COVID-19. During the last couple of weeks, much has been said and written about the expected and known consequences for people, businesses, healthcare systems, the economy and governments. In other words, for the entire world.
That being said, the consequences are not identical for each affected party. This blog provides a short insight in how COVID-19 is affecting People Intouch and the usage of SpeakUp®.
Our Operations Team has noted a significant increase of 18% in the amount of messages handled in SpeakUp® in the last few days. Many of them concern COVID-19. In times of restrictive measures that differ between governments and regions all over the world, many uncertainties exist in the workplace. Luckily, the following messages from employees working at organisations with a well-established reporting line and serious concerns about the wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole have found their way to Compliance headquarters:
- ‘We are confronted with a lack of protective measures but are forced to come to work regardless’.
- ‘Colleagues showing symptoms are showing up for work despite clear rules. There is a fear of losing employment in our division if you call in sick, creating a serious health-concern for the entire department and their families.’
- ‘How should we handle COVID-19 infections in the workforce, are we allowed to communicate reasons for absence to the teams? What is <company> standpoint on this matter from a privacy perspective? Please assist as we want to avoid unrest in the workforce.’
This proves that the scope of modern speak up programs is much broader than the traditional ‘rule-based compliance’ approach from the past. Many clients of People Intouch have recognised and cultivated the benefits of a broader scope for years, which is proving to be fruitful in these challenging times.
Of course, we do not want to end this update without informing you how People Intouch is continuing its operations. Due to extensive preparations as mandatory under our ISAE3000 certification, a solid Business Continuity program is in place. This has allowed People Intouch to transfer to working from home without any mentionable side-effects.
We are all still in good health and hope our entire workforce, our clients and partners make it through the COVID-19 pandemic as safe and healthy as possible.
In case of any questions relating to the continuity of operations, feel free to reach out to our Support Team via support@peopleintouch.com.