Working sector and the Pandemic

“Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.”

The sudden onset of the largest work-from-home experiment of all time has altered work environments in ways unimaginable just a few months ago. Beyond the technological adjustments to online meetings and video calls, people are struggling with isolation and uncertainty, childcare responsibilities, or even grief.In response, organizations are creating wellness programs, relief funds and a host of other initiatives to support employees amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Luckier are the ones in the aforementioned section, however, there are a large number of employees who are denied even their basic rights at this time of crisis. Often employees get exploited in organizations which are oblivious to the welfare of employees. The underlying cause of the tolerance of employees towards such negligence needs to be explored though financial constraints remain a known cause.

Exploitation of employees during the Pandemic

How do the employees get exploited during the pandemic is quite a thoughtworthy question which is often ignored by the society. It is at this time when an individual would be exhausted completely due to the work-family imbalance. Safety is something which worries both the employed sector and their dependents. Exploitation during the pandemic is multifaceted. For example

·         Working in offices where safety is given no importance.

·         Working with colleagues who are least bothered about the precautions.

·         Commitments towards family and towards oneself.

·         The need to commute to office amidst illness.

·         Work pressure leading to worsening of mental health.

·         Lack of PPE’s in the working environment.

·         Working in an exhausted environment where humanity remains invisible.

Making yourself safe amidst a risky environment

Since prevention is always better than cure, how to protect oneself amidst this pandemic becomes a point of discussion. Given below are some tips on how to safeguard yourself during the Pandemic.

·         Always wear mask when you are in the office. Remember virus doesn’t distinguish your kith and kin.

·         Always practice social distancing. Remember sky will not fall apart if you stand six meters away from each other.

·         Wash your hands regularly. Always remember to carry a sanitizer with you.

·         Don’t organize any events such as birthday celebrations, farewell party etc in the office.

·         Do not share your food (including water)  with others. Try to carry a healthy meal in your luch box.

·         Avoid crowded areas.

·         Do not work if you are unwell. Give your body the rest it needs. Remember even in your absence things can go smoothly in your office but not in your family.

·         Do not use public transport.

·         Stick on to your working hours. Do not extend your timings.

·         Do not used shared computers/laptops/telephones/chairs etc as it was found to be the primary cause of contamination.

·         Avoid talking to your extraordinarily brave colleagues who doesn’t take any precautions and  claims to fight the Pandemic with the so called ‘Will power’.

Expectations of the employees

The worst thing an organization can do to their employees during a crisis is leave them in the dark. If they want to improve employee experience during these unexpected circumstances, they first need to define what shapes their experience. 

Organizations need to get a better understanding of the challenges employees may be facing in the current scenario. Therefore, encouraging employees to speak up has never been more important. This is why we are seeing many companies implementing company-wide surveys in which they are, for example, asking employees about their “work from home” experiences. Managers may implement surveys for their teams to find ways to better support them and enable them for success.  

Remember, however, that organizations  shouldn't implement any surveys if they are not planning to act upon the results as this will certainly not boost but hurt the employee experience.

-Athira Abhin

Image credits: cottonbro from Pexels