Employment Up as Businesses Forge Ahead in Covid-19 Aftermath

“In 2018, around 155.76 million people were employed in the United States. For 2020, an increase by almost 2 million in employment is expected.”
– Statistica, May 27, 2020

After a staggering 20 million Americans lost their jobs between March and April due to the covid-19 crisis, forcing hundreds of thousands of businesses to close down. US enterprises are cautiously opening their office and store doors again. The drive to return to work with some sense of normality has created an estimated 5 million new job opportunities for Americans.

In this post we’ll look at some of the ways employers are getting back to work in the coming months. The trillion-dollar injections of stimulus packages into the US economy along with new guidelines and legislation is a minefield through which employers are cautiously treading, while eager to put the crisis behind them, and get on with business as usual.

It’s a process of instilling confidence in staff and customers with heightened safety measures following the coronavirus scare.

Are You Current With Covid-19 Workplace Conditions?

Integral to the changes are new safety standards for employers to follow. Along with industry specific reopening guidelines. You can find them published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). How individual businesses are returning to normal is a matter to their own discretion. Yet they must tread carefully to avoid potential litigation if found flouting the latest covid-19 legislation. Many organizations have opted to continue having employees work from home wherever possible. Most ‘unessential’ employees, too, have already settled into a tele-commute routine. Well unless they have to be on site for their particular job.

So how are businesses evolving ahead after the massive financial losses they’ve suffered since the New Year?

Clear, Top-Down Communication is Key

As government advisories for Covid-19 are changing everyday… Communicating the latest updates to the workforce is a key factor in preventing a crisis of confusion among employees. The fear of an unseen enemy generated by the persistent media coverage means many employees are afraid to return to work. Assuring their safety of coming into close contact with co-workers or clients shows to be relieving.

Top management must be consistently clear in communicating company policies according to the latest government updates.

Stay Abreast of Executive Orders for Covid-19

Confusion reigns when it comes to determining the difference between guidelines, suggestions, regulations and laws for wearing masks. As well as other measures such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE). For the most part, laws have not been changed, but executive orders and emergency decrees can bring about sweeping changes within 24 hours. Again, changes to the workplace are often a decision that’s down to the individual employer. They are dependent on the industry plus customer or staff expectations.

By not keeping your staff informed you are in risk of bringing volatile situations. Therefore clear communication from the top down is the most effective way to eliminate .

Be Responsible & Re-Screen Your Brand Ambassadors

Whether you are rehiring existing staff or recruiting new team members, background checks will have to be done. Even for existing employees previously screened before you originally employed them. Neglecting to do vetting on employees that have missed several months of work could be a costly oversight. A lot can happen in the months off work. Former employees might have been in trouble with the police and acquired a criminal record. Moreover they could have developed major health issues, preventing them working the way they used to.

What if a driver has been banned or convicted of a driving offense while on furlough?

How would you know unless you screen that employee again with updated background checks?

Neglecting to check could be a PR disaster for your brand if something went wrong in the first few weeks back to work. With many public services and government agencies shutting down at the beginning of the pandemic scare, services related to background screening were unavailable, compounding the difficulty in hiring new recruits. Then with restrictions in place to prevent people coming into close contact, traditional hiring procedures shifted from face-to face to remote video conferences.

However, the need for background screening has become even more important to ensure you are hiring competent and trustworthy staff. As well as to be sure that you comply with the latest data protection laws and recruitment regulations. In the rush to return to normal, don’t neglect your responsibility as a recruiter and employer to protect your brand. Keep in mind that full time and casual staff are all brand ambassadors.

Remote Recruitment Problems & Solutions

Recruitment is an expensive investment and can be hugely costly if something goes wrong because you made the wrong hire. In many ways, the covid-19 era has spurned the much anticipated transition to remote telecommunication in a virtual office space. It’s also brought about the emergence of new technologies to keep track of the most important aspects of personnel management.

Hiring the right person for the job remotely is possible online with a variety of virtual conference platforms. Faster background screening solutions have emerged to streamline the hiring processes in the covid-19 era. Learn more about our independent and transparent background screening services here.

***Disclaimer***
Intelimasters is a background screening agency, not a law firm. This article is for informational purposes only. Nothing in it should be considered as legal advice. We encourage you to consult with legal counsel regarding your specific business and/or individual needs.