In normal times, hiring managers often seek to recruit team members who are already workforce ready. But the COVID-19 pandemic changed what it means to be ready for work, both for new hires and existing staff. It’s now just as much about workplace readiness as it is about individual preparedness. Business leaders, managers, and employees now share the responsibility for keeping themselves, each other, and customers healthy and safe. And the rules and expectations are always changing.
In this article series, we discuss steps you can take to help make your workforce, and your business, ready for success during – and after – the pandemic.
The New Normal: What does it mean to be workforce ready during COVID-19?
It’s not just about individuals anymore. The definition of workforce readiness has changed. Entire workplaces must now consider and abide by safety protocols, such as social distancing guidelines for COVID-19 prevention. The rules aren’t static, however; they continue to evolve along with the situation. In some states, such as California for example, employers must now have a written COVID-19 prevention program in place. More states are expected to follow with their own mandates. Both survival and success depend on how businesses adapt to these changes.
Moving forward, business managers and employees need to work together to ensure compliance with new rules as they go into effect. Human resources (HR) teams play a huge role in this, and throughout this article series, we’ll offer practical advice to help you and your business stay agile and compliant.
Maintaining a Healthy and Productive Workforce
To make sure your business is ready for employees and customers, PwC advises that you focus on these five areas. To sum them up, you should:
- Protect your people. It’s important that you help employees stay safe and healthy, whether they work from home or at a work site. This means keeping up with new rules and revising your policies.
- Communicate effectively. Leaders need to be responsive and empathetic in talking to people during this difficult period. Employees need clear, timely information from their employers.
- Maintain the continuity of work. Make sure your people have the resources and the support they need to work safely and productively, wherever they are. Let them know why their work still matters.
- Assess workforce costs. Although we all hope for a quick recovery, it’s important to continue assessing costs and balancing the needs of your business with the needs of your employees.
- Prepare for recovery. Find ways to align your business strategy and workforce planning so that your workforce is ready for recovery when it arrives.
At first glance, these activities might seem easier said than done. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be difficult to make your workforce ready for COVID-19 and beyond.
Ready for Success during COVID-19 and Beyond
A good WFM system can do the heavy lifting for you. It can help you take practical steps toward your workforce goals and save you time and money in the process. In fact, the right solution doesn’t stop at recovery – it will continue to benefit your business well after COVID is over.
In each article in our multi-part series, we will delve deeper into the five areas listed above. We’ll also discuss how TimeForge can help you achieve your workforce safety and compliance goals. For example, to protect your people, you might consider enabling our temperature check and health screening features. To communicate more effectively, we’ll tell you how to take advantage of our team messaging tools. TimeForge makes it easy for employees to request time off or to change their availability. Our software also supports employee transfers across locations, which can help with maintaining continuity of work.
Interested? Stay tuned for the next article in our series, which will take a closer look at protecting your employees.
