Step 5 – Effective HSE Communications during the Covid-19 pandemic
As the lockdown eases. Have you conducted a thorough review and updated your Health and Safety procedures to ensure that your company is ready for staff to return to work?
As companies are slowly starting to return to work. The pressure is on the individual(s) tasked with Health and Safety to identify the prevalent hazards and ensure compliance with government guidance within their workplace.
We are now starting to return following the lockdown. Is your organisation ready for the changes required to STAY SAFE?
In our previous blogs, we looked at:
1) Classifying the Risk to Workers: How the Virus Spreads. Identifying Potential Sources of Exposure. Low to Very High Exposure Risk. Job Duties Affecting Workers’ Exposure Risk Levels.
2) Risk Assessments: Preparing your Risk Assessment template. Deciding on Methodology. Practical HSE Measures to take. What to do if a staff member is suspected of having Covid-19.
3) How to Minimize the Risk: Social Distancing. Shift Work & Staggering.
4) Employee Mental Health during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With workers continuing their tasks remotely. And organizations urgently reviewing their policies and practices to keep people healthy and safe. A new challenge is now presented. How to effectively communicate essential HSE information?
Employers can earn further trust from their employees by providing timely and accurate communications as regards Covid-19 and Health & Safety matters. Quick, effective communications are vital as employees’ trust will be lost and difficult to regain if they feel that communication was inappropriately delayed or not properly communicated.
Traditional and Non-Traditional Communication Methods can include:
- Real time updates on microsites and portals. Offering information to employees and their families through a public microsite is becoming common worldwide.
- Banners or web ads on company intranets. Capturing the attention of employees to convey the latest company updates on HSE matters and Covid-19.
- Emails. Attention grabbing with images and graphics. Metrics should be employed to measure the number of employees that are engaging with the information.
- Text messages that give employees urgent information. Such as changes to HSE policies and procedures in relation to Covid-19.
- Personalized and targeted HSE update messages based on the employee’s location and work activities.
Make it Routine
- Leaders, Health & Safety Managers, and Supervisors should check in often with employees. Asking about their life and working practices in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Use these regular check-ins to remind employees where they can find resources on key topics. Such as HSE policies, self-care, stress management, connections to mental health care, and more.
Listen
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- Be available to employees through these challenging times. Create reliable feedback loops for employees to share HSE questions, concerns, and to seek information on key Covid-19 issues.
- These feedback loops could include online and digital options. Q&A during online meetings, 1:1 virtual meetings, and through other modes of communication. If HSE Covid-19 related questions and issues come up that all employees should know about. Create an online space for frequently asked questions and associated information.
- Ask what support is needed from you.
Be a Trusted Source
- Staff will be hearing conflicting information on staying safe during the Covid-19 pandemic from many different external sources. This will create further fear, anxiety and stress.
- Although no one has all of the answers, employers and their HSE representatives should gather and share information from reliable and trusted services.
- Work with your IT and HR Departments to ensure that this information is easily accessible online, and routinely remind employees where they can find it and how often it will be updated.
- Being transparent and communicating timely updates builds trust with the workforce and shows the organization’s commitment to a culture of safe working.
If you need professional help to prepare a robust coronavirus HSE management and response plan for your organization in the UAE/Middle East, please contact Corporate OHS. Visit our website or send an email to enquiries@corporateohs.com.