Top 3 HR Policies for Pandemic Recovery
The coronavirus in 2020 changed almost every area of organizational leadership, especially in the area of HR compliance.
With the pandemic recovery in full swing, now is a great time to update or create your employee handbook to make sure you are in compliance.
Not sure where to start?
These 3 policies are a great starting point for your handbook update.
1) Remote Work Policy
Whether your organization will be allowing remote work….
100% of the time for some employees, or
For reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) only, or
Hybrid work (both remote and in-office work) for some employees,
you will definitely want a policy to define: Home office safety guidelines, workers’ compensation limitations, availability expectations, equipment and security rules, just to name a few of the important topics your Remote Work policy should address.
For what to include in your Remote Work Policy, Download the Free E-Guide: How to Write a Compliant Work-from-Home Policy.
This E-Guide contains a checklist of what to include in your policy, sample policy verbiage, best practices, and more.
2) Updated Safety Policy
The best way to update your safety policy and protocols is to start by asking for employee feedback, either informally (team meeting discussion, individual discussions, etc.) or formally (using a survey tool such as Google Forms or Survey Monkey).
Start by asking your employees about your existing safety protocols, such as cleaning, hand sanitizing, masks, travel, and customer service protocols:
Ask:
What’s working well/what should we continue?
What needs to be changed or discontinued? And,
Do you see any “safety gaps” that need to be addressed?
Other factors to consider with updating your safety policies include: State and local mandates, CDC guidelines, as well as possible air flow/office ventilation improvements.
3) Vaccination Policy
If your organization decides to require vaccinations, a compliant policy is a necessary starting point. Most employers are opting to encourage, rather than require vaccinations, as they’ve determined it makes more sense for their business structure, job types, and risk tolerance. For those employers that have chosen to require vaccinations, it’s important to allow for religious and disability accommodations in line with the EEOC’s recent employer vaccination guidance.
Do you need a new handbook or a handbook update?
Your handbook is more than just a compliance document.
In addition to reducing your risk through State and Federal compliance, a good handbook will help you:
Highlight your mission, vision, and workplace values
Uplevel your orientation and onboarding by serving as a clear "welcome guide" for new employees
Clearly outline your policies and practices so employees can easily get policy questions answered
Serve as a training guide for supervisors and to ensure consistency in how policies are applied
