British International Investment
23 June 2020

Returning to the workplace during COVID-19: Labour and workforce considerations

Register here for a CDC, Ergon and RSK webinar: Labour and Occupational Health and Safety aspects when returning to work 

Governments around the world are easing lockdown measures introduced to limit the transmission of COVID-19 and which led to the full or partial suspension of many business activities and workplaces. Importantly, this does not signal a return to ‘business as usual’ for most companies, but rather a transition to a new way of doing business in order to confront a set of previously unencountered challenges. This includes ensuring workers (and clients) are safe in newly re-opened workplaces, as well as responding to new economic conditions and ongoing  uncertainty about the trajectory and consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This guidance note offers assistance to employers on how to anticipate and manage labour-related issues where operations are resuming – in part or in full – after lockdowns, particularly where a return to pre-COVID-19 work locations is involved. This includes analysis of:

  • Contextual factors influencing a return to work during the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly easing of restrictions, easing of temporary relief schemes, and employment and occupational health and safety laws.
  • Return to work planning and approaches including assessing workforce implications, engaging and communicating with workers, revising Human Resources (HR) policies, recalling workers, and transitioning the workforce.
  • Sector-specific challenges and potential responses in manufacturing; infrastructure construction and real estate; financial services; retail/business to consumer (B2C) services; agribusiness; and healthcare.

This note primarily focuses on workforce management considerations and does not seek to provide specific guidance on occupational health and safety (OHS) measures. OHS considerations for returning to work are covered in separate CDC guidance, Returning to the workplace during COVID-19: Occuptional health and safety considerations.

Register here for a CDC, Ergon and RSK webinar: Labour and Occupational Health and Safety aspects when returning to work.

The webinar will discuss occupational health and safety, as well as employment rules and policies, communications strategies, and other important measures and needs that will enable workers (and clients) to access the working environment safely and productively.

Register here

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