ALERT: Workplace Political Chatter & Employee Social Media Activity

Recent events, including those which occurred this month in Washington D.C., have resulted in a renewed level of energy around politically charged rhetoric in workplaces and by employees on social media.

The shift to remote work and the resulting absence of a physical workplace to share these views (e.g. think watercooler) has allowed political opinions and perspectives to spill into instant messages, emails, and personal social media. Unprecedented events, including the Capitol breach, have also led to business leaders presenting their views very publicly, in some cases directed at or in full view of their employees. OperationsInc has seen the resulting impact on workplaces, many of which become ripe for conflict, polarization, and division.

This type of workplace conflict is one many organizations have limited experience handling, so I am offering some very cautious, strategic advice on how to navigate employee communications, feelings, and attitudes in a way that reduces or eliminates conflict while minimizing employer liability.

  1. As it relates to how your employees are expressing their political and social views, it is best to advise, counsel, and recommend how those communications should be voiced vs. mandate that no communication occur. To be clear – telling employees they are forbidden from discussing some of their views (on anything) may cross lines tied to protected speech and create employer liability.
  2. We strongly advise that your organization steer clear of monitoring the PERSONAL social media activity of your employees, unless a complaint is made that employees are using their social media platforms to threaten the well-being of other employees and/or you are directed to do so by the authorities.
  3. Consistent communication of the company’s views or concerns, that is presented live in small group meetings vs. in an email or memo, is the recommended approach to reduce the noise level of politically fueled debates.
  4. Appeal to common sense, pointing out that there are different views and perspectives throughout every office, and that sharing those views openly with co-workers may result in some difference of opinions, negative reactions, and even confrontations, all of which you are committed to avoiding. Employees being connected with one another via social media platforms may result in exposure to views and perspectives that can lead to conflict. As such we advise that you recommend to your teams that they thoughtfully consider connecting / following one another before doing so.
  5. Make it clear that any behavior that could be interpreted as harassment will not be tolerated, focusing on the terms and conditions of your workplace harassment policy along with the process for reporting harassment-related issues and concerns.
  6. Sharing leadership’s views on how the changing political landscape may affect your business is generally fine, even in writing, so long as you do not editorialize, point fingers, or imply judgments.
  7. Finally, practice what you preach.

Businesses who fail to take the recommended precautions outlined above could easily be taken to task for fostering hostile work environments, suppressing what is defined by the NLRB as Concerted Activity, and even possibly for perceived violations to Freedom of Speech and Expression. Left unchecked, the impact may even lead to a deterioration of an organization’s workplace culture and the DNA that has made your organization successful. Proactive and strategic management of these new workplace dynamics is critical.

As always, we invite you to reach out to your OperationsInc consultant for guidance on these issues. We continue to study the landscape and shape and adjust best practices, and we will be here to offer our best advice on how to manage your workplace during these unprecedented times.

Thank you,
David Lewis
CEO
OperationsInc
www.OperationsInc.com

Supporting Employees Through a Difficult Holiday Season

COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise across the country, and these climbing positivity rates combined with state travel restrictions and stay at home orders will leave many employees isolated and alone this holiday season.

Employee Stress Levels Already Reaching Tipping Point

A recent study conducted by employee experience technology company Limeade has found that employee stress levels are reaching a tipping point. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that while stressors have been building since COVID-19 reached the U.S., a bleak and lonely holiday season may push many employees over the proverbial edge.

The Limeade study is based on feedback from more than 1,000 full-time employees located across the nation, and found some alarming trends, including that:

  • Just 31% of survey respondents strongly agree that their employers care about them as individuals.
  • 44% of burned out employees reported resenting their employer.
  • 52% of participants reported difficulties sleeping.
  • 38% of those experiencing burnout have increased alcohol or substance consumption.

The Negative Business Impacts of Failing to Support Employees

The Limeade study further indicates the negative consequences of failing to holistically support employees through stress-fueled events.

The survey found that 33 percent of participants have resigned from a position because they felt their employer did not care about them as a person, and 20 percent have left a job because they felt an employer did not care about their well-being.

Being Proactive Matters

SHRM encourages employers to be proactive in offering employee support in what is anticipated to be an extremely challenging holiday season. Before employee turnover or resentment can start, SHRM says that employers should equip and empower managers to “intentionally” connect with their teams, provide tools and resources to support and boost mental health, and encourage self-care whenever possible.

SHRM also encourages employers to not look at 2020 as a lost year, but instead recognize and celebrate accomplishments made this year, no matter how seemingly insignificant.

Creative Approaches to Helping Employees Celebrate

SHRM notes that those employers who have turned to creative, outside the box tactics to support employees during this time have found themselves to be the most successful in doing so.

Allowing for greater flexibility to enable employees to spend time with their families, hosting virtual holiday events to celebrate employee success, holding a virtual children’s story-time hour, and reallocating budgets previously earmarked for annual holiday parties to special gifts and treats have all been touted as effective ways to boost employee morale and spirits.

The Need for Support Won’t End When the Ball Drops

Though many look forward to closing the door on 2020 and welcoming in a new year, experts warn that the first several months of 2021 will continue to be difficult.

Employers are urged to continue focusing on employee mental health and well-being efforts to support employees as holistically and completely as possible.

For access to full survey data from Limeade, please click here.

For SHRM’s coverage of this story, please click here.

To learn more about how OperationsInc can support your organization’s employee engagement and wellness efforts, please contact info@OperationsInc.com.

 

As Financial Stress Levels Rise, So Does Demand for Financial Wellness Workplace Benefits

The COVID-19 pandemic has demanded that employers reevaluate their existing employee benefit programs and make shifts to better support their teams through what has become the new normal.

A recent study conducted by John Hancock Retirement found that 90 percent of those surveyed feel it is important that their employer offer financial wellness programs that can help them navigate financial uncertainty.

Why the recent shift demanding financial wellness programs? Sixty-seven percent of those who participated in the John Hancock Retirement survey reported some level of financial stress, up from 44 percent prior to COVID-19. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated they are worried about current economic conditions.

A somber 35 percent of those surveyed said that their financial situation is fair or poor, and only 33 percent of respondents feel their financial situations will improve in the coming year.

It has been documented time and again that employee stress, including stress tied to financial wellbeing, have negative consequences on employee productivity and performance. But would workplace financial wellness programs improve stress levels? Survey participants say yes.

Seventy-five percent of survey participants believe that a financial wellness program offered by their employer would reduce their levels of financial stress.

“Employees are looking for advice and guidance, which employers can provide through a holistic financial wellness offering,” advises John Hancock Retirement Chief Data Officer, Lynda Abend.

“Employers are uniquely positioned to provide relief in many forms, including alleviating financial stress for their employees by revisiting the benefits playbook,” Abend added.

Just 12 percent of survey participants currently have access to an employer financial wellness program.

For full survey results and more information about the John Hancock Retirement study, please click here.

For Human Resource Executive Online’s coverage of this story, please click here.

To learn more about how OperationsInc can help your organization develop a financial wellness program, please contact us at info@OperationsInc.com.

The Spike in COVID-19 Cases and the Impact on the Workplace

As we enter the cooler months and the holiday season, COVID-19 positivity rates continue to rise across the nation. It is our expectation that the safety level of workplaces are now entering a critical phase.

We are advising employers to take stock of the effectiveness of their current COVID-19 protocols and policies, make any changes to ensure both business continuity and employee health and safety, and prepare now for what is certain to be a difficult close to 2020 and start to 2021.

In summary:

  • In the coming days College students will begin to return home for winter recess, increasing the likelihood of potentially exposing those in their household to COVID-19.  We are advising that those who have the ability to shift to 100 percent remote work setups do so from November 23rd until December 14th. Closing your workplace during this period will limit the risks that may develop as a result of exposure to some with COVID-19 during the Thanksgiving holiday from unknowingly spreading the virus to others at the office.
  • Employers should assume the same issues may be present around Christmas and the other December holidays.  As such, a plan to revert back to a temporary office closure, or to keep offices closed and operating on a complete and total remote basis until at least January 11, 2021, is prudent.
  • States have been rolling back their reopening guidelines and are implementing new shutdowns and restrictions, and a plan to do the same for offices continues to be a strong possibility throughout the U.S. As such, employers may have minimal notice for such a change. Employees should be encouraged to leave work each day with the assumption that they may not be able to return to the workplace, bringing all work and equipment home with them each day.
  • As the volume of active COVID cases rise, schools across the country are beginning to shift to mostly distance learning, which will cause disruptions to home office productivity levels. We advise employers to get ahead of this now and communicate and work with employees with school-aged children on a plan for their work schedules and styles. It can be expected that the issues many working parents experienced last Spring may return.
  • For those organizations with operations requiring employees to report to an office or any other type of workplace, this is the time to revisit and to tighten up all pandemic-related safety standards and protocols, including the enforcement of mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing whenever possible.
  • When employees do report to the office, it is strongly encouraged for employers to utilize an A/B team scheduling strategy. This approach will not only help employers adhere to the limited workplace capacities in many states, but also serves as a critical continuity tool should an employee be exposed to or test positive for COVID-19. When using this approach, team members from the same department and members of leadership should be split across different scheduling groups to ensure that if someone in the office tests positive, it does not cripple the entire operation.
  • The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will remain in place until December 31st, requiring certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. Congress may choose to extend this legislation into 2021 (if they do, we plan to provide updated guidance). More information about FFCRA can be found here.​

As always, our team is here to help. Should your organization require any guidance or support tied to business continuity or moving your business forward through the pandemic, please contact us at info@OperationsInc.com.

Deadline Extended – CT Anti-Harassment Training Requirements

Connecticut’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) has announced that the deadline for meeting the State’s Anti-Harassment training requirement has been extended from October 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. This is a blanket deadline change, and employers will not need to apply to qualify for this extension.

Under Connecticut’s Time’s Up Act, all employers with three (3) or more employees are required no later than January 1, 2021 to provide:

  • All existing employees with two (2) hours of Sexual Harassment Prevention & Awareness Training.
  • Two (2) hours of Sexual Harassment Prevention & Awareness Training to all new hires within six (6) months of their hire date.

Employers with fewer than three (3) employees must provide two (2) hours of training and education to all existing supervisory employees by January 1, 2021 or within six (6) months of moving into a supervisory role within the organization.

The CHRO has announced this deadline extension in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as a means to provide employers with an extra 90 days to comply with this requirement. It is OperationsInc’s strong recommendation that employers who have not yet met this training compliance standard move to do so quickly, as it may become difficult to train teams as organizations struggle to juggle year-end priorities.

If you have not already provided this training to your team, OperationsInc can help. We have both web-based and in-person solutions that can be delivered as private sessions for your organization. We also have online public training courses that will enable you to educate employees as needed when they join your team. For more information about these training offerings, please contact training@operationsinc.com or your OperationsInc consultant.

For the full announcement from the CHRO, please click HERE.