As things start to return to some sort of normal, there will be a lot of questions from employees as to how this return to work will be undertaken and the changes that have been made to ensure they are safe whilst at work.
In this article we discuss the practicalities of employees returning to work but also how you can help to make this return as manageable as possible for everyone involved.
The practicalities
It is likely that you will have already heard of the flexible furlough scheme which has been in place since 1 July. This will allow you, as an employer, to phase your employees back to work, meaning that you can take them back in line with the increase in your company’s workload post lockdown.
If you have employees on the flexible furlough scheme, you are required to pay them their normal wage for the hours that they work and they can then be furloughed for the remaining time, meaning they still get paid 80% of their salary for the hours they don’t work. The government will also continue to pay the National Insurance and pension contributions for the employees on full-time furlough or flexible furlough for the time being.
There is then a phased decline of the government furlough support, between 1 August and the end of October 2020, when the scheme is currently expected to end.
This means you should be discussing with your employees how you intend for them to return to work between now and 31st October.
Addressing employee concerns
It is likely that after this long period of being furloughed or home working the return to the work environment will come with some questions and worries from employees.
This is to be expected after the unprecedented times we have all been through, and it is important you address these worries as soon as possible.
as an employer, you should try and be flexible to make this as stress-free as possible.
You could hold virtual meetings with those you are expecting to return first to give them an opportunity to voice their concerns. It is important that you don’t just assume that everyone will be happy to return to working the same way as they did before.
And you also need to be conscious of the current guidelines which are in issue, this may mean that your business practices will continue to go through changing times for the foreseeable future.
It may be that you can give employees the option to continue to work from home if this is practical for your business. Either, for the short term while processes are put into place to allow for social distancing and meeting the current guidance, or for the long term if this is a model that could work for you and your employees.
You may also want to consider changing working patterns so that there are less employees in work at any one time, this could be an option while the flexible furlough scheme is available, so more employees can return to work but for shorter periods than they were previously used to.
Thought should also be given to how communal areas such as kitchens will work when employees return.
Any changes that have been put in place for the return should be communicated to staff as early as possible so that any questions they have can be answered and any suggestions they might have can be considered and implemented, if practical. You should also be communicating with the employees who you are taking back to work first so that they can prepare for their return.
The rationale behind the choice of employees you are taking back first should be communicated to all staff, it is important that this information is given not only to those that are being taken back but also those that are not being taken back immediately, as keeping all employees informed will help those not back at work still feel involved.
It is also currently unknown what the return to school in August is going to look like and this could mean that some people will continue to have children at home part-time, even after the summer holidays. Obviously, this will come with its own challenges for everyone involved but, as an employer, you should try and be flexible to make this as stress-free as possible.
The past few months have been a steep learning curve for everyone.
Things for ongoing consideration
The past few months have been a steep learning curve for everyone.
Whether your business has had to quickly change processes and remained open during the lockdown period, or your business was closed for lockdown and is now starting to reopen, it is likely that there have been lots of changes which you have had to implement.
There are probably some changes which you have realised can be adopted by your business long term, for example introducing a more flexible working pattern. With lockdown, everyone had a lot of different plates to keep spinning and while people were still working and completing the tasks assigned to them, it is likely that they were not working the traditional 9-5 hours.
This change in working pattern and how performance is tracked, away from the traditional model of working the required hours between set times towards a more flexible model where the tasks are set and as long as these are completed by the deadlines set, the hours when these tasks are completed become less important. This allows employees to have a better work-life balance and complete other tasks which have maybe only appeared due to COVID-19, such as home schooling or entertaining children who would normally be at school or in childcare.
Once employees are back to work, it is important that you check in with them regularly to ensure that they are coping with their workload and that it isn’t overwhelming.
However, these check ins should not only focus on the workload but also how employees are dealing with the return to work and any changes to how work is completed. You should aim to discuss their wellbeing and try not to make assumptions about this, as everyone has different coping strategies.
Employees should feel comfortable discussing this in a safe and confidential environment.
As an employer, you should try and be a good role model by discussing how you are managing the return and sharing anything that you have found to help deal with the changing work environment and maintaining a good work-life balance.
It is also important that you don’t forget about the employees which are not returning straightaway.
You should keep in regular contact with these employees and keep them up to date with when you expect them to return to work and any other changes which might impact them. You can encourage all your employees, those back at work and those not, to keep in contact via social media or video links to help everyone feel connected and still part of the same team.
employees are the core asset for all businesses.
Going forward
It is likely that there have been lots of learning and changes for you, your business and employees since March and it is important that the lessons learned are not forgotten.
Any changes which have benefitted your business should be included in how your business operates going forward, if possible. It is also important that any processes learned from working from home, even if this is not something which you plan to continue, are recorded so that if a similar situation arises in the future you are more prepared for it a second time around.
Overall, it is important that employee concerns are listened to and addressed, and that employee wellbeing becomes a focus for your business.
After all, employees are the core asset for all businesses.
We appreciate that there's a lot to think about at this time. If you have any questions about phasing employees back to work, and the impact that might have on your business, including your cashflow and your future staffing model, we'll be more than happy to help.
Please feel free to contact us here.
