Workplace Vaccine Strategy for COVID-19. As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available to Americans, workforces must decide how to handle vaccine strategies among their employees.
As COVID-19 vaccines become more available, more and more employers are evaluating their role in the immunization program. Some organizations are incentivizing vaccinations, others are wrestling with vaccination mandates and still others are taking a more laissez faire approach.
This is how workforces are tackling vaccine strategy among their employees.
Current State of Vaccination Strategy
At the time of this publication, more than half of US adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC. Eligibility restrictions continue to lessen as accessibility increases. There is a general sense that perhaps the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. That said, there is still a lot of work left to be done. Employers can be an important cog in the machine as we endeavor to reach herd immunity.
Mandate Debate
While the health benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine are undeniable by any respectable medical professional, some employees are still against the vaccine. According to a survey of 1000 employees by Perceptyx Research and Insight from Jan. 2021, 43% of employees claimed they would consider leaving their place of employment if they required the vaccine.
While some companies are leaving the choice entirely up to their employees, a sizable section are requiring the vaccine if employees want to return to the office. The same Perceptyx survey reported that 38% of employees said their employers were requiring them to get vaccinated in order to return to the physical workspace.
But perhaps encouragement without force is the best approach. The Perceptyx report also suggested that employees are more likely to get the vaccine if they are encouraged but not required as opposed to required. So what does encouragement look like?
Common Incentives for Vaccine Strategy
While we don’t often look towards McDonald’s as a model of health, the company is strongly encouraging vaccination efforts by providing four hours of paid time to any employee with proof of vaccination. They are also connecting employees with informational resources about the vaccine. Many companies are doing the same. Chobani yogurt is offering six hours of paid time off, three for each dose. Paid time off isn’t the only form of motivation. American Airlines is offering an extra day off and a flight voucher. Bolthouse Farms is offering an impressive $500 bonus for every full-time worker that gets vaccinated, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
Whatever your preferred vaccine strategy, one thing is clear. Employers have a certain responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their employees. After a year and a half cooped up at home, the time is now to make an impact and take those first steps towards normalcy, both in the workplace and elsewhere.
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