IMPACT OF COVID 19 OUTBREAKS ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

Over the past two months, the COVID-19 virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica, infecting people in many countries around the world. As the virus spreads, society, economy and businesses are affected.

How to minimize the impact of the epidemic on the company, its performance results and, above all, on the employees - these are the main concerns of every business leader.

A recent Deloitte survey of over 1,000 respondents from companies operating in China shows that the outbreak will negatively affect sales volume and cash flow as well as the ability to serve customers/consumers and manage business. Significant risks also include guaranteeing the safety of employees returning from vacation and business trips, difficulties related to the supply of raw materials, the lack of tools to organize remote work.

Business leaders also point out that COVID-19 will impact the performance efficiency of organizations: 46% of respondents expect a reduction in performance targets in 2020.

So which measures can be considered the most important and appropriate? Based on the results of Deloitte research conducted in similar situations in the past (notably during the SARS outbreak), we recommend a number of actions.

Companies

Companies should consider setting up a dedicated cross-functional team (a business continuity and response office). The appropriate cross-functional team could coordinate the activities of different business units, monitor and provide necessary information to the management team for further communication with employees, customers and partners.

It is high time to analyze critical roles and key positions, as well as to determine a team of interim successors in case of force majeure. Senior management is often on business trips and there is an increased risk that some employees may not be available in the office due to quarantine or illness. Companies need to develop an effective management decision-making process in various scenarios.

Determine how your company will ensure the safety of employees who must be at work and cannot work remotely (eg, salespeople, cashiers, drivers, etc.). Companies are reviewing their policies for maintaining good workplace hygiene, providing sanitizers, and more.

Analyze the priority of your company's projects: focus the efforts of your teams on the most important and critical tasks. Offer more flexibility with low priority tasks.

Workforce

• Ensure effective communication with employees. The way leaders behave during critical moments leaves a lasting mark on their companies and their employees. Therefore, consistent and effective communication and interaction with employees can strengthen the company and improve its culture. Don't forget to think about the future. If there is disruption, there will also be recovery.

• Consider implementing flexible and remote work options (82% of respondents said this approach is important). School quarantine, quarantine after business trips - all this can add stress and increase the workload of your employees. You must meet the needs of your staff. Prepare for increased absenteeism. Consider preparing temporary succession plans for key leadership positions and critical roles in your business.

• Share up-to-date and relevant information on COVID-19 symptoms and disease prevention recommendations among company employees. Use only credible sources of information, such as the World Health Organization. You can set up a dedicated hotline or organize a series of remote seminars with the healthcare professionals concerned to lead question-and-answer sessions with your employees.

• Consider providing psychological and financial support to your employees, such as emergency assistance, additional insurance coverage, regular payroll payments.

 

• Emphasize the organization of a safe work environment: purchase of medical equipment and supplies (eg thermometers, antibacterial products), self-monitoring of employee health and disinfection of workplaces.

• Some foreign companies have already reviewed their sick leave policy. In particular, they provide for temporary absence from work due to illness without the need to provide medical certificates for absences.

• Develop and communicate clear rules and obligations for employees at risk (those who have traveled abroad for personal reasons or were on a business trip). These include requiring 14-day self-isolation for these employees and canceling all meetings with customers and colleagues.

Workplace

• Businesses should ensure safe working environments by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting workplaces. In the event an employee is suspected of being infected with COVID-19, a clear process must be in place to remove that employee from the facility and for appropriate treatment from the facility.

• Update your travel and meeting policies. For organizations with high travel needs, especially to international destinations, there is a need to assess the impact of the outbreak on travel, as travel has been linked to the transmission of COVID-19 . Businesses should actively monitor the latest government travel guidelines, review their travel policies, and be prepared to track and communicate with travelers. Another consideration is the possibility of your employees being stranded away from home due to the imposition of travel restrictions by governments around the world, and the extent to which you discourage personal travel abroad.

• Make sure your social media policy is properly defined for this crisis. It should provide clear guidelines on how employees can talk about your business and the impact of COVID-19 on operations and employee health and safety. Provide employees with an internal communication channel to report what they see and feel within the organization to ensure direct communication as an alternative to social media. At the same time, an effective social media monitoring program can help you identify emerging issues affecting your customers, markets, and production regions.

• Consider sources of information in the workplace. Misinformation in the media has created particular challenges for organizations responding to a virus outbreak. Employers should become the source of accurate, timely and appropriate information for their employees. Consider creating your own workplace news channel based on credible news sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

 

www2.deloitte.com. 2022. How to reduce the pandemic impact on employees: A guide for company leaders. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/en/pages/human-capital/articles/impact-of-covid-19.html?fbclid=IwAR3kmPpCKH2gptA2GX4xdhEQq2HAh_uML3K9Xx35yRN5IILoILFPnVfKYrw. [Accessed 24 April 2022].