India is proving itself as the best asset to the world for COVID-19 vaccine production. People around the globe have started getting vaccinated. But the news has not been as favourable. While some who got vaccinated didn’t have any side effects, some people had. The mixed reactions that Indians gave after vaccination has put a question mark against the whole idea of getting vaccinated.
Earlier the fear of Corona prevailed, now, even though the side effects are nominal and vanish soon; people are resisting it. Clearly, not taking the vaccine still keeps people prone to catching the virus and spreading it further.
Offices & schools have started to reopen; we are gradually returning to the real normal. So, given the situation, in this blog we cover-
Is it necessary for you as an employer to ensure all the employees are vaccinated before they join work?
- You get them vaccinated?
- Or they get themselves vaccinated and show you the proof?
- Is vaccination mandatory?
- Will getting employees vaccinated make it safer to return to the workplace?
- How will vaccination change the way you work?
and a lot more questions around it racing in your head will be answered in this blog.
Like much of the pandemic response, your organization’s choices will telegraph your values and drive your brand as an employer, for better or worse.
Gartner
So, what you need is to make some crucial decisions regarding your vaccination policy, how and when you will roll it out. While the government has not made it mandate for people to get vaccinated yet, as an employer, considering the responsibilities you have towards the society and employees, if not mandate, you must encourage it.
Tip: Make sure you use your HRMS to effectively communicate the guidelines you roll out!
Poll Results: Should your employees be vaccinated?As per the poll conducted by Gartner in December 2020, 60% of HR leaders said they would encourage vaccination, but won’t necessarily require it. The rest? 3% said they will require proof of vaccination and less than 37% think it should be ethical to make vaccination mandate.
Tip: When people return to work, employers should continue to use no biometric punch HRMS software feature to get the attendance of employees marked. Moreover, as far as the recruitment process is concerned, it would be better to keep it online now and in the near future.
The ultimate aim must be to have a strategy that enables you to strike a happy balance between employee health+welfare, the legal necessities and operational considerations.
Karan Jain, Co-Founder, HROne
Will getting employees vaccinated make it safer to return to the workplace?
Employees after vaccination won’t be affected by COVID-19 but not everyone in their family or the people outside the office they meet would be vaccinated. So, make your decision- You surely don’t want to put their families at risk. Will you get them vaccinated too, let them know!
- Is it a better idea to distribute and deliver COVID-19 vaccine directly to employees?
- Will it be cost-effective and fast for you to arrange its administration directly?
- Who in the organisation should be vaccinated first? (For instance- the sales, implementation team)
How will vaccination change the way you work?
The apprehensions around acceptance and availability make it clear that even if you take the vaccination for your employees in your hands, the pre-pandemic normal will take more time to return. Hence, your operations won’t get back to normal anytime soon. The need to be socially distant, wearing masks and other precautionary measures won’t be eliminated.
Next up, it is quintessential for you to ensure that your employees feel safe coming to the workplace and taking the vaccination.
We suggest the leadership team and board of directors come together to sign off the vaccination strategy and keep evolving it as the need be. Besides, to stay current on procurement, costs, and availability of the vaccine, you must keep in touch with health insurance vendors and public health officials. Do make internal stakeholders a part of your decision making too!