Introduction
Workforce Principles for the COVID-19 Pandemic
While there currently is a significant focus on the public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the workforce and societal implications are no less profound.
In 2019, less than 10% of business leaders from G20 and OECD countries considered the spread of infectious diseases as a looming global risk, according to the World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey. Nor were companies anticipating that a pandemic might test their public reputation as a responsible employer. Yet in early 2020 all organizations are facing just such a crisis and the need to address the urgent concerns of various categories of workers: those who can and continue to work remotely, non-remote workers who can work remotely with proper support, those who can no longer work for a variety of reasons and those who continue to work in person. Additionally, most companies, across sectors, had not implemented flexible or remote working arrangements. In the current environment most businesses are having to put in place new measures for their workforces rapidly – often with no previous comparable experiences.
The principles described in this White Paper can help guide organizations in shaping a responsible course of action that balances short-term pressures against medium- to longer-term needs.
