We’re going to see a lot of re-openings and restarts in the economy in the next few months. But a lot of your business’s success will depend on how well you handle three short term workforce challenges as you reopen or ramp up your business. These three problems have come up repeatedly in my recent interviews with executives. Here are some ideas on how to tackle them.

1. How can we convince employees to return to work when they can make more money collecting unemployment?

Most workers laid off in the COVID-19 crisis are anxious to get back to their jobs, but employers face a major dilemma in trying to get some employees to return.

The federal government is currently adding $600 to state funded weekly unemployment checks. The $600 supplement was intended to bring total unemployment benefits up to the average median weekly wage. But this logical and humane gesture is also having a serious unintended consequence.

According to the New York Times, workers in most states are now receiving, on average, more in unemployment benefits than their normal income when they work. And because Congress extended unemployment benefits to 39 weeks, this could carry some workers to the end of the year.

Ironically, even with unemployment rates at record highs, people are turning down jobs because it doesn’t seem to make economic sense to return. The suggestion that firms can just go hire replacements from the expanded labor pool, ignores the incredible extra costs of finding, onboarding and training new employees, particularly given the complications necessitated by safe distancing practices.

This is a huge dilemma for some employers. What do you do to convince reluctant staff to return? A recent article in Forbes, “5 Reasons You Should Go Back to Work,” offers useful arguments. Depending on the employee, the best approach may be to set a deadline for when refusal to return will lead to a termination of healthcare benefits, if they are still provided by your company. Make sure the employee understands the significant extra costs they will incur from this change.

A softer approach is to have a conversation to remind reluctant employees that the job market is going to suck for rest of the year, to put it politely. It’s going to be a game of musical chairs when benefits run out and there are many more job seekers than jobs as we dig out of this deep recession.

Finally, you can focus the discussion on “How can we make this not just about a short term income gap?” See if there are other things that would entice an employee back to work, e.g., more flexible hours, reallocation of tasks, etc. One small company is actually temporarily paying its employees considerably more not to leave the business. This helps cover the unemployment benefits they lose by returning to work.

2. How do we deal with employees too afraid to come back to work?

I interviewed an executive whose administrative assistant just quit because she is too afraid to leave the house in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. Being afraid to return to work will be a huge, complicated issue for employers – and employees — until we have a vaccine for the coronavirus. (This is not a judgement on the safety of particular workplaces. Indeed, some may need to remain closed or be totally reconfigured until this virus is contained.)

There is an alphabet soup list of protections employees can draw on if they feel unsafe at work – ADA, OSHA, FFCRA, EPSLA, EFMLA – so employers must be very careful how they respond to workers who express misgivings about doing their job. Managers need to educate themselves about their responsibilities in responding to employees’ concerns and needs for accommodation, such as being a high risk individual in terms of the virus, or lack of child care when schools are closed.

But an employee may simply be feeling too afraid to come to work in a setting that data suggests is safe. In this case, there are several things you can try. First, listen actively so the employee feels heard and you clearly understand their concerns. It is important to respond empathetically to their fears about creating and maintaining a safe work environment.

Can you reassure them about the specific steps the company is taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus? E.g. proactive social distancing, PPE use, regular sanitation. Are there additional changes in the work environment you could make to reduce their contact with other workers? E.g., installing plexiglass separators between workstations. Will there be clear encouragement for them to raise issues that frighten them, such as a colleague who is not being careful enough about social distancing? It’s essential that employees feel psychological safety in raising fears about unsafe practices in the workplace.

If these steps don’t work, putting fearful employees on unpaid leave may be a better option than firing them. Rebuilding the confidence of both employees – and customers – that it is safe to resume face-to-face contact in your business is an urgent challenge for employers. One chamber of commerce I work with recently launched a “Safe and Open” campaign. So far more than 80 employers had signed a pledge committing to follow safety best-practices for their business sector, while explaining specifically what they’re doing to exceed mandated guidelines.

3. How can we train new hires in the COVID-19 workplace?

Were you in the process of hiring new employees when your business shut down this spring? Or do you really need to onboard new staff now as you ramp up operations? The need to train or apprentice new employees in face-to-face settings becomes a special challenge when physical distancing is the norm. Nothing says “welcome to our company” like co-workers who won’t come within six feet of you.

Of course, in many situations, onboarding new employees remotely has become standard practice. There is a lots of online advice about how to do this effectively. Just Google the question. But what’s missing is guidance on how to introduce workers to your company when you’re mask-to-mask with them in the office, plant, store or worksite. One boot camp for manufacturers in Florida is adding a module on how to train when social distancing to start educating companies on new approaches to this problem. 

What does your new employee need to learn from others that can’t be taught online? How do they get workplace tours safely? Is there some training that must be demonstrated in person? How can your trainee safely practice and get feedback? Here are three things to do:

• Contact other firms in your industry to learn from the rapidly evolving “better practices” of others.
• Talk with mentors or experts in each role to confirm what specific training, that requires face-to-face interaction, is essential for your new hires? What can be taught later or learned as they go?
• Find veteran employees or trainers who are adapting their teaching practices and clearly define “what good looks like” in the COVID-19 workplace. Use them as role models to show other employees how to train new hires.

Whether it’s convincing employees to return to work or onboarding new employees, managers are feeling their way on these problems right now. In part, that’s because every situation in the COVID-19 workplace is a little different. As you move through this restart and ramp up period, you’ll be faced with many problems you never imagined. But you’re firm’s survival and ongoing success will depend on your creativity, flexibility and the courage to make difficult decisions. Whatever challenges you’re experiencing, you’re not alone. Reach out and learn from others!

Contact me if you’d like to set up a free consultation to explore how I can help you find solutions for the critical workforce challenges your business is facing in this new recession.