Coping with Covid-19 at work

Davies Ndumiso Sibanda, Labour Matters
THERE has been much talk about Covid-19 management policy, however many employers have failed to put in place robust policies that balance the interests of the business and those of employees.

As predicted that in winter there is likely to be an increase in cases of Covid-19, we are now facing the reality with major cities struggling to cope with increasing number of cases where contract tracing has reportedly been problematic.

From a human capital management perspective, there is a need for organisations to have in place a Covid-19 management policy that takes into consideration the many challenges likely to confront organisations.

I got a call from an acquaintance who said his aunt had recovered from Covid-19 and was facing rejection from both workmates who do not want to work with her. Some have openly requested management not to allow her back to work arguing that she could still spread the disease even if she is healed. She said family members have not helped the situation as many do not even want to phone her. This kind of stigmatisation just like HIV and AIDS requires a deliberate policy to help the employee re-integrate.

Some organisations have also shown limitation in leadership ability by continuing to bring key managers into one room for meetings while observing rudimentary social distancing at the same time sharing documents, teaspoons, teapots and many others risking contracting the disease. The danger is that if one of the managers or employees catches the disease, all managers will be quarantined or isolated resulting in having no managers to drive organisation.

In some cases, visitors at work come and go at will and workers use public transport without adequate protection, a thing that can easily result in workers catching Covid-19. There is a need for a clear travel policy and even the need to engage local Government on transport availability. In my honest opinion for the sake of saving lives, there is a need to allow the transport system to go back to where it was before Covid-19 as it was less congested than what it is now. Where possible, employers can opt for private transport arrangements that are less congested.

There are cases of colleagues who will be lost and such occasions will be traumatic for the families and colleagues given that the burial process of Covid-19 cases is sensitive to our customs but dictated by health regulations. Employers need to have a policy on how to counsel and re-integrate the affected employees.

On the business front, the best practice is to hold webinars from offices than to hold meetings, the first days are not easy but with time all will master the webinar of meeting process. The advantage is that in the event a colleague is quarantined, the rest of the team will not realise especially where there is no movement of papers across offices. The policy should push for the development of a paperless office to minimise the spread of the disease through papers and related documents.

Workers have to be thoroughly educated on the disease and how to handle themselves at home and at work. Even things like feeling unwell, having a sick neighbour, a close person who died and many others should have guidelines on how to handle and report them. Having these covered by a policy helps minimise workforce contamination.

There should also be a policy on the new normal communication in the various means of communication and above all the policy should cover what happens if the workplace or sections of the workforce get contaminated and people have to be quarantined.

In conclusion, what ever policy document or plan one puts into place, it must allow the business to continue running for a long time even in instances where some employees contract the Covid-19.

Davies Ndumiso Sibanda can be contacted on: email: [email protected]