14 avril 2021
02:42
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The ghost of the coronavirus will still be present for months, if not years. There is no other option than to find a suitable way of working.
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It will be difficult to keep businesses closed. And we don’t have to. They can already restart today. But at the same time, many people still think that the after-corona will be the same as the front-corona. People seem to think that tests, applications and masks are the solution for everything and that soon we can get back to a “normal” way of working. Nothing is further from the truth.
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© measure
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The new normal is thatthere is no longer any “normal”. The ghost of the coronavirus will be around for months, if not years. There is no other option but to find an adapted way of life and work. The danger is this: if we do not approach this exit from the crisis in a thoughtful and disciplined manner, we will create unnecessary risks where we will meet resistances. And we will be back to square one. Therefore, how to approach the exit from the Covid-19 crisis for make it a success ?
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1. Look at “work” in a fundamentally different way
Many companies have now discovered that it is possible to work efficiently in a different way, thanks to telecommuting and flexible hours. This is good, and it opens doors. But for a return to work, we are going to have to be even more creative.
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For example, eating as a team at different times and taking breaks to respect social distancing in the cafeteria. There is no “one size fits all” approach in this context. In many companies, the restart will have to vary by sector, sometimes even by department or by activity.
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In addition, we will have to review how generations can work together. In the United Kingdom, we want to lift the lockdown earlier on young people under 20, because the health risk in this age group is much more limited than for 50-year-olds. We must translate this kind of “out of the box” ideas in the context of work because we need this now.
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2. Think about risks differently
The virus has changed that. Everyone, every CEO, every employee, will have to get used to the idea that zero risk does not exist. Even so-called “normal” jobs in offices or factories are now at risk that did not exist before the pandemic. So we’re all gonna have to learn to manage this residual risk.
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It is about assessing where the risks to employee health lie. Scientific and political experts will have to lay down the guidelines in this regard.
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A good risk analysis is more important than ever. It is about assessing where the risks to employee health lie. Scientific and political experts should set the markers in this regard. How many people can meet in a room? How many people are we “allowed” to contact each day? These guidelines will also have to be translated into the world of work.
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3. Psychological well-being and sense of security
We tend to focus on science and technology as a solution to the exit from the coronavirus crisis. But it is only if we all feel safe in the workplace that we can successfully restart. This means that everyone will have to give a lot more attention to psychological well-being.
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This crisis is like a duathlon: the hard work to flatten the curve is perhaps largely behind us … But now it is a question of getting back on your bike and especially not losing the pedals.
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Anyone with fears or doubts should therefore be able to call on a occupational doctor or to psychosocial prevention counselor. And it’s very important that employers let their employees voice their fears, listen to them, and together look for ways to change their behavior.
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Because this coronavirus crisis is like a duathlon : the hard work to flatten the curve is perhaps largely behind us … But now it’s time to get back on your bike and especially not to lose the pedals.
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Gretel Writers
Managing Director at Mensura
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