How Businesses Can Smoothly Manage Work Amid The Scare of Omicron
It’s been nearly two years since the global pandemic of Covid-19 unprecedentedly arrived on the scene and threw normal life out of gear. Amid the grave threat to human life, social distancing and remote work have become synonymous in the last couple of years.
Yes, scientists have introduced vaccines, and millions of people have been diagnosed with them. Yet, no one can say with certainty that the threat of Covid-19 has ceased to exist. At least, not for now.
When Businesses were trying to get their in-office operations on track, the new variant, Omicron, has surfaced and infecting people like a jungle fire. The USA has 170,513 active Omicron variant cases as of 24 January 2022.
Once again, businesses hoping to implement in-office work have had to postpone this decision. Clearly, these are unpredictable times, and businesses should have a contingency plan in place.
At ProofHub, we realized not long ago that nothing could be taken for granted in the current scenario as long as new Covid-19 variants continue to surface and threaten to force businesses to rethink their strategies.
For us, nothing is more valuable than our employees’ well-being. I have been in touch with all my team members during remote work and made sure that they have received vaccinations and carry a digital certificate on their mobile devices as validation proof.
At the same time, we have ensured that each of our team members has a fully-functional WFH set up — a stable internet connection, PC or laptop, a work desk, ergonomic chair, noise cancelling headphones, etc.
“Whether working remotely or from the office, make sure all your team is on the common platform for seamless collaboration and monitoring of work. Switch to ProofHub NOW!”
Whether team ProofHub works from the office or remotely, we’ve made sure that they are in their best physical and mental health and have the best equipment to work with.
Coming back to how Omicron is disrupting the plans of many businesses to move back to in-office operations.
As a farsighted business owner and an inspiring figure for your workforce, the onus is on you to react swiftly to any events that can directly impact your work processes.
We all are unsure how things would turn out in the future, whether or not the pandemic would disappear from the global scene or not. Is it time we accept this virus as a part of daily life and carry on with necessary precautions?
I think we should. There’s no other way around it.
Given below are a few things to consider to deal with upcoming surges.
5 Tips To Smoothly Manage Work Amid New Covid Variants
# Make sure all your employees are vaccinated
The rapid spread of Omicron has made many businesses across the states introduce vaccine mandates. From January 10, 2022, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can start instituting fines for those companies that don’t comply. Any employer who intentionally disregards the mandate stands to face fines ranging from $13,653 to as high as $136,532.
I am sure you would not like to pay a hefty sum of money out of your or your employees’ negligence. OSHA can show up at your workplace anytime. So, make sure your unvaccinated staff gets the jab and you have vaccination records on hand.
# Switch back to WFH if required
Business owners are in no man’s land currently. Being flexible and adaptable is the key today. Once again, it’s time to assess whether to continue in-office work or switch back to work from home. Many companies have postponed their decision to resume work-from-office plans in January.
Unlike the first lockdown where everyone was required to stay at home, this time, the onus is on companies to assess the potential risks around the workplace — any infected people, ventilation, sanitization protocols, vaccination rates, community transmission, etc.
While there are no strict guidelines for businesses this time around, you can switch back to WFH to stay on the safe side. You can also implement the hybrid work model to maintain a delicate balance between in-office work and remote work. It offers flexibility in the management of time for personal and work activities alike.
# Don’t abandon technology
Just because you have resumed work-from-office does not mean that you should skip using technology that helped your remote teams collaborate better. You never know when you would have to switch back to remote work, so keep using that powerful project management software to bring more efficiency to your work processes. It would be best to make collaboration tools an integral part of your work routine.
Whether you’re managing an in-office or remote team, using a team collaboration tool can help you have greater control over projects and the workforce from a common platform. You can access these tools even on your mobile devices, monitor project progress, individual productivity, and collaborate with others in the easiest way possible.
“Why slow down your project progress with outdated manual procedures? Subscribe to ProofHub TODAY and bring all your work on a single platform for easier accessibility and collaboration.”
# Isolation periods have changed
If any of your employees tests positive for Covid-19 then make sure that the infected person notifies their manager as well the company management immediately. Suppose, an infected employee continues to come to the office. In that case, it leaves other employees and your organization at risk of infection and the intentional ignorance of vaccine mandates.
Isolation periods for the Omicron variant are shorter than the delta variant as the former is considered less severe than the latter. People with Covid-19 should remain in isolation for 5 days (contrary to 10 or more) if they are symptomatic. Employees who have recovered from Covid-19 and are returning to the office need to wear a mask for a minimum of 5 days to minimize the risk of spreading the infection to others.
# Be empathic
If ever there was a need for leaders to empathize with their teams, it is now. Leaders should understand that their team members might be going through a lot of stress in their personal lives. So, leaders should look for these cues while one-on-one interaction with their team members — loss of productivity, lack of engagement, increased absenteeism rate, body language, etc.
If you get a strong feeling that some of your team members are not behaving or performing the way they used to, you should find out the reasons. The best way you can do so is by holding one-on-one meetings with them and trying to understand why they cannot focus on work. It could be due to many reasons. Show your team that you understand their problems and also make an effort to find a way to deal with them.
The Final Word
It’s evident that Covid-19 and its variants would continue to rattle human lives, at least for the time being. Things are not easy for business owners and their teams as they switch between in-office and remote work. Trying to focus on your job while keeping yourself (and your family) safe from the pandemic can take its stress on even the most competent employees.
So, the onus is on leaders to lead from the front. Show your team that you have their back and are committed to helping them navigate rough waters. That’s when you shine as a leader. Smooth waters never make for skilled sailors. So, use this seemingly challenging situation to your advantage. Good luck!
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Also Read:
- How To Set A Unique Vibe For Your Workplace?
2. All It Takes Is 3 Simple Things To Be A Great Remote Manager
3. Help Your Employees Find A Purpose In Their Job
Top Tips For Businesses To Manage Work During Covid-19 was originally published in ProofHub Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
