Vaccinations, Mandates and the Future of Work

Considerations

Vaccine Mandates

The advice on mandates and personal vaccination disclosure rules from government, school systems and companies are highly fluid. For leaders who confront these issues, grounding their thinking in data from the past 18 to 24 months can make decisions and communications in the near and long term clearer and more effective.

When making determinations in mandates and key workplace decisions, consider the following questions:
• How have you been talking about security and safety up to now? Take an analytical approach to internal feedback and survey results from the last year to determine what decisions and messages resonated with employees.
• What matters to your employees? Assess employee sentiment and response through internal and external communications channels to identify key areas of risk and opportunity.
• What is common practice in your industry? Survey external audiences and peer groups to determine what is most important in how decisions are being made now, and in the future.
• Do you have a clear storyline for any change in policy? Communicate transparently the reasons, benefits and implications behind decisions taken. 

Future of Work

Employees are uncertain about returning to offices given the rise in ‘breakthrough’ cases, driving many companies to push back their office re-opening plans, some by months or even into the new year. Many are also working with new hybrid, remote and in-office structures and processes.

A majority of companies point to the benefits of in-person collaboration and companionship which cannot be experienced while working remotely. But many are considering changes to office layouts, team structures, communication style, and expectations around the number of days employees must be in the office.

While there may be sound business reasons for an employer to incentivize either in-person or remote work, employees will expect those new rules to be made clear and applied consistently across the workforce. Failure to do so could exacerbate the “great resignation,” which has seen millions of workers quitting their jobs as they re-evaluate their career goals in light of the pandemic.

As employers try to balance different interests and needs, they should consider how best to:
▪ Facilitate opportunities for dialogue with clear topics, parameters, and outcomes. Dialogue does not always mean a blank slate for any topic to be raised, but properly facilitated, it can lead to clarity on what is driving employees to make the choice to stay, what would motivate them to leave and what support they need. 
▪ Index what employees believe is central to the corporate culture. Look across cultural dimensions - environment, fulfillment, ethics, purpose, and advancement – and then double down on the most important elements to ensure that as decisions are made and the ways of working change, the organization stays true to its cultural roots.
▪ Establish a change communications plan that keeps critical issues – like safety, security and mental health - at the front of the communications agenda.

Conclusion

Today’s uncertainty, coupled with concerns around vaccine equity and disclosure, employee resignations, and workplace transitions, increases the need to evaluate – and continuously re-evaluate - workplace cultures.
 
As these trends accelerate through the second half of 2021, the key takeaway for employers and business leaders is simple: employees matter more than ever.

By following the guiding principles of putting humans first, ensuring a strong foundation of value-based communications with employees, preparing and consistently updating scenario planning and establishing proactive platforms for employees to take positive actions, companies can be well positioned to weather ongoing historic transitions.

Download the full report here.