Tag: pandemic

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Labor Shortage Statistics & Trends (2023)

A small worker reading a big newspaper

Summary

  • If all the unemployed people in the United States of America were to find a job right now, there would still be over 4 million jobs left to fill. — More

  • Labor force participation is 1% lower than pre-pandemic levels or about 2.9 million fewer workers. — More

  • Lower-paid industries — like wholesale and retail — have been most affected by the labor shortage crisis. — More

  • You can use a workforce management solution to make your organization more agile in times of worker shortages. It can be used for things like labor forecasting, scheduling, employee engagement, and cross-training. — More

Last year, an impressive 3.8 million new jobs were added to the American market as businesses started to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, labor force participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. There are nearly 3.4 million fewer American workers now than in February 2020 in an epoch that has been dubbed The Great Resignation. 

According to the latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the total number of nonfarm payroll employment increased last month by 263,000. The unemployment rate also decreased to 3.5% as 5.8 million workers were registered as being out of the labor market in September. 

When companies better understand the current statistics surrounding the labor market, they can adapt to stay afloat during the labor shortage. With workforce management tools like smarter scheduling and labor forecasting, companies can find smarter ways of working around short-staffing situations.

Here’s what the latest stats tell us about the labor shortage crisis

There’s a higher number of job openings than there are people in the job market

Even if all unemployed people in the United States were to find a job today, there would still be over 4 million jobs to fill. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlighted that there are currently 10 million unfilled jobs but only 5.8 million people unemployed. 

By comparison, in February 2020, there were also 5.8 million unemployed workers and 6.9 million job openings. 

Labor force participation is lower than pre-pandemic levels

Currently, labor participation in the United States is at 62.3%, which is 1% lower than it was in February 2020. Labor force participation refers to anyone who is currently working or actively looking for work. The 1% decrease in participation rate amounts to 2.9 million fewer workers contributing to the US economy. 

According to research by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are different reasons for this drop in participation:

  1. More women are staying home to take care of dependents.
  2. There’s a lack of “good jobs.”
  3. There are remaining safety concerns linked with COVID-19.
  4. Salaries are considered to be too low. 
  5. People are focusing on acquiring new skills or education before re-entering the job market.
  6. People have more money saved since the pandemic and can afford to stay out of work a bit longer.
  7. The pandemic drove a lot of people into early retirement – over 3 million older workers as of October 2021.
  8. More people have started their own businesses. In 2021, a record high 5.4 million new businesses were opened. 

The labor shortage has affected different industries differently

Lower-paid industries have historically been most affected by the labor shortage crisis. The most affected industries are wholesale and retail trade, durable goods and manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality. 

According to the September 2022 BLS employment situation:

  • The leisure and hospitality sector added 83,000 jobs. Employment rose in food services and drinking places by 60,000. The sector is still experiencing a labor supply below pre-pandemic levels by 1.1 million or 6.7%.
  • The healthcare industry welcomed 60,000 new workers last month, finally returning to its pre-pandemic level last seen in February 2020.
  • Professional and business services are experiencing an upward trend in hiring rates. The sector currently has an average job growth of 72,000 per month this year.
  • Other industries experiencing upward trends include manufacturing (22,000), construction (19,000), and wholesale trade (11,000).

How to stay ahead during a labor shortage

There are many ways to utilize workforce and scheduling software to make your operations run smoothly during a labor shortage. 

1. Utilize labor forecasting

Labor forecasting helps you estimate consumer demand, allowing you to schedule shifts to match it. With demand-based scheduling, you avoid under or overstaffing. Your employees are also less likely to burn out and, ultimately, quit. 

Luckily there is an easy way for businesses to schedule like this. 

Labor forecasting software allows you to look at historical sales, foot traffic, weather, and economic trends to better determine the amount of labor you’ll need to schedule to meet upcoming demand. This leads to smarter scheduling, such as utilizing your most experienced employees during busier periods for increased efficiency. 

2. Stay ahead of your scheduling

Scheduling your shifts in advance allows you to be more agile and adaptable. It gives your employees enough time to review and make any changes needed without causing any major, last-minute disruptions. In turn, they have a better work-life balance and can fully focus on the job when they’re on the clock.

Employee scheduling software centralizes scheduling and provides standardized methods for shift swaps and replacements, increasing administrative efficiency and staff agility. It also helps you manage time off requests in a way that ensures you have enough employees to cover demand. 

Workforce.com’s scheduling software also incorporates breaks into work schedules. This way, you make sure your staff is taking the breaks they need to remain engaged and productive. Breaks are also automatically included to remain legally compliant with federal and state laws.  

Webinar: How to Schedule While Understaffed

3. Keep your employees engaged 

Happy and engaged employees are less likely to leave. Use communication and feedback tools to boost engagement, retention rates, and healthy production levels. 

Communication tools allow for quicker and more transparent updates and make it easier to share important company announcements. This way, employees feel valued, and it helps to bridge the gap between them and management. 

Feedback is an essential part of making your employees feel more appreciated. You can use shift feedback tools to cover various aspects of shift performance. Shift feedback tools work both ways – employees receive valuable feedback from management, but they are also able to provide feedback on things like staffing-level issues. 

Webinar: How to Retain Hourly Employees

4. Cross-train your staff

Cross-training ensures that your employees can deal better with short-staffing challenges. Your staff can handle a wider range of tasks and are therefore more adaptable. By encouraging your staff to mentor and train each other, you also create more cohesion across the company. 

To start, create a list of all your team members and the skills they currently have. From there, build a cross-training program that incentivizes staff members to learn from each other and progress as individuals. 

Employees who are cross-trained can fill in for each other during times of short-staffing and emergencies. 

See how Workforce.com can help you adapt to labor shortages

Workforce.com can better equip your organization to deal with the ongoing country-wide labor shortages. Features like labor forecasting, smart employee scheduling, and shift feedback tools will not only help you handle short-staffing situations but will also improve your operations long term.

To learn more about how Workforce.com can help you stay ahead during labor shortages, schedule a call or start a free trial today. 

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Casinos scramble for post-pandemic talent as business rebounds

Eureka Casinos, talent, hospitality

Casinos across the United States were among the hardest hit businesses as the hospitality and travel industries suffered through the pandemic.

Conventioneers and gamblers disappeared and unemployment soared as the iconic Las Vegas Strip looked more like a ghost town than a glitzy, bustling entertainment mecca. And the numbers tell a bleak tale.

Gambling revenues slid by 31 percent in 2020, according to an annual report by the American Gaming Association. By comparison, the report noted that the industry’s economic tumble in 2020 far outdistanced the 8.4 percent decrease during the Great Recession. And, the Las Vegas unemployment rate reached 30 percent at the height of the pandemic, according to reports.

Business and employees slowly return

But the casino business is bouncing back. Employees are now being snapped up to fill thousands of vacant positions as the Las Vegas unemployment rate has slipped back to single digits. Many of them will be working the conventions — the Society for Human Resource Management and HR Technology Conference among them — that are finally returning to in-person events in Las Vegas this fall.

Along with the mega-corporations that line The Strip, Eureka Casinos appears to have weathered the storm and is shaking off the pandemic’s effects to fully reopen for business. With Nevada properties in Las Vegas and Mesquite and a casino in New Hampshire, Eureka Casinos is the only employee-owned gaming company in the United States. That distinction puts Eureka Casinos in a unique position to entice job candidates in a desperate battle to staff up as visitors return.

The battle for talent

The scarcity of good talent is particularly acute as casinos rush to re-staff, said Eureka Casinos Chief Operating Officer Andre Carrier. Any casino’s growth is tempered by its ability to field a qualified workforce, he added.

To be competitive in talent acquisition, Carrier said Eureka Casinos instituted hiring bonuses and is offering employees flexible hours and dual rates to fit staffing needs and schedules. But their key competitive advantage is employee ownership, he said.

“It means that our employees are provided with a long-term retirement benefit with no direct contribution,” he said. “This is an exceptional benefit and one we hope allows us to not only to retain our talented people, but attract future employees.”

Also read: Allied Universal boosts its hiring as demand for security services surges

With an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, employees take on an owner’s mindset, which means a stronger sense of buy-in to the business and each other, Carrier said. It became especially valuable as COVID-19 swept across the industry.

“The pandemic was an unimaginable crisis with much of the company’s business closing for nearly three months,” Carrier said. “The challenge was to establish new systems to care for the physical, financial and emotional needs of the employee owners rapidly and effectively.”

Research has shown that companies with an ESOP are less likely to lay people off and keep employees working than conventionally owned businesses. Employee ownership has helped Eureka Casinos build a family style atmosphere for employees among the massive gaming conglomerates.

Building employee engagement

Engagement was a huge priority for Eureka Casinos throughout the pandemic, Carrier said. Being a mega-corporation would have impeded their ability to focus on the needs of their 600 employees, 70 percent of whom are hourly.

“One of the main ways we kept our employees engaged throughout our three-month closure was a weekly drive-through food pantry,” he said. “Many of our employees volunteered to pack food baskets and pass them out, and we had volunteer drivers deliver baskets. This was just one more way that we came together as a family business.”

Producing videos on the expected timeline for the state’s shutdown, answering common questions and preparing employees for a return to work kept everyone updated, Carrier said.

Carrier said employees were paid “for as long as possible before any need for unemployment” during their closure.

“We also allowed employees to use paid time off if needed and paid for health care benefits while we were closed,” he said. Some departments remained on duty during the entire closure, he said, noting how the engineering team worked to fabricate all the Plexiglas dividers that were a requirement for reopening.

Vaccinating employees

Once vaccines were approved, Eureka Casinos worked with government agencies and local hospitals to develop a vaccination center and a process for employees and the community to get vaccinated. They created a reservations platform and staffed the center as well, he said.

Also read: EEOC says that employers legally can offer incentives to employees to get vaccinated in almost all instances

A rewards program also was established for employees wanting to be vaccinated.

“Any employee who gets vaccinated receives a cash bonus,” he said. “Once the company reaches two specific overall vaccination thresholds, additional bonuses are paid out to vaccinated employees.”

Tight talent pool

Carrier told Las Vegas television station KTNV that the pool of available worker talent in Las Vegas will remain tight as venues prepare for the second half of 2021. “This is arguably one of the most difficult times ever to find new people to join your company.”

But Carrier is optimistic that his casinos will fully rebound in large part because of their employees.

“Having hope for the future is a core value for Eureka Casinos, and the pandemic taught us how important that value is.”

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EEOC says that employers legally can offer incentives to employees to get vaccinated in almost all instances

COVID-19, FMLA, mask, OSHA

Employers have been anxiously waiting for the EEOC to publish its guidance for employers on incentives offered to employees in exchange for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Late last week, the EEOC finally released that guidance. The issue is whether the incentive renders the vaccine coerced and therefore non-voluntary, which would be unlawful under the ADA and GINA.

What did the EEOC say:

  • An employer may offer an incentive to employees to voluntarily provide documentation or other confirmation that they received a vaccination on their own.
  • An employer may offer an incentive to employees for voluntarily receiving a vaccination administered by the employer or its agent as long as the incentive is not so substantial as to be coercive, and as long as the employer does not acquire genetic information while administering the vaccines. The EEOC does not offer any guidance as to what “so substantial as to be coercive” means, but it’s safe to assume that the incentives employers are offering (a day or two of added PTO, payments or gift cards up to a couple hundred dollars) will not meet this standards and are safe. And when states are offering the vaccinated the chance to win a million dollars…
  • An employer may not offer any incentives to an employee in exchange for a family member’s receipt of a vaccination from the employer or its agent, as such incentive would necessarily require the disclosure of the family medical history of the employee, which would violate GINA.
  • An employer may offer vaccinations to an employee’s family members if those vaccines are voluntary, employees are not penalized if their family members are not vaccinated, and all medical information obtained from family members during the pre-vaccine screening process is only used for the purpose of providing the vaccination, is kept confidential, and is not provided to any managers, supervisors, or others who make employment decisions for the employees.
  • Employers may (and I’ll add, should) provide employees and their family members with information to educate them about COVID-19 vaccines and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination.
This guidance is not earth-shattering or surprising. With more than 50 percent of the country having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, it provides confirmation and legal comfort to those employers that have already offered such incentives. It also follows an important governmental trend we’ve recently seen across agencies—the adoption of policies intended to incentivize people to get vaccinated. Whether its PTO for vaccines, the CDC’s new mask rules, or OSHA reversing course and eliminating its prior guidance that required the reporting of adverse reactions to employer-mandated vaccines, the federal government is actively breaking down barriers that discourage or disincentivize employees from getting vaccinated.
With only 40.7 percent of the country fully vaccinated, we are a long way from the number needed to reach the all-important herd immunity, if we ever get there. While it feels like life is starting to return to normal, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. Do your part and get your shot. And, if you’re an employer looking to get as many of your employees vaccinated as possible, you can rest easier knowing that the EEOC will not penalize you for offering vaccine incentives to your employees.
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Coronavirus update: Don’t be this a-hole

COVID-19, coronavirus, public health crisis

According to Cleveland.com, a pair of Ohio parents are facing possible criminal charges after piling 60 maskless teenagers into a party bus to celebrate their son’s 14th birthday.

Police learned a parent had arranged for the party bus, which originated in Cincinnati…. The parent had posted an open invitation on social media, police say.

The parents involved have been identified and might face charges for violating the state’s orders on the coronavirus. Police say they are consulting with the prosecutor’s office about additional charges.

“Mount Healthy police will not tolerate blatant law violations especially when such action endangers our community, our officers, and public health,” the department said in a news release.

Don’t be this a-hole. No one needs to have a birthday party right now, especially one that requires people to cram into a party bus. This is the height of entitled stupidity.

Do your part to slow the spread of this dangerous virus. Wear a mask, maintain distance, wash your hands, avoid gatherings, stay home, and for God’s sake don’t hold a birthday party for your child and 60 of his friends that requires them all to cram maskless into a party bus.

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How to support employees’ mental health under changing COVID-19 restrictions

mental health, resources, health care, etc.

One of the critical workforce issues during the pandemic is managing mental health as employees deal with the impact of remote work, reduced hours and restriction changes.

Videoconferencing fatigue, blurred lines between home and work life and fear of getting sick are challenges employees contend with as they navigate the pandemic. But as months passed, coping with changing restrictions added up to these issues. 

In the U.S. alone, restrictions have changed over time in each state; some tightened while others eased up. Likewise, in the U.K., a national lockdown has been imposed again until Dec. 2 with restrictions likely to continue as the U.K. introduces a new tier system. More than the impact on operations, such changes also affect employees’ mental health. Employers need to ensure that staff can cope with being back at work when these lockdowns and restrictions are lifted.

Encourage employees to take time off

With working dynamics disrupted, employees need to have some space to recharge and cope. 

Managers can stay on top of staff time off through a leave management solution. With this in place, approving leave requests and optimizing employee schedules based on who is available becomes easier and more efficient. 

Adjust working patterns to reduce overworking and minimize contact

Rotate teams in groups to prevent overworking and minimize infection risks. The Workforce.com platform allows managers to create segmented teams to work on rotational schedules.

Also read: Staying resilient: 10 ways to use Workforce.com to manage the impact of COVID-19

Stay transparent and connected

It’s vital to make everyone feel that they’re part of a team. Transparency is vital to effective workforce management, especially during this time. 

Keep your staff informed and ensure that communication lines are always open for them. Workforce.com’s chat feature allows for instant communication between teams or individuals. It can be used to share essential information, celebrate wins and milestones, and allow everyone to stay connected. 

Another way to ensure transparency is by setting custom events via the Workforce.com platform. It’s ideal for communicating operational changes to the team, such as reduced business hours or scheduling changes. That information will be visible to the schedule and mobile app, making it easier for staff to stay in the loop.

Implement wellness action plans

A wellness action plan is a way to spot mental health issues and identify the type of support employees need from their managers and leaders. It acts as a framework for staff to recognize the steps they need to manage their mental health. At the same time, it opens up avenues for managers and employees to work through experiences, address issues and support the team’s overall wellbeing. 

A wellness action plan should have approaches to promote mental health. It should also have ways to identify poor mental health, stress triggers, impact on performance, support needed from leaders, action steps for both employee and manager, and a regular schedule to review the plan. 

Companies can also consider subscribing to wellness apps or services to better support their employees’ mental wellness. Services that offer virtual counseling services can help employees cope and process their feelings and experiences, especially during the pandemic. 

Also read: How to recalibrate work dynamics and embrace digital transformation in a post-pandemic workplace

Establish a support system for leaders and managers

Managers and leaders are in a unique position of facing the pandemic and taking care of a team. They equally need a support system that will help them identify best practices for managing their teams. Forming groups or seeking out advice from mentors and other industry professionals is a good first step. 

Constant communication and transparency helps bond a workforce, whether in the office or remotely. Keep your employees’ wellbeing in mind and keep in touch with Workforce.com’s Workforce Chat.

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Jushi Holdings builds its workforce in the cannabis industry despite pandemic

marijuana, Jushi Holdings, cannabis industry

While many industries have suffered through massive cutbacks in 2020 and were forced to make large-scale layoffs, at least one sector has weathered the economic downturn as hiring trends have blossomed.

According to Marijuana Business Daily’s Annual Marijuana Business Factbook, U.S. medical and adult-use cannabis sales has climbed by nearly 40 percent this year to about $15 billion as industry employment in 2020 will jump by 50 percent over 2019 to almost 300,000 full-time jobs.

To lend perspective to that figure, a story in Forbes points out that the number of cannabis industry jobs is on par with the beverage industry and computer programming. And to add a bit more perspective, cannabis is a highly regulated industry requiring strict compliance measures. Just 11 states have fully legal adult-use markets with four more states adopting laws following the November election.

Evaluating safety and hiring

Despite the industry’s growth, cannabis operators had to take a breath to evaluate their operations as the pandemic swept across the economy. Jushi Holdings Inc. remained operational at the pandemic’s onset, said Executive Vice President of Human Resources Nichole Upshaw, but company leaders assessed what actions needed to be taken.

Being a vertical operation with 450 employees (335 are hourly) in retail, cultivation, processing and manufacturing, there were certain logistical issues they had to address.marijuana, Jushi Holdings, cannabis industry, hiring

As an essential employer, Jushi immediately focused on the safety of their employees, patients and customers.

“We worked together as a team to source cleaning supplies and PPE for all locations and employees,” said Upshaw. Currently Jushi has operations in seven states as well as offices in Denver and Boca Raton, Florida. “We were early to provide N95 masks for our employees and start taking employee temperatures upon arrival to work.”

Prompt communication became key

Communication was immediate and urgent for this frontline employer. They established daily calls and senior management received regular updates to influence important decisions, Upshaw said.

Retail, corporate, and cultivation/manufacturing teams each had their own calls, she added. They also spoke with industry peers and constantly tracked health and employment law guidelines. Jushi also launched “Blazing the Trail,” a quarterly all-hands call where senior executives updated employees on company performance and initiatives.

Upshaw emphasized the importance of both executive and companywide calls. “Members of the legal and HR team each attended weekly industry calls to discuss how we were all addressing the safety of our businesses,” she said. “We attended webinars and read countless published articles to ensure we had the most up-to-date information and response measures in place. We reviewed the CDC website daily and communicated out each update that impacted our locations.”

Communication also was key to balancing employee safety and customer needs, she said.

 Also read: Managing people in the growing cannabis industry

“The best thing you can do in the case of differing perspectives is communicate,” Upshaw said. “Changes that supported the safety of our employees created an environment of understanding. Reminding our employees of the responsibility we have to keep cannabis accessible to our patients and customers during these turbulent times also created an environment of understanding. These are the times when being a great listener is the best service you can provide to customers and your employees.”

Seeking talent from outside the industry

Jushi temporarily tapped the brakes on hiring at the outset of the pandemic, but it’s clear that has changed. A glance at Jushi’s careers site lists dozens of positions, from dispensary store manager and shift supervisor to HR generalist.

Upshaw said that Jushi enlists cannabis executive search and staffing company FlowerHire to assist its hiring. With its burgeoning employment numbers, the cannabis industry presents an opportunity for those who were laid off or looking for a career change to redeploy their skills. Cannabis could greatly benefit from leading professionals outside of the market, according to a release from FlowerHire.

“While we did have about a month when recruiting halted, that period of time didn’t last long,” Upshaw said. “FlowerHire was ready to jump in like a member of the Jushi and (retail locations) BEYOND/HELLO team and be our talent scouts while we focused on keeping our employees safe.” 

Initially there was a lot of instruction to remind employees how important it was to follow safety protocols, she said.

“After months of adjusting to the pandemic, I believe that human behaviors have been forever changed,” she said. “People will continue to join the organization ready to work and adhere to safety standards because they have been doing so since March of 2020.”

Upgrading the onboarding experience

With the influx of new employees lacking a background in the cannabis industry, HR is responsible for onboarding employees with knowledge of what to expect before and after their first day, Upshaw said.

“My desire is to build out a mature pre-boarding, onboarding and training experience that equips every employee for their role at Jushi and BEYOND/HELLO,” she said. “Although we have all adjusted to the new work order, there are many initiatives and projects that have taken a back seat to the main priority of keeping employees safe.”

Jushi has implemented pulse surveys to gather feedback on various topics, she said. During a time when health care is on everyone’s mind, Jushi also increased the level of company contributions to benefit plans.

Adhering to compliance measures

Following governmental guidelines is nothing new to cannabis companies, Upshaw said. At the federal level, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, while states and local agencies have layers of regulations and policies.

“We are accustomed to operating in highly regulated environments and we have a culture of doing what we can to elevate the reputation of our industry,” Upshaw said. “This opportunity has brought us together and allowed us to continue to reach our unified mission. I am proud of the way we have worked together, have had a bias for action, and have complied with all local, state and federal guidelines.”

Dump manual tracking and avoid costly labor-law penalties. Ensure simplified and automated compliance to federal, state and local labor regulations with Workforce.com’s powerful compliance platform.

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Coronavirus Update: Please stop telling me that we all just need to get on with living our lives

COVID-19, coronavirus, public health crisis

Earlier this week, I posed what I thought was a simple question on the private Facebook page of my community’s homeowners’ association: given the current rise of COVID-19 cases, should we, as a community, rethink our trick-or-treating plans. It was intended to start a generative discussion about whether we can host public trick-or-treating safely, but it quickly devolved into insults and name-calling.

The general theme of my pro-Halloween opponents was some combination of—if you don’t feel safe stay home in your basement; and we need to live our lives. People felt comfortable expressing this opinion even after others had commented about family members COVID-19 had killed.

People need to stop correlating COVID-19 safety measures with a restriction on their ability to “live their lives.” We are in the midst of a pandemic stemming from a highly contagious airborne virus. The pandemic is not getting better. In fact, it’s getting worse as we are just at the beginning of the second wave of this deadly virus. More than 220,000 Americans have died, and countless more have suffered the loss of a loved one, or are continuing to suffer the lasting and lingering effects of a virus that we still don’t fully understand. The numbers are getting worse (health experts use the ominous word deterioration), and we are in for a long and difficult winter as we battle COVID-19’s second wave.
You living your life is stopping me from living mine.
My family has been very cautious with this virus. For the first two months of “living with Covid” we stayed in our home. We had groceries delivered. We only met with people from outside of our home on Zoom. We did not even order takeout. Seven months later my wife and I are both still working from home full-time.
As we entered summer, however, we started to slowly branch out. I started going to the grocery store in person. We ordered takeout from our favorite restaurants. (I scratched some off the list after seeing employees not wearing masks.) Every now and then we started grabbing a glass of wine outside at our favorite local wine bar, have enjoyed a few nights of live outdoor music at the wine bar, have entertained family and friends outside on our deck in small groups, and, in August sent our children back to school. For us, this is living our lives.
Others views of living their lives is quite different. They have large parties, visit restaurants and bars, and attend huge social gatherings. Moreover, as COVID fatigue sets in after seven months of limitation and restriction, people are getting lazier with maintaining distancing and wearing masks.
In short, a lot of people aren’t doing the things we all need to do to battle back this deadly virus. And because of it, I’m being forced back deeper into my comfort zone, my bubble.
Maybe I’m resentful. People out “living their lives” may not get sick at all, and I’m being hyper-cautious and I or my family still might.
Or maybe I don’t understand the appearance of selfishness and callousness—that you care more about your own life than that of your fellow human beings. That it’s more important to you to host that large party at your home or fill your kid’s sack with bits of candy, than to ensure that you don’t spread a deadly virus around our community.
The reality is that we can still beat back this virus. Science is in agreement with the simple steps we need to take.
  1. Wear masks.
  2. Maintain physical distance.
  3. Wash your hands.
  4. Stay home if you’re sick.

These measures are not complicated. But I also understand that simple does not equate to easy. It’s going to be a long fall and winter, especially in climates like Ohio’s, where we will be forced indoors for several months. But if we continue to ignore basic health and safety measures, COVID-19 will continue to thrive, more people will get sick and die, and people “living their lives” will continue to either jeopardize mine or force me into full-time hermit mode.

So today I am imploring everyone to think about others in addition to thinking about yourselves. When this virus I over (and one day it will be over), I will not have any regrets over how I lived my life. Will you be able to say the same?
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New CDC guidance will result in A LOT more employee absences

software, compliance

Yesterday, the CDC made a key update to its COVID-19 guidance. It made a significant change to the definition of “close contact.”

No longer does one qualify as a “close contact” by being within 6 feet of someone for 15 continuous minutes or more.
The CDC now defines “close contact” as:
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period) starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.”

Factors to consider in determining whether one is a “close contact” include:

  • Proximity (closer distance likely increases exposure risk);
  • The duration of exposure (longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk);
  • Whether the infected individual has symptoms (the period around onset of symptoms is associated with the highest levels of viral shedding);
  • If the infected person was likely to generate respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting); and
  • Other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors).
Most notably, under separate CDC guidance, this determination is made regardless of whether anyone was wearing a mask or other facial covering.
This change matters a lot. COVID-19 quarantine rules depend on whether one has been in close contact with someone who tested positive. The liberalization of this definition (which appears to have been based on anecdotal evidence of at least one infection) will result in more people meeting the definition of “close contact” and therefore having to quarantine for 14 days after an exposure to someone who tested positive.
This doesn’t just matter to exposures in your workplace. It also matters to employees’ activities out side of work, and to their children who are exposed at school. If the child has to quarantine for 14 days, guess who might need to be home with their quarantining child?
Make no mistake, this will create an attendance mess for employers, especially as COVID-19 numbers continue to briskly rise. Now is the time to double-down on the enforcement of physical distancing rules and measures at work. Six feet must mean six feet at all times.
  • Floors should be marked so that employees understand what six feet looks like.
  • Shifts should be staggered to allow for greater separation of employees, if needed.
  • Start- and end-times should be shifted to avoid bunching at time clocks.
  • Lunch and break rooms should be set up to avoid crowding and allow for distancing.
  • Bathrooms and elevators should have strict (and low) occupancy limits.

You can’t control with whom an employee or a family member comes in close contact outside of work, but you certainly can enforce measures at work to limit the possibility of close contact occurring there. Otherwise, you risk one positive COVID-19 case wiping out your business for two straight weeks.

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How have employers responded to COVID-19?

A recent survey of businesses reveals a variety of trends about COVID-19 in the workplace.
    • Nearly 6 out of every 10 employers has had an employee test positive for COVID-19 (double the number from April).
    • 92 percent require on-site employees to wear masks in common areas and mandate physical distancing.
    • 93 percent have enhanced cleaning protocols.
    • More than 1 in 2 are taking employees’ temperatures and performing other daily health screenings, while only 2 percent are requiring (legal but impractical) COVID-19 diagnostic testing and 1 percent (illegal) COVID-19 antibody testing.
    • 73 percent are allowing employees to work from home based on a fear of contracting COVID-19 without any risk factors.
    • 20 percent are discouraging domestic travel, and nearly 45 percent are requiring employees to work remotely or take a leave of absence for a 14-day quarantine upon their return.
    • Despite all of these measures, 21 percent of employers have received a COVID-19 related complaint from employees.
What has your experience been? On track with this survey? Or different? Please share in the comments below.
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Building a safety policy was vital to Shawmut Design and Construction’s health

Shawmut Vitals, mobile technology, HR technology, safety, COVID-19 construction

Like many companies Shawmut Design and Construction faced the dilemma of protecting the health and well-being of its employees as the COVID-19 pandemic tore through the U.S. workforce.

While the safety of its 900 employees was Shawmut’s top priority, no one-size-fits-all solution was evident. Shawmut’s staff includes in-office employees as well as workers in the field at sites across the country.

With a diverse portfolio of jobs including cultural and historic buildings, academic institutions, commercial properties, luxury homes and Major League Baseball stadiums, Shawmut’s executive team had to act quickly and decisively to assure that their workers could function safely while still productively maintaining their commitments to hundreds of clients.

Shawmut, COVID-19, pandemic
Les Hiscoe, CEO, Shawmut Design and Construction

“We experienced added complexities on many projects that continued to work right through and were not impacted by shutdowns,” said Les Hiscoe, Shawmut’s CEO since 2015. “We had to make real-time adjustments on the fly to keep our people safe first and foremost and to make sure we continued to deliver for our clients.”

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One of Shawmut’s core values even before the pandemic struck was “find a better way.” Company leaders realized early on during the pandemic that making decisions on the fly was not sustainable and determined the “better way” was developing solutions internally.

Initially partnering with trade unions, industry peer groups and other construction companies, Shawmut developed its COVID-19 safety plan to minimize coronavirus exposure and risk across all job sites. The company soon rolled out safety protocols as well as a COVID-19 risk assessment and response plan to project sites across the country, Hiscoe said.

Shawmut’s leadership looked inward to develop a technology-driven solution that addresses worker safety as well as on-site productivity. Built in-house, Shawmut’s IT, safety and marketing teams developed Shawmut Vitals, a custom technology platform designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and manage contact tracing to minimize and control infectious disease spread.

Implementing a vital technology solution

Shawmut staff quickly took the platform to market, transforming the idea from concept to rollout in under two weeks, Hiscoe said.

“The platform allows employees and subcontractors to self-certify daily health screenings by scanning a job-specific QR code that pulls up a health survey to fill out,” Hiscoe said. “If an individual is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed to someone who is either infected or at risk, the individual is flagged for further care and action.”

The platform reduces friction points as people enter a site. Shawmut Vitals also frees a site superintendent’s time since the data is integrated into Shawmut’s systems, resulting in thorough recordkeeping and generating reports that previously had been done by hand.

Virtual communication in the office and on site

Frequent communication played a huge role in Shawmut’s safety response and employee engagement when offices began reopening, Hiscoe said.

“We held daily executive team huddles that begin with conversations around the best ways to keep our people safe, sharing successes and lessons learned across our job sites and regions,” Hiscoe said. “This also includes connecting with our Virtual Crisis Command Center, a COVID-19 crisis team that is constantly monitoring developments and helping to guide actions. We can provide constant guidance to our on-site client and office teams and ensure we are following all federal, state and CDC recommendations.”

Shawmut’s Future of Work Task Force also evolved out of their meetings.

Created to implement the best processes, systems and technology as employees began returning to the organization’s 10 offices, the task force is made up of cross-region, cross-department staff members.

The team meets virtually every week to develop thorough office-specific plans that adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local government guidelines to keep everyone as safe as possible. Each office has a core team that examines the specific needs of that space and workforce to ensure every detail is taken into consideration, enabling staff to work safely and efficiently.

Hiscoe added that before entering the office, employees complete a health screening using Shawmut Vitals. This not only prevents those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or may have been exposed from coming into the office but also helps with contact tracing. Offices are also clearly marked with signs including traffic flow, conference room capacity limits and common-area closures.

Those who are not ready to come back to the office utilize Shawmut Flex, Hiscoe said, a flexible work program allowing teams to work remotely.

“Having flex options is rare in the construction industry so Shawmut was uniquely positioned to be able to transition to work from home arrangements,” he said.

Following the rules

The pandemic has had a significant effect on how Shawmut employees work together on their job sites, Hiscoe said. They identified several new requirements: 

  • Self-awareness

“We encourage any individual who is feeling sick or who is presenting any symptoms of a cold, flu, or COVID-19 to stay home and/or seek medical attention. We enforce a 100 percent zero-tolerance policy that does not allow for anyone showing symptoms to be on the job site.”

  • Hygiene

All projects provide access to hand washing stations, which are spread at least 6 feet apart to maintain social distancing. Hand washing stations have corresponding signs with proper hand washing and hygiene techniques.

  • Personal protective equipment

All standard requirements apply. When two workers are operating near each other, face shields, safety glasses, hard hats and face masks are mandatory. PPE is disinfected before brought in personal vehicles or to homes.

  • Site safety requirements

A COVID-19 officer is on site 100 percent of the time to enforce all site safety rules, including the twice-daily cleaning of high-contact and common areas, pre-task planning meeting, health screenings, limiting of only essential personnel on the site and frequently cleaning high-traffic areas, equipment, and tools and devices. 

  • Communication

The team hosts toolbox talks related to COVID-19, distributes regularly written communications on best practices to job-site teams and reinforces all messages with signs in English and Spanish.

  • Emergency procedures

In the event of possible COVID-19 exposure, Shawmut teams will strictly follow CDC regulations.

Hiscoe added there is no wiggle room with Shawmut’s procedures either in office or on a job site. “Alongside my executive leadership team and virtual crisis team, we’ve made our enhanced safety protocols mandatory for both our staff on site and in our offices,” he said. “We’ve shared our enhanced protocols virtually with our partners and any guests who may need to access our offices making them fully aware of our mandatory procedures.”

Keeping in contact with all employees

Hiscoe said the pandemic has severely disrupted his own schedule and halted all travel for him.

“As a quintessential extrovert, this has been a challenge in an age of social distancing, both professionally and personally. As a leader, I pride myself in making connections with our people, projects and partners.”

Hiscoe’s limited travel schedule established unforeseen ways to manage his stress.

“I made sure to regularly work out, which helped immensely. And during quarantine, I have really enjoyed being home with my family and having dinners together.”

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