleaning surfaces, sanitising desks, door handles, etc. They are our front line crew on the war against corona. Treat them exceptionally well, kit them, enhance their safety too.
Safety must extend beyond the workplace. More than 80 percent of workers use public transport and due to new travel regulations, may experience challenges reporting on time. Supervisors must be cognisant of this and allow workers some flexibility on reporting time and departure time.
Sick employees must stay home. Don’t take chances, it is safer to keep them off work than have them mingle with an uncontaminated flock. Make no fuss about it. Just ensure you protect the others.
Remember, your employees are your wealth and their health is paramount, just like the health of the organisation. A healthy employee is a healthy organisation.
Insisting on doing things the old way may endanger your employees, disorientate your organisation and contaminate the community.
