Last month our article, “Why Getting Back to Work Won’t Be Easy,” concluded that it might be quite some time before we get back to work, and doing so would require considerable planning to ensure safety.

That dire safety forecast of an unsure timeline has been challenged by the need for people to work. Gallup was recently surprised to learn that more people are concerned about “Severe Financial Hardships” than “Getting the Virus.” “HRE” also published research that showed employees are confident their organizations can succeed by continuing remote work.

People at home feel the walls closing in and are anxious to get back to work. Companies want to bring in their workers as soon as possible to avoid more financial hits. Many larger companies and industries don’t expect life to return to normal for many months. Yet getting back to work is fraught with problems for both companies and their employees.

Small businesses and their leaders face a complex array of challenges to re-open. They need to comply with their state guidelines. The US Chamber of Commerce publishes updated information on state re-opening regulations and recommends guidance. The guidance for Florida, which started re-opening May 4th with a few southeastern counties delayed, has now reached Phase 2 of 3. The guidance for small business (considered non-essential early) is:

Topline Guidance
Continue to follow CDC and OSHA guideline.

Employee Screening Guidance
Continue to follow CDC and OSHA guidelines.

Social Distancing Guidance
Maintain the six-foot physical distancing requirements. No groups larger than 10. Continue to follow CDC guidelines.

PPE Requirements
Continue to follow CDC and OSHA guidelines.

Cleaning/Sanitation Procedures
Continue to follow CDC and OSHA guidelines.

Vulnerable Population Accommodations
Senior citizens and individuals with a significant medical condition strongly encouraged to stay home.

This Florida guidance is very general but complicated by the fact that CDC has often changed its guidance during the pandemic. A person within all small businesses should be assigned to become familiar with all changes so that changes that affect the business are addressed promptly.

Making the facility safe for employees is drawing the greatest national attention. The AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association) has published 11 sector-specific guidelines for Reopening. The General Office Settings guidance is recommended for most of my readers. The document is 10-pages, uses a small font, two colums, and is full of recommendations, which I believe you need to consider as requirements because of the increased risk potential that all small businesses will, unfortunately, have to manage in the “new normal”.

Your “new normal” will add risk to your operations. Customer issues may be different, your supply chain could be disrupted, or you could experience an outbreak in your practice creating heightened risk for you and your employees.

If you would like to consult me regarding these challenges, message me at info@emtpeo.com.

-Rick

Emerging Trends

• Evaluate your employees often using tools like Net Promoter Score surveys, people analytics, & online reviews like Glassdoor.
• To help manage & train diverse & dispersed employees, outline distinctions between freelancers, part-timers & gig workers & define how their responsibilities & benefits differ.

Create relevant training for each type using:

1. Learning management system (LMS)
2. Cloud-based LMS so all employees have access to learning materials.

In 2020, 80% of companies are expected to utilize monitoring techniques to collect data on how employees spend their time at work to create a more productive work environment & protect resources. Transparency is key to obtaining employee cooperation.