One of my personal fears is that people at work will not feel able to raise their concerns, whatever these might be. Research by the Centre of People, Work and Organisational Practice looked at the attitudes of operational workers, including those in manufacturing and construction, and highlighted significant issues around employee voice which already existed before the crisis. It found that the ‘command and control’ structure of many operational roles led to a ‘culture of bahamas phone number library abuse and management structures’ which did not encourage employees to raise concerns without fear of reprisals. We simply cannot let this happen at a time when people may have legitimate fears for their safety, and when the issues they raise could literally be a matter of life and death.
A recent poll of 1,000 working adults, conducted
YouGov for the CIPD, found that 44% reported feeling anxious about the prospect of going back to work because of the health risks posed by COVID-19 to them and those close to them.
The survey also revealed that 31% of workers were the ethics of personalized digital marketing what you should know about commuting to work.
Getting people back to work in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable will take a be numbers of talking and consulting. Acas advisers know from experience that this is always time well spent. And the issue for discussion is not simply addressing health and safety issues.
As Hubert Joly wrote in the Harvard Business Review
“Safety is essential, of course, but it’s also important to address higher-level needs such as the want for truth, stability, authentic connections, self-esteem, growth, and meaning in the context of the crisis.”
My greatest hope? It is two-fold. That we can make a safe transition back to work, that accommodates the needs of individuals as well as the business. And that longer term, we can build new workplaces based on mutual understanding and trust.