Consider not forcing your employees to return to the office.
Only 49% of employees feel that their employer was implementing safety measures to protect them, and only 29% feel that their CEOs are doing “an outstanding job” meeting demands from the pandemic. Only 50% of employees in the U.S. feel safe returning to a brick and mortar office.
Many JPMorgan Chase employees learned only from press reports that there was a person with Covid-19 in their building. JPMorgan Chase’s head of global markets said their policy is only to inform employees on the same floor or who have had contact with an employee who has Covid-19. This includes having meetings with the infected person.
Goldman Sachs has a similar policy. They only disclose Covid-19 cases to other employees on the same floor and those that have had meetings with the infected employee.
Considering the shared elevator space that most employees use to get to their place of business, and the fact that employees travel to other floors of the company for reasons other than business, it seems haphazard to have a “minimum level of responsibility” policy in place.
Before returning to the office, some companies are giving employees an agreement to sign that says they will not hold their employer responsible if they get sick. Some companies have their employees check in via app or website stating that they are not sick before they return to the office. People with Covid-19 can be asymptomatic yet contagious, and they are also contagious for days before symptoms show up.
If your employees have been productive while working at home, consider keeping it that way. What if you decide to have your employees return to the office? Be aware of the following consequences.
Morale Will Be Low
It’s tough to create a good work product when the very real threat of Covid-19 is looming at the office. Employees will naturally be watching other employees for possible symptoms and violations of mask-wearing and social distancing. There will be distrust between you and your employees. Again, 50% of employees do not feel safe returning to the office, and only 29% feel you are doing an outstanding job of protecting them.
There May Be Conflicts
You are going to have employees that call out other employees for not wearing a mask at all times. You as an employer cannot risk having employees not wear masks. Now comes the question — what will you do if an employee is repeatedly not wearing a mask or keeping social distance?
You Will Have Absenteeism
Many employees did not have a choice between online or in-person schooling for their children. Many school districts aren’t even holding classes on-site. You have employees who are trying to handle online schooling of their children while also working. You will have employees call in because the stress of juggling this “new normal” gets overwhelming. When employees work at home, someone is there to monitor online schooling and employees feel more in control in a world that seems out of control. You will also have employees call in because taking public transportation, riding in an elevator of people to get their jobs, and having face-to-face meetings creates a level of chronic stress that can lead to illness and burnout.
It’s possible that having employees return to a brick and mortar office will cause a decline in productivity and revenue. Consider thoroughly if you are willing to take the risk of having employees return. You take on the risk of your employees leaving, and there are potential legal risks for your company. There is no justifiable reason for employees to be on-site if they are working adequately at home.
