Reopening the Workplace Post-Covid

Introduction

Balancing the needs of the individual employee and the needs of the business is becoming increasingly difficult. Society is opening up whilst Covid-19 levels are still high. Employees are returning to work having had their mental health impacted by lockdown, social distancing and long Covid. Additionally, the ongoing uncertainty around Covid plus the divisive political climate are compounding employee stress and anxiety and damaging rapport among colleagues. Employers must therefore lead by example and maximise employee engagement and wellbeing.

The programme content can be adapted to meet your specific organisational challenges and training needs. The course runs for approximately 6.5 hours and can be adapted for a briefing or half-day session. 

This training programme provides practical strategies for balancing the needs of the individual with the needs of the business; and considers which new directives and obligations employers must now consider.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this programme you will:

• Understand which essential workplace solutions you could and should implement and why
• Understand the importance of proper risk assessments
• Understand how to effectively manage home-working and hybrid working teams

Course Overview

Introduction – Balancing current guidance with getting the job done: when could and should you ask workers to work in the office?

Identifying and assessing risks in offices and for home workers – The importance of proper risk assessments for preventing the spread, giving peace of mind, and ensuring due diligence. Your moral and legal responsibilities in looking after workers who can’t work from home: paying lip service vs making effective policies.

Symptoms of COVID-19 – Understanding and assessing the different Covid symptoms experienced by different people; long-covid; and the ongoing mental impact of Covid-19.  

Your role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 – How to minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19 through H&S measures; educating the workforce and getting them onboard; mitigating the risks of hybrid working and hot-desking; maintaining vigilance as time goes on.

Home working vs Hybrid working– Keeping teams motivated, maintaining performance levels; bolstering team spirits; and tracking what is actually being done.

Is this the new normal? – Have society, the workplace and the expectations of workers changed forever?

Open forum – Your chance to debate what we have covered today in 3 breakout groups:

1. Paying lip service vs making effective policies.
2. Where do employer’s responsibilities end and the employee’s responsibilities begin
3. Is this the new normal?

Summary - Overview of discussions in breakout groups

Your next steps: Checklists to make sure you're on track, checking in with your teams; going beyond the obvious.

Make an in-house training enquiry 

Click here to fill in our enquiry form or to have a confidential discussion about your requirements, please contact Catherine Ouston our Head of In-house Training on 01983 861133 or email Teamtraining@bfi.co.uk