Return to work: What should your workplace position be on vaccination requirements?
- The Resources Group, Inc.
The last year-plus has left us all with more questions than answers. There has been a patchwork of coronavirus guidelines and a vaccine rollout that varies significantly throughout the country. And as COVID-related restrictions start to get lifted and cases continue to decline, businesses are scrambling to figure out what the “new normal” is for returning to work.
One of the biggest questions facing many employers is should a COVID-19 vaccination be required to return to work? Under recent guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers have the legal right to make such a requirement, but do you really want to?
Of course, this is often on a case-by-case basis, as there may be industries where vaccination is critical, and a mandatory approach makes sense. But for the most part, TRG suggests strongly recommending employees to get vaccinated before returning to work but not requiring it.
Why only recommend?
To add layers of complexity to this decision, there are factors such as religious freedom, health restrictions, and personal choice that all come into play when choosing to vaccinate or not. Add to that, according to research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 28 percent of respondents said they are willing to lose their jobs if their employer requires the COVID-19 vaccine.
With all of these factors in consideration, the safest route for employers is to strongly encourage people to get fully vaccinated before returning to work, but not requiring it. But COVID-related protocols shouldn’t just stop there. Below are some ways companies can encourage vaccination without needing it.
Reduce the friction of getting a vaccination
It’s important regardless of vaccination levels within your workplace to help play a role in informing them of COVID-19 and the vaccinations while also making it as easy as possible for employees to get the vaccine. Here are few things you can do to help:
- Develop an educational vaccine campaign
- Encourage your leaders to be vaccine champions
- Consider an incentive program for getting vaccinated
- Remove any work-related blockers preventing employees from getting the vaccine
- Cover cost of getting vaccinated
- Establish policies for possible sick days to get the vaccine and if an employee has an adverse reaction after receiving the vaccine
- If you’re a large enough company, consider applying for the workplace vaccination program
- If you’re a smaller company, promote an off-site vaccination location within your employees’ communities
What else should companies do?
Getting back to work will require empathy and a phased approach. Everyone has different levels of concerns and comfort levels related to COVID-19, so companies must exercise caution and understanding as people prepare to return to work.
While the CDC no longer recommends fully vaccinated people to wear masks, some state and local governments have stricter standards. In addition, it may take a while for some people to feel comfortable taking off their masks after being vaccinated, so it’s important to support employees at whatever comfort level.
Overall, employers play a crucial role in preventing and slowing the spread of Covid within the workplace. Therefore, it’s essential to have COVID-19 preparedness, response, and control in place that should consider workplace factors such as:
- Ability to social distance in the workplace
- Ability to stagger employee shifts
- How often employees interact with the public
- Feasibility of accomplishing work remotely
- The proportion of employees at an increased risk for severe illness
What’s a “new normal?”
By now, we should understand that the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving. While it can be frustrating for employers and employees, setting up expectations for a new normal isn’t easy. Rather than focusing on getting back to pre-pandemic activities, employers should frame their decisions based on safety first for everyone.
Of course, the biggest step is encouraging as many people to get vaccinated as quickly as possible.
Need help thinking through your COVID-19 plan of action? Reach out to us to see how we can help.
