Returning to the Office During a Pandemic

There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the workforce. It has caused millions of businesses and employees to shift to a virtual work environment. But as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues and more people get vaccinated, employers are starting to think about when and how to have employees return to the office.

But it’s not as easy as waiting until vaccine numbers increase before employees can return to work. As employers plan to reopen their office buildings and welcome back employees to their workplaces, COVID-19 continues to be challenge they must work through. From safety measures and vaccinations to the potential discovery of another new variant, businesses and employees have to adjust to a new normal as they get back inside the office building.

Can Employers Mandate the Vaccine?

According to various news reports, companies in different industries have recently announced vaccine mandates for employees returning to work. Under federal equal employment opportunity laws, employers can require employees who enter the workplace to get vaccinated. However, businesses have to offer reasonable accommodations to employees who don’t get the vaccine because of disabilities, religious beliefs, or pregnancies so long as it does not pose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer’s business.

If a business decides to mandate vaccines for employees going back to work, it is important to be vigilant in researching the laws and legal guidelines because it can open a business to legal risks. Because some individuals or demographic groups may face greater barriers to receiving the vaccine than others, employers need to consider whether the mandated vaccine policy will disparately or disproportionately impact employees based on a protected category.

Employers should also be aware of local laws and regulations. Montana, for example, doesn’t allow businesses to discriminate based on a person’s vaccine status or having an immunity passport. And similar bills may pass in other states.

Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Workers

If any employee is hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, providing education and communication is key. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says there are many factors behind why someone doesn’t get vaccinated, but that confidence in the vaccines, the vaccinator and the system all support the decision to get a vaccine.

To help businesses build vaccine confidence among employees, the CDC has resources and key messages available. However, it is important to be aware that quarantine and isolation recommendations can change for fully vaccinated people, and it is good idea to regularly check the CDC for the most recent guidelines for vaccinated people as well.

But as effective as the vaccines are against COVID-19 and the current variants, employers reopening their offices should also consider workers that aren’t getting vaccinated. They must think about how to keep all employees safe, and whether it is necessary for employers to consider mandating the COVID vaccine for their remote workforce.

From following health and safety guidelines to providing accurate communications and resources, there are several strategies that employers can adopt to ensure the safety and health of their workers. This includes eliminating the virus from the workplace by having a policy to keep sick workers at home. In addition, building owners can install engineering and environmental controls such as regular cleaning, plexiglass barriers, air exchanges, and new HVAC systems to mitigate exposure. And there are administrative controls that may be implemented such as staggered presence in the workplace, limited meeting size, smaller conference room use, selective travel, and having personal protective equipment readily available. All these controls require training and education of all employees, but transparency is key. And it’s important to have a strategy so there are no surprises.

Pay Attention to Employees’ Psychological and Behavioral Issues

Working virtually for an extended period, combined with local restrictions and ongoing news of the pandemic, may have also affected employees’ mental health and wellbeing.

Workers coming back to the office aren’t the same workers as pre-pandemic. Employers can work with their human resources department to create a plan to help employees feel at ease.

One idea is to offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This gives employees access to services to help them with personal or work-related problems. It’s also imperative for supervisors and managers to provide training on how to recognize if a worker is struggling.

A slip in performance may occur shortly after an employee returns to work, so managers need to be comfortable with having a conversation to understand what’s going on.