What your HR needs to know in a time of COVID

Based on the effects of Covid 19, there have been significant changes in the way human resources is carried out in American businesses. As it is not yet clear when the current restrictions and safety guidelines will end, so your business should prepare for the long haul. There is also new information and knowledge that your HR professional needs to be aware of in the management of your employees, to both keep the business compliant with government regulations and guidelines, but also to keep employees safe both at the workplace and remotely.

Remote Worker Management

This is one of the most significant changes in recent times in the world of work. The Global pandemic has forced many companies to move the human component of their operation off site. Remote working is the way forward and it is expected to continue into the future. With this in mind, it is essential for your HR professional or department to be in the know as to remote working and how to manage staff online and remotely. The usual meetings, employee benefits and employee support are still important and will need to continue to happen for the success of the business. This will require various changes in technology, provision of hardware, internet connectivity and some space in the Cloud to interact. Partnering with a PEO can be really helpful in order to streamline the process and avoid red tape when hiring overseas.

Lack of supervision, access to information, distractions and lack of social interaction are all major reasons remote workers struggle and all of these need to be dealt with by your HR. Instituting structured check-ins and using the available technology to keep remote workers involved are part of the solution, but this must be well planned and coordinated and this is where your HR will be key. Managing workers offsite is a huge change and there will be a need for continued training and learning to ensure that productivity is maintained while workers wellness and office culture is promoted online.

On Site Covid health and safety

The HR will need to prepare for the return of staff or the return of skeleton staff if this is required and planned for. The OSHA suggests that businesses develop an infectious disease preparedness and response plan. This will require the analysis of all jobs and job sites to determine where the risks associated with the spread of Covid exist and then to mitigate against these.

A daily cleaning regime will need to be implemented and personal protective equipment provided. Company and government messages and notices need to be displayed and communicated widely to promote the wearing of masks, washing of hands and social distancing. If the workplace can be made Covid safe, there is more likelihood that workers can return and those processes that cannot be performed remotely can be resumed.

Government Support

There is now specific government support for employees that have been forced to work from home or where the business has had to close down and retrench workers.The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides for over a billion dollars of funding and will affect small to mid-size businesses in a number of ways. The HR that you use needs to be on top of this so that the business is able to access and use the funding for employee retention tax credits and unemployment insurance. The COBRA subsidy is an example of the way the government has adjusted funds to support those who have been affected most by Covid. This information must be made available for all employees. The more help that can be provided by HR, the greater the chances of your workforce making it through the pandemic.

Regardless of where you are,there will be professional HR consulting firms Houston to Seattle, so you can get the advice you need to ensure that you are within the law and also taking advantage of all the government support that is available. Professional HR consultants will know the laws and guidelines that affect your business and will be able to advise you, as well as dealing with these issues for the business as and when required.

Sick Pay and Time off

There have been changes to the manner in which sick pay is calculated and provided based on the nature of the covid pandemic and the need for employees to isolate at home if they have symptoms. The Families First Coronavirus Response Actwhich had provided for expanded sick pay and medical leave expired at the end of 2020, but there are tax credits available to employers who provide paid sick leave for Covid sickness or self-isolation. This is quite a lot to manage and communicate to workers.

Your human resources must keep track of the rate of infection within the business and have a clear communication strategy for the State and federal guidelines for managing the pandemic where you are based.

Time for vaccinations must be provided and paid for, which will require a rote to be developed and employees informed of this and assisted as much as is possible. If employees feel supported by the business, they are more likely to follow and adhere to the guidelines for self-isolation, knowing that they will be paid. This keeps other employees safe and creates a system of shared responsibility as businesses plot a way through the current time.

Concluding Comments

Human resources will continue to evolve, and the pandemic has mean that the recent changes have happened a lot faster than could ever be expected. Keeping in the know may require you to do some in-depth research or securing the services of an HR expert. Whichever you choose, your business must have the above knowledge at your fingertips to advise and support workers through and over this pandemic. Many companies will not be able to support all workers if they have been closed for long periods of time and the more government and state specific support that can be accessed for workers the better for the business in the long run. HR needs to at the cutting edge and well informed in this regard.