The Watercooler

Your Guide to Reopening After COVID-19: Finding Motivated Workers

Reopening Business

You can almost hear it.

Across the country, light switches are flipping. Computers and other machines are powering back up. People are getting back to work.

How can you reopen responsibly in the new normal – and find the motivated workers you need?

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.

Below are a few ideas from the whitepaper to help you ramp up and rebound faster:

Build your pandemic response team.

Assemble a multi-disciplinary team to: make key business decisions; review and adjust your business and workforce plans; and communicate plans for getting back to work.

Address operational, safety and mental well-being issues.

Government mandates and guidance will evolve, so consult reliable sources of information (e.g., U.S. Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 Resources) to ensure the safety of your employees, instill confidence in those returning to work (as well as clients and customers), and resume operations:

  • Establish clear, compliant stay-at home protocols. Keep in mind the CDC’s return-to-work protocols, as well as legal counsel’s guidelines, to ensure non-discrimination in the workplace.
  • Make employee health and safety a priority. Consider: the types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) employees will need; how you will address the situation if symptoms appear in a worker after they return to work; reporting requirements; and the types of training you will need to provide to ensure a safe work environment.
  • Prioritize mental well-being, too. From health and financial concerns to major changes at work, the pandemic has created new sources of anxiety which make promoting employees’ mental well-being essential. Review and improve your company’s offerings and programs, to make sure employees feel equipped for success, supported and rewarded.
  • Make necessary changes to your physical environment. To operate safely, you will need to comply with local ordinances, making changes in your physical environment to minimize disease transmission, respond to transmission incidents, and keep your building clean.
  • Expect the unexpected. Reopening your business will require healthy doses of diligence, flexibility, patience and creativity. Keep in mind how daycare, remote work, anxiety, illness, required training and other issues may impact your employees and workforce plan.

Adjust your workforce plan.

The whitepaper provides a comprehensive overview of questions to ensure your plan is current, robust and flexible. Here are a few to consider:

  • How and when will you bring back furloughed employees? Laid-off workers?
  • Who will handle your ongoing and changing needs for recruiting, screening, training, onboarding and deploying both contingent and direct staff?
  • With fewer employees, what should you do in the short-term to provide support to the employees carrying the extra workload?
  • To not only emerge from this crisis, but rebound quickly, how will you acquire the ability to quickly scale up to meet market demands?
  • With tens of millions of newly unemployed workers, how must you adjust your recruiting, screening and hiring processes and timelines?
  • How will you seize the recruiting opportunities the pandemic has created? If you’ve transitioned to remote work, your access to talent is now broader. You can also top-grade your team by capitalizing on the short-term availability of high-quality, high-potential talent.

Communicate your reopening plans and safety measures both internally and externally.

Right now, your employees, clients, customers, vendors and more have questions – lots of them. Being proactive, replying quickly and communicating with empathy will help:

  • Instill confidence that you are committed to reopening safely and ensuring employees’ welfare.
  • Allay furloughed and former employees’ concerns about returning to work.
  • Build your employer brand – further improving your ability to find motivated workers.

How is your reopening plan shaping up?

Getting back to business will present a fresh set of challenges for your organization – and our comprehensive planning guide will help you overcome them. Download your free copy today to learn how to get back to work safely and efficiently and thrive post-pandemic.

When you’re ready to reopen, PrideStaff is here for you.

With a cadre of workforce, legal and safety experts, industry-leading technology and flexible staffing solutions, PrideStaff is the ideal complement to your pandemic response team. When the time is right, we are here to provide the insights and solutions you need.

If you need , a comprehensive workforce plan or simply some sound advice from a partner you can trust, contact your local PrideStaff office today.