Do you have COVID exhaustion from local and federal mandates, vaccination policies and accommodations, work from home, return to the office, hybrid work, the Great Resignation, and more? Regrettably, the impact of this public health crisis on our personal lives frequently feels out of control. Remember the feelings of isolation and bewilderment from closings and quarantine? Remember the excited anticipation or, lack thereof, about the introduction of vaccines? Yes, small nonprofit and business leaders, employees, and their families are exhausted after two years of this relentless pandemic. COVID exhaustion has a complicated effect on the workplace. Still, employers must remain focused on what they can do. Pinnacle HR Consulting, LLC recommends employers focus on the following:
Mental Health: Communicate and offer resources for mental health support. Provide lists of local resources, access to information about your group insurance plan's mental health benefits, and employee assistance program (EAP). Make the resources readily available and provide updates through email, Intranet access, and an ongoing list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). We encourage our clients to rely on information from authoritative, first-party sources and filter out opinions and speculation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) are three sources we recommend.
COVID Testing, Vaccination, and Mask Policies: Develop policies that make sense for your remote, in-person, or hybrid workplace. If your organization is subject to local or federal mandates, your policies must reflect those requirements. Talk with and get input from leadership and employees and develop policies that support employee health and safety, business operations, and are both flexible and sustainable; resist the urge to make policy promises and accept that you may have to adjust policies as the pandemic continues to change.
Stay Current: Consider designating an individual to provide weekly updates for local regulations such as vaccination requirements, occupancy guidance, and indoor mask mandates to which your organization must comply. COVID-related information constantly changes and staying abreast of it will help with necessary adjustments. Reminder: only use and publish information from reliable sources.
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Pinnacle HR Consulting, LLC has supported clients in developing COVID-related policies. Contact us to help with this and your other human resources needs. We are here to help.