The Watercooler

Reopening After COVID-19: Prioritizing Worker Health, Safety and Flexible Work Arrangements

Worker-Safety-Post-Pandemic

With plans, recommendations and predictions changing by the day, not everyone agrees on how corporate America should respond to COVID-19.

What do our nation’s workers think?

For the past several weeks, JUST Capital has collaborated with The Harris Poll to gauge the American public’s sentiment on how businesses should reopen. While people disagree on how well larger companies are leading through the crisis, the latest round of surveys shows overwhelming consensus in other areas – namely, health, safety and workplace flexibility.

Here are a few takeaways and data points to consider as you form your reopening plans:

Americans agree that employers should prioritize the health and safety of frontline workers:

  • Nearly nine in 10 (89%) of respondents believe that companies should provide personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitize workplaces and institute social distancing policies throughout the crisis.
  • Women are more likely than men to say that providing PPE for frontline workers is a high priority (92% of women vs. 86% of men).

Flexible work arrangements should be high priority, too.

  • 82% of respondents say that employers should make “offering flexibility to work from home” a high priority.
  • Nearly eight in 10 (79%) also place a high priority on dependent care leave (i.e., offering additional paid time off for workers to take care of sick family members or supervise children while schools are closed).

Employers should place people before profits.

Not surprisingly, most Americans surveyed believe companies should prioritize people over profits. Three in four say employers should avoid layoffs, even if they must sacrifice profitability in the short term. They also acknowledge that layoffs may be necessary in order to stay in business.

Need help formulating your recovery plans?

PrideStaff’s experts have created a new whitepaper, “Turning on the Lights,” to help you get back to work safely, lead your team confidently and emerge poised to grow when the upturn hits.

Download your free planning guide today.

We are here for you.

Offering industry-leading expertise and workforce solutions, our team can help you:

  • Prioritize your team’s health and safety
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Rebound quickly.

When the time is right, contact your local PrideStaff office to start a conversation.