- Written by Alejandra Guzman
- Published in Economic Development
Back to Business!
Back to Business!
Por Alejandra Guzman
Click aqui para español- >De Vuelta al Trabajo
As I’m writing this article, I’m conscious that a few weeks from today we will have new information about COVID-19 that will determine what our work life will look like. As much as we would all like to have a crystal ball that could let us see into the future, the only thing we can do is stay vigilant of the information that experts and key organizations release.
To gain perspective from experts, I’ve leveraged the community calls that the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has organized for this purpose. They have brought on leaders in many different areas to discuss their COVID-19 insights, including finance, economic development, and health. One made me reflect more on what the next few months will be regarding our work environment.
This conversation included health experts, such as Dr. Jennifer L. Avegno, M.D., director City of New Orleans Department of Health, and Juan J. Gershanik, M.D., president of the Orleans Parish Medical Society. They went over the outbreak’s complex dynamics and gave us their quick “reality check” on key issues related to the outbreak. Most importantly, they provided information to determine how we should prepare for the next phase.
One fact they mentioned struck me the most. They mentioned that a vaccine typically takes four years to develop and to be approved. Although we all know that the brightest minds in the world are working to develop a vaccine for Covid-19 within a shorter timeline, the reality is that this process takes time and that without a vaccine the virus will linger around. So, where does this leave us? These medical experts insist that we all have the responsibility to take extra measures and precautions to avoid another outbreak while opening for business. Addressing the pandemic will continue to be a delicate balance between opening our economy and keeping our community healthy. From a business standpoint, business operators also have the responsibility of keeping their employees and customers safe. So, what does this mean to the design of our work practices? The situation for workers will vary industry by industry and the prime element to consider is sanitation standards and maintaining prudent distances between people.
In an office environment this may require an evaluation of which positions are suitable for working remotely. Although not every position is suited for remote work, this is an opportunity to redesign positions and use technology and other tools to maintain a productive remote workforce. In addition to this, other organizational practices are key. By maintaining a two-way channel of communication with people working remotely and supporting employees with clear, written, and up-to-date policies, business owners can ensure their organization is working remotely to its full potential.
With the evolving COVID-19 public health emergency we must continue to monitor and adapt in order to maintain a healthy economy and, most importantly, a healthy population. A great resource for maintaining adequate work practices during this pandemic can be found by visiting cdc.gov/coronavirus.
A sure thing is that this situation will leave a lasting impact on how we view work and interact in every single sector.
