Human Resources

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused employers to make significant changes to their business practices, including onboarding. Managers and new hires across the country are navigating the unchartered waters of remote onboarding. The onboarding process—which is designed to cultivate a long-term relationship between the employer and the employee while fostering a feeling of belonging and an affirmation of making the right choice—is one that is extremely important for both employers and employees. As such, employers should still prioritize onboarding new hires, even though their training will be conducted virtually instead of in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Why Is Onboarding Important? A study published in the Academy of Management Journal found that the first 90 days of employment is a pivotal time period for employees to build rapport with a company, its management and their co-workers. When you share your company’s goals and values with your employees while simultaneously showing them how to do their jobs, everyone benefits. Best Practices for Remote Onboarding If you have new hires who need to be onboarded remotely during the pandemic, keep the following best practices in mind: Meet with them in-person on their first day, if possible. If your local laws allow for it, try to meet with new hires at the office to welcome them to the company, get them set up with any necessary equipment and deliver any printed training materials. Be sure to test the equipment to make sure it works before you both leave the office. Keep social distancing guidelines in mind when meeting with new hires, which include keeping a 6-foot distance at all times. While it may seem odd, avoid shaking hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Set clear expectations with new hires. One of the most common mistakes employers make with onboarding plans is not setting clear expectations. Because your onboarding process is now being done remotely and you’re not there in-person to monitor a new hire’s progress, setting expectations becomes even more important. Expectations that should be discussed include the company’s values, the team’s objectives and the new hire’s responsibilities. Don’t overwhelm new hires with too much training. Training new hires remotely isn’t ideal for managers or the new employee. As such, prioritize the training and only train new hires on the skills that are absolutely essential for them to be able to do their job.  Overwhelming new employees with too much information at once when they’re working from home can lead to confusion, stress and frustration. Check in with new hires daily. Having employees work from home can help keep them healthy, but it can become isolating, especially for new hires. Schedule a daily call or video chat to help new hires feel like part of the team and give them the opportunity to ask questions. Match a new hire with a remote mentor. Assigning mentors to new hires can be highly advantageous to both parties. It gives new hires someone to contact for questions and helps mentors develop confidence and pride in their jobs. Encourage mentors to have daily check-ins with new hires to establish a professional relationship and help the new hires feel included. For More Information An effective onboarding program, regardless of whether it’s an in-person program or a remote program, provides employers with a solid starting point during which they can communicate their values to their employees and explain why they do what they do. It also helps new hires easily assimilate into company culture. An employee who has gone through a positive onboarding experience helps build a positive reputation for his or her company among talented job seekers. While onboarding your new hires may not be your first choice, the COVID-19 pandemic has required employers across the country to get creative. For more information about how your organization can respond to the pandemic, or for additional onboarding resources, contact Pinkerton Insurance Group.

https://youtu.be/9-2a5mmoBeI The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented changes for many industries. As social distancing is encouraged, gatherings with over 10 people are banned and stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders for all nonessential employees are issued, many employers are asking their employees to work from home. For some employees, working from home is business as usual. For others, this may be the first time they’ve telecommuted. This working arrangement may seem exciting at first, but it can lose its luster over time, resulting in disengaged employees. And, when employees aren’t engaged, their productivity and motivation can suffer. It’s up to managers to keep their telecommuting employees engaged during these times. Listed below are five ways you can keep employees engaged while they work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prioritize Communication Remote employees can often feel like they’re left out of the loop. As such, it’s important for managers to communicate on a daily basis. Consider scheduling a daily check-in to see how employees are doing during this new working arrangement and if you can do anything to help them. Be sure to communicate any important company news as it presents itself, too. Remember that communication is a two-way street, and be sure to listen to any concerns that employees may have. The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation and many employees may be feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Listen to their concerns and evaluate whether there’s anything that you can do to help mitigate those feelings. Remote employees may start to feel isolated, so it’s important to remind them that they’re not alone, especially during these uncertain times. Since burnout is the result of prolonged and chronic workplace stress, it’s important to know how to recognize the signs of workplace stress. Set Clear Expectations Be sure to communicate your expectations of your employees while they work from home. Employees who are aware of what your expectations are will be more motivated to meet those expectations. If you want employees to be online for specific hours of the day, communicate that. If you want a daily report of what they are working on, be sure to ask. With that being said, you should be mindful that not all employees may have the ideal telecommuting setup as daycares and schools are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, be patient and understanding with your employees. Encourage them to take paid time off if they need it during these times to tend to their other responsibilities. Recognize Good Work Recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work is a key factor in boosting engagement among your telecommuting employees. Employee recognition can take many different forms, but the main goal is to incentivize continued productivity and dedication from your employees. For example, you could send out a team- or company-wide email detailing what an employee did and why it’s exceptional. If you want to offer a reward for their good work, consider sending an electronic gift card for a local restaurant or delivery service. Sometimes, recognition doesn’t need to be formal or grand for it to be effective. For example, a personal thank-you email or message can go a long way in making employees feel valued and engaged while they work from home. Encourage Work-life Balance Remote employees may have difficulty establishing a healthy work-life balance. Because there may not be a physical separation between their workspace and their personal space, employees may feel like they need to be available for work 24/7, which can lead to unnecessary stress and, eventually, burnout. As such, you should communicate the importance of creating boundaries to your employees. Suggest that they work their normal hours and then step away from their computer until it’s time to start working the next day. Demonstrate a Collaborative Culture Employees tend to be more engaged when they feel like they’re part of a team. When they’re working from home, it can be hard for them to buy into that mentality. As a manager, it’s your responsibility to make sure that employees understand that even though you may not be in the office together, you’re all working together toward the same common goal. Consider sending out regular communications reminding that you’re there to help them meet any deadlines or provide any assistance while they work from home. Summary Leveraging technology in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic can help keep employees healthy while they do their job from home. By keeping these five tips in mind, your organization can keep your remote employees engaged during the pandemic.

As part of sweeping legislation signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020, two laws were enacted that provide workers with paid leave for reasons related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the new leave provisions, the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act,” allows 12 weeks of partially compensated FMLA leave to care for a child whose school or child care facility has been closed due to COVID-19. The leave applies only to workers who have been employed by their current employer for 30 days. The other new law providing employee leave, the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act,” requires employers to provide 80 hours of paid sick time to employees in specified circumstances, including: A quarantine or isolation order for the employee or someone the employee is caring for, or medical advice to self-quarantine; When the employee has symptoms of COVID-19; or When the employee’s child’s school or child care facility is closed. Employers with 500 employees or more are exempt from the laws, and employers may exclude employees who are health care providers and emergency responders. The legislation also allows for future regulations exempting businesses with fewer than 50 employees from providing leave for child care reasons if the leave would jeopardize the viability of the business. The laws take effect within 15 days of passage; the leave benefits will expire on Dec. 31, 2020. Highlights Coronavirus relief legislation requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide 12 weeks of FMLA leave for child care reasons related to COVID-19. The new FMLA leave must be compensated after the first 10 days, at two-thirds of an employee’s wage, up to $200 per day. Employers must also provide 80 hours of paid sick time for specified reasons related to COVID-19. Important Dates March 18, 2020 – President Trump signed coronavirus relief legislation into law. Dec. 31, 2020 – New leave laws sunset. Overview In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Congress enacted a bill providing various forms of relief, including two separate laws mandating that employers give employees paid leave for specified purposes related to COVID-19. The two leave laws are the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act,” and the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act.” The leave mandates take effect no later than 15 days after passage (April 2, 2020) and sunset on Dec. 31, 2020. The Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act In general, the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act amends the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow employees to take leave for certain child care purposes related to COVID-19. It requires employers to partially compensate that leave after the first 10 days. Covered Employers The expanded FMLA requirements apply to private employers with fewer than 500 employees, and all government employers. Thus, small employers that are not subject to the FMLA’s regular leave provisions are subject to the new FMLA leave rules that allow employees to take leave for specified child care purposes related to COVID-19. The law allows for future regulations to exempt businesses with fewer than 50 employees if the leave would jeopardize the viability of the business. The law states that employers with fewer than 50 employees will not be subject to civil damages in an employee action brought under the FMLA for violation of the new provisions. Covered Employees All employees who have worked for their current employer for 30 calendar days are eligible for the new FMLA leave; however, employers are permitted to deny leave to employees who are health care providers or emergency responders. Using Leave Eligible employees of covered employers may take up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave if they are unable to work (or telework) because they must care for a son or daughter under 18 years of age. The need for leave must be caused by the closing of the child’s elementary or high school or place of care, or the unavailability of the child’s child care provider, due to a declared COVID-19 public health emergency. “Child care provider” means a provider who receives compensation for providing child care services on a regular basis. Where the need for leave is foreseeable, employees should provide their employers with as much notice of leave as is practicable. Compensation Employers are not required to pay employees for the first 10 days of the new FMLA leave, but employees may substitute any accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for this unpaid leave. Thereafter, the employer must compensate FMLA leave taken under the new provision at a rate of at least two-thirds of the employee’s regular rate of pay, based on the number of hours the employee would otherwise normally be scheduled to work, up to a maximum of $200 per day, or $10,000 total.  Special calculation rules apply for employees with variable schedules. Special rules apply to multi-employer collective bargaining agreements. Job Protection While FMLA leave is usually job-protected, meaning employees who take leave must be restored to their position (or an equivalent) when they return to work, the new law provides a limited exception to this requirement. Employers with fewer than 25 employees are not subject to the job restoration requirement, if: The employee took FMLA leave under the new COVID-19 expansion of the law; The employee’s position no longer exists due to economic conditions or changes in operating conditions of the employer that affect employment and are caused by a public health emergency; The employer makes reasonable efforts to restore the employee to an equivalent position; and If these efforts fail, the employer makes reasonable efforts to contact the employee if an equivalent position becomes available. The contact period is for one year, beginning on the earlier of: The date on which the employee’s need for leave ends Twelve weeks after the employee’s leave begins Tax Credit Employers are entitled to a credit against the tax imposed by section 3111(a) or 3221(a) of the IRS Code for each calendar quarter of an amount equal

Coronaviruses are fairly common and don’t typically affect humans. When they do, their effects are usually mild, as in the case of the common cold. However, deadlier variations of these coronaviruses have cropped up in recent years. Two examples of these evolved strains are the SARS virus of 2003 and the novel coronavirus, which was first seen in 2019. In both instances, the viruses ravaged the populations they infected, illustrating why employers must stay alert to developing outbreaks. It’s the responsibility of every employer to protect employees from these and other illnesses in the workplace. Taking even small precautions could save an organization countless hours of lost productivity. Identifying Coronavirus Symptoms Common coronaviruses typically cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, and those affected exhibit cold-like symptoms. The most common symptoms include: Headache Cough Fever Sore throat Runny nose Some cases of coronavirus can be more severe, and individuals experience more serious lower-respiratory tract illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. For the elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems, a coronavirus can be deadly. Diagnosing a Coronavirus More dangerous coronavirus strains elicit similar symptoms to the cold or flu, so identifying the virus can be difficult. If employees are suffering from flu-like symptoms—especially if they recently traveled to a country experiencing a coronavirus outbreak—they should call their doctors immediately. Doctors typically request initial phone calls, rather than visits, to properly prepare for a coronavirus patient. Precautions for the Workplace Employers should protect against coronaviruses much like they protect against the flu: Offer on-site flu shots, stock cleaning wipes and hand sanitizer, and educate employees on prevention methods. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals should take the following precautions to avoid person-to-person spreading of a coronavirus: Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid contact with those who are sick. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Unfortunately, there is no known vaccine for a human-contracted coronavirus, making precaution that much more critical. Avoiding Potential Discrimination As with any workplace policy, employers should be wary of inadvertent discrimination when it comes to a coronavirus prevention policy (e.g., ordering employees home when they seem sick). Just because an employee recently traveled to China and coughed in the elevator doesn’t mean an employer can send them home. Whatever policy a company decides to pursue, it must be equally enforced. Discriminating against employees—or asking illegal health-related questions—can introduce a host of legal concerns. Summary Employee education is one of the best lines of defense for a workplace. General preventive health practices, like washing hands, can safeguard workers even when they’re at home. Remind employees to keep up their hygiene and share their knowledge of coronavirus symptoms so they know what to look out for. Together, you and your employees can stay safe, healthy and productive. Speak with Pinkerton Insurance Group for more information on staying healthy in the workplace.