The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that novel coronavirus 2019 (covid19) could be with us for many years. Experts have even stated that this virus would eventually become endemic so that it could soon be treated like the common cold.
What is clear is that this virus is no longer considered new. However, even now, companies are continuing to experience an ever-fresh batch of 'novel' workplace issues because of it.
HR managers are now facing unprecedented challenges and are required to make decisions based on their best judgments. HR/IR consultants must give counsel without having reliance on or guidance from the Industrial Court's jurisprudence on pandemic-related matters.
Clients are seeking our guidance on a myriad of extraordinary issues, such as receiving fake vaccination cards from workers. This is becoming prevalent not only for employees but customers who want to take part in safe-zone activities fraudulently.
We have been asked about payments to workers who have been quarantined multiple times, each for a period of 14-21 days, and about workers who continue to breach covid19 policy and/or claim that they have to go into quarantine without quarantine orders.
These are significant human-capital management issues which have changed the focus of companies away from creating and maintaining a safe workspace to one of pure business continuity.
The average daily new case count was well above 750 over the last week or so, and companies are struggling to maintain the integrity of their operations owing to staff shortages as many employees are quarantined.
Without fear of criticism, one thing I can say is that some workers continue to be innovative in their attempts to make what they think is a good use of opportunities to "duck work," like those who may pretend they were a primary contact without providing the required proof.
The overarching challenge for companies is: how do they continue to operate while trying to balance their already difficult circumstances? Managers must continue to find new markets while facing rising costs and identifying new logistical methods for sourcing raw materials. In addition to this, companies must now consider the increasing demands on their social/community responsibilities and the maintenance of safe/sanitised environments for their publics while at the same time finding solutions for these new and evolving people-management issues.
I know of an instance where a worker on three separate instances got paid days off to go to Tobago to get vaccinated and to receive the booster - yet did not do so. We have also had a client whose subcontracted worker breached the client's covid19 workplace policy by showing up on the client's compound visibly ill. That not only puts the client's workers at risk, but also the company's contract with its client.
I have also had to work with a client whose union made unreasonable demands, such as requiring the company to fully maintain the pay of all its workers in quarantine, while wanting the company to increase the wa
