We are in Michigan so maybe a bit behind others in North America and around the world, but if you are not back to your recruiting office or visiting clients, you might be soon. So here are some ideas to consider for returning to work.
Questionnaires
If you manage staff or have clients and candidates that may visit your recruitment office, have you considered a questionnaire to better understand the viewpoints of all audiences? I can tell you that everyone views the risk associated with a return to the recruitment office differently. It is helpful to see the different levels of concern as they may not correspond to your own point of view, but they are very real and must be addressed. This is a sample of what we used to better understand our ability to make all recruiters feel safe returning to work.
How do you feel about returning to work? (5-point scale from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree)
- I feel confident returning to work safely
- I believe appropriate safety protocols will be in place when I return to work
- I have no fear of being infected with the coronavirus while at work because of my own health conditions
- I have no fear that I will carry the virus home to family members and infect them
- I have no fear of contracting the virus from co-workers
- I feel safe traveling to and from work
- I feel confident about my job security
- I am willing to participate in keeping our office clean and safe for all
Which safety measures do you want to see in the workplace? (Yes, No, Unsure)
- Required masks
- Optional masks
- Individual hand sanitizer
- Hand sanitizer stations
- Not allowing visitors/clients in the workplace
- Daily disinfection of work areas/common areas
- Physical-distancing protocols
- Staggered shifts/breaks/days in office
- Increased telecommuting and remote work
- Plexiglass barriers between co-workers
National, State and Local Government Guidelines and Best Practices
Our small recruitment office is in an office building. I found our landlord was not really reading and tuning into the requirements or guidelines issues by our state or even the CDC. As an example, we share an HVAC unit with another office next-door. The guidelines from our state suggest a HEPA filter should be installed on HVAC units. We had to “lobby and request” attention to this need. We were successful, but without reading and understanding the guidelines and furnishing the related documents issued by government to the landlord, this accommodation might not have been made.
The common areas of our building are tight and require close contact with others navigating the space. We had to request a policy that masks be worn in common areas. We were accommodated.
The bathrooms are cleaned regularly but not daily. The new standard is higher than what existed pre-Covid-19. As a precaution, the landlord has applied an anti-bacterial treatment that lasts several months to all bathroom surfaces.
There are many more guidelines and best practices. Only after surveying your recruitment teams, clients, candidates, vendors and other visitors will you have a clear perspective on everyone’s point of view.
Returning to Work Safely
Best of luck getting your recruitment teams back to work safely. The more time you invest in understanding what each recruiter needs to feel safe, the more successful your return to work. Productive recruiters need to feel safe.