Detailed Guidance Available to Help Hoosier Office Workers Safely Return to their Desks
Not long after the Covid-19 pandemic created a work-from-home world, TechPoint began working with its member company leaders, its colleagues at the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), and other state and community leaders to help ensure that returning to the office is as safe as possible.
The latest help comes in the form of playbooks that offer guidance as to when a return should begin and detailed steps that address various behaviors and precautions to be taken in three distinct sectors.
Three playbooks were produced and all are available to view and download from the CICP website. The playbooks address the following work environments:
Based largely on Cummins’ guidelines for safely returning to work, the playbooks result from a 10-week collaboration among government leaders, business leaders, and industry advocates. Cummins, which has seven sites of its own in Wuhan, China, has been battling Coronavirus related workplace impacts for months longer than most Indiana companies and generously shared what they have learned to help fellow Hoosier companies.
The office-focused playbook begins with four questions business leaders should ask before bringing their teams back together. If they can’t say “yes” to each question, they’re advised to follow the additional recommendations provided before considering re-opening.
1. Have you put COVID-19 health and safety mitigations into effect for the health and safety of your employees throughout the workday, including, as necessary, transport to and from your facility?
2. Have executive orders which have prevented your operation to continue during the COVID-19 crisis been lifted, or have you been provided with a waiver as an essential business?
3. Do you have a plan to phase in the office re-opening?
4. Is there a reason why employees need to be in the office rather than continuing to telecommute?
In a recent pandemic-related informational call with more than 60 TechPoint member representatives, about one third were undecided as to when they would start calling employees back to the office. Thirty-five percent were planning to bring employees back in stages starting in June.
Only two percent said productivity had suffered as teams worked from home. Nearly 60 percent said productivity was similar, while 39 percent said productivity has been higher.
In addition to reaching out to the tech community to determine if and how TechPoint can help, TechPoint has offered advice and access to relief resources.
“I know it’s literally a campaign slogan, but we will get through this together,” said TechPoint President and CEO Mike Langellier. “The most important thing is that we do this as smartly and safely as we can. These playbooks will help Indiana tech employers around our state do just that.”
