Businesses are deciding when to reopen—but the bigger question is how to do it safely. Here’s an adaptable, risk-based approach for getting to the “new reality.”
Many companies have received a short-term economic bridge from the government—but when and how a recovery occurs remains uncertain. What businesses do know, however, is that it’s vital that some employees begin returning to the workplace. How to manage this return safely is the key question.
The White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for example, have offered some guidance for a phased approach. The timing for these phases is still being discussed. In the meantime, organizations can still can put in place strategies to prepare for the gradual reopening of their doors to employees.
This paper describes a five-step approach for companies to consider as they determine how to reopen their businesses. This approach comprises:
- Developing a risk-based approach to determine which workers can return to work and under what circumstances.
- Evaluating workforce considerations ranging from structural changes to what types of personal health information can and should be requested
- Creating a partner ecosystem to reconcile the needs of employees, health systems and payers
- Considering technology enablement for infection monitoring, potential contact tracing, certifications
- Implementing agile governance to support informed decision-making and coordination with federal agencies
