Article
How to reduce the pandemic impact on
employees: A guide for company leaders
Over the past two months, COVID-19 virus has spread to all continents except
Antarctica, infecting people in many countries around the world. As the virus spreads,
the society, economy and business are being impacted.
How to minimize impact of the epidemic on business, its performance results and, most
importantly, on employees – these are the main issues of concern for every company
leader.
A recent Deloitte survey conducted among over 1,000 respondents from companies
operating in China shows that the epidemic will adversely affect sales volume and cash
flows as well as the ability to serve clients/consumers and manage business. Significant
risks also include ensuring the safety of employees returning from vacations and
business trips, difficulties related to supply of raw materials, lack of tools for organizing
remote work.
Company executives also point out that COVID-19 will have an impact on performance
efficiency of organizations: 46% of respondents expect a reduction in performance
targets in 2020.
So what measures can be considered most important and appropriate? Based on the
results of Deloitte's research conducted in similar situations in the past (particularly,
during the SARS epidemic), we recommend taking a number of measures.
Companies
Companies should consider the possibility of establishing a dedicated cross-functional
team (a business response and continuity office). The appropriate cross-functional team
could coordinate the activities of different business units, monitor and provide the
necessary information to senior management team for further communication with
employees, customers, and partners.
It is high time to analyze the critical roles and key positions, as well as to determine a
team of interim successors in case of force majeure. Top management is often away on
business trips and there is an increased risk that some employees may not be available
in the office due to a quarantine or illness. The companies should develop an effective
process of management decision making under various scenarios.
Determine how your company is going to ensure the safety of employees who have to
be at work and cannot work remotely (e.g., shop assistants, cashiers, drivers, etc.).
The companies are reviewing their policies for maintaining good hygiene in the
workplace, providing disinfectants, etc.
Analyze the priority of your company's projects: focus your teams’ efforts on the most
important and critical tasks. Allow more flexibility with low-priority tasks.
Workforce
Ensure effective communication with employees. How leaders behave during
critical moments leaves a lasting mark on their companies and people. Therefore, a
consistent and effective communication and interaction with employees can
strengthen the company and enhance its culture. Remember to think of the future.
If there is disruption, there will also be recovery.
Consider implementing flexible and remote work options (82% of respondents
stated the importance of this approach). School quarantine, quarantine after
business trips– all this can add stress and increase burden on your employees. You
need to respond to the needs of your personnel. Be prepared for increased
absenteeism. Consider preparing temporary succession plans for key executive
positions and critical roles in your business.
Share the up-to-date and relevant information about COVID-19 symptoms and
disease prevention recommendations among company employees. Use only
credible sources of information, such as the World Health Organization. You can
establish a dedicated hotline or conduct a series of remote seminars with relevant
health professionals to facilitate question and answer sessions with your
employees.
Consider providing a psychological and financial support to your employees, such
as emergency assistance, additional insurance coverage, regular payroll payments.
Focus on organizing a safe work environment: purchase of medical equipment
and supplies (e.g., thermometers, antibacterial products), self-monitoring of
employees' health, and disinfection of workplaces.
Some foreign businesses have already reviewed their sick leave policies. In
particular, they provide for a temporary absence from work due to illness without
the need to provide doctor's notes for absences.
Develop and communicate clear rules and obligations for employees who are at
risk (those who traveled abroad for personal reasons or were on business trips).
These include the requirement for a 14-day self-isolation of such employees and
cancellation of all meetings with the clients and coworkers.
Workplace
Companies should ensure the safety of working environments by thoroughly
cleaning and disinfecting workplaces. In the event that an employee is suspected of
being infected with COVID-19, a clear process must be in place for removing that
employee from the facility, and for proper treatment of the facility.
Update your travel and meeting policies. For organizations with high travel
needs, especially to international destinations, assessing the impact of the epidemic
on travel is necessary as travel has been linked to the transmission of COVID-19.
Companies should actively monitor the latest travel guidance from the government,
review their travel policies, and be prepared to track and communicate with
travelers. Another consideration is the possibility of your employees being stranded
away from their home locations due to the imposition of travel restrictions by
governments around the world, and the degree to which you discourage personal
international travel.
Make sure that your social media policy is properly defined for this crisis. It
should provide clear guidelines with regard to how employees can talk about your
business and the impact of COVID-19 on operations and employee health and
safety. Provide employees with an internal communication channel to report what
they are seeing and feeling within the organization to ensure direct communication
as an alternative to social media. At the same time, an effective social media
monitoring program may help you to identify emerging issues that are affecting
your customers, markets, and production regions.
Consider the sources of information in the workplace. Misinformation in the
media has created particular challenges for organizations responding to virus
outbreak. Employers should become the source of accurate, timely, and
appropriate information for their employees. Consider creating your own news
channel in the workplace based on credible sources of information.
Planning of workforce strategies
Work through the most difficult scenarios (for example, if there is a need to close
offices or some production lines) and prepare appropriate communications for your
employees in advance. Your task is to provide a constructive response, and not a
chaotic communication with employees, or no communication at all.
Consider possible scenarios for temporary staff reduction (for example, through
the introduction of unpaid vacation, as was the case with the Ukrainian employers
in 2008-2009). However, be very cautious about making harsh, unpopular
decisions about personnel reduction. The crisis will pass, but inappropriate
decisions or behavior of company leaders in a time of crisis will have a lasting
negative impact on business.
Despite all the risks and stress, it is important to remember that we have
faced crises situations like this in the past. First of all, it is a challenge for the
company's culture and management practices. If you believe that people are
the most valuable asset to your business, then you have to communicate, plan,
and be consistent. Show up for your employees and support them.
At the end of the day, we are all human, and every one of us may be impacted by
COVID-19. Now is the time for company leaders to lead for the safety and welfare of
their people.
