The old phrase “out of sight, out of mind”, revolves around the idea that something is easily forgotten or dismissed as unimportant if it is not in our direct view.
With more staff now working remotely from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a risk that leaders assume all is well and forget about one of the organisations most critical resource, its people.
It’s never too late to check-in with your people to ensure they are safe and well. It’s also important to get some feedback from them about key elements of the organisations pandemic response. Whilst every organisation is different, the survey should cover at least 4 elements.
1. Organisation communication
- Do you feel management has kept you adequately informed about the crisis and the response?
- Did you clearly understand what your responsibilities/ working arrangements are during the crisis?
- Do you think our organisation has handled the covid-19 crisis appropriately?
- How can we improve communication?
2. Safety
- Have there been any major changes to your work environment at home since completing the risk assessment?
- Have there been any incidents or near misses whilst working from home?
- Aside from materials or supplies, is there anything that we can provide that would support you, your well-being, and your work?
- Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
3. Organisation policies
- Do you feel the information you received about changes to key policies and procedures were useful?
- Do you feel the information you received about changes to key policies and procedures were timely?
- Which organisational policies or procedures remain unclear?
4. Information technology
- Do you have any issues accessing systems and data remotely?
- Do you experience any drop outs or disruptions that prevented you from accessing information?
- Do you experience any problems conducting video meetings via video conference?
- Did you experience any IT security issues whilst working remotely e.g. viruses, suspicious email?
- Do you have any suggestions for how remote working technology could be improved?
5. Business process
- Are you confident you are able to complete your normal work tasks from home effectively?
- In respect to our business processes during COVID-19, have you received any issues or complaints from key stakeholders (customers, suppliers etc)?
- Have you identified any risks or control weaknesses in our business processes due to working remotely?
- Which activities/procedures are most challenging to perform remotely and require attention?
If you are ever unsure about the security of your device, do not hesitate to contact your employer; many organisations have procedures in place to secure devices or can at least provide the guidance needed to achieve security at home.
How we can help
InConsult is committed to helping organisations become more resilient to a range of disruptions including pandemics. We have extensive experience in risk management, crisis management, business continuity, emergency management, disaster management and pandemic planning.
If you feel the coronavirus may have an adverse impact on your business and would like to discuss strategies to be better prepared and respond, contact us to discuss your needs.