The  Adecco  Group,  ManpowerGroup,  Gi  Group  &  Randstad,  the  Indian operations  of  four  leading  global  HR  services  companies  have  released  the  'Safely  Back  To  Work  - Best Practices Handbook'.

It is a comprehensive compilation of health and safety protocols that will enable businesses and workers to safely return to the physical workplace when the time is right. The report  currently  covers  four  sectors  –  Manufacturing,  Infrastructure,  IT/ITES  and  Pharma, Healthcare and Life Sciences, with more than 450 health and safety protocols and recommendations across these sectors.

The 'Safely Back To Work - Best Practices Handbook' has been curated with active participation from organizations across various sectors and Knowledge Partners - NASSCOM Insights, Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), Stanton Chase and Emotional Wellness Partner, YourDOST. Based on insights received, the handbook lists the measures that are recommended under themes: Workforce protection, Employee protection, Non-employee protection, Business Process Adaptations and Employer-led Health Interventions for each of the sectors.

This handbook is the first in a series, with the next one covering Retail, E-commerce and Business Services/Consulting. It incorporates practical guidelines and recommendations, which companies can learn from and implement as per their specific needs. The handbook also features a special section towards emotional wellbeing to enable organizations to take cognizance of this aspect while getting back to work safely.

Some recommendations include:

1.  Re-model the workplaces for greater spacing between employees to reduce the risk of infection.

2.  Create visual cues such as markings or projections on the floors and interfaces to indicate safe distances for workers.

3.  Use motion-control or touchless doors and interfaces throughout the workspace to minimize the risk of workers contacting a contaminated surface

4. Leverage online channels to inform employees about the changes they can expect when returning to work. Increase transparency and give clarity about the current situation and the way that it is handled through communication that is more frequent.

5. Stagger shifts and lunchtimes to minimize congestion on work premises, especially relevant if screening measures are introduced requiring more time to pass-through

6.  Separate the workplace into various zones with mandatory sanitization between each shift and recording of who is moving between each zone

7. Identify and isolate critical employee groups

 Speaking on behalf of the India alliance, Paul Dupuis, MD & CEO, Randstad India said, "The launch of Safely Back To Work – Best Practices Handbook is a defining moment for the India alliance. Workplaces across the four corners of the country are now at a critical juncture as they gear up for a phased shift from remote work to restart operations, supporting their employees with a safe, healthy and productive work environment. Organizing and implementing a safe return to work amidst the disruption of the pandemic requires a logical, systematic action plan and the alliance is leading the charge to support this process. The need to embrace agility, adopt new ways of working and workforce management, with greater emphasis on the mental well-being of employees has never been important than it is now. I am confident that Randstad‟s partnership with The Adecco Group, ManpowerGroup and Gi Group and the collective knowledge that we have gathered in this fact-based handbook will prove to be a game -changer to enable India Inc. to restart responsibly and accelerate their path to recovery".

Marco Valsecchi, Country Manager & MD, The Adecco Group, India said, "It is imperative to boost the economic recovery by enabling a safe return to work for everyone and make work culture more resilient. Our alliance with Randstad, ManpowerGroup and Gi Group attempts to bring forward the expertise to identify and control work-related safety measures and protocols for our stakeholders and clients who want to build a sustainable and inclusive post-COVID 19 world of work. Besides providing robust safety nets for the vulnerable, ensuring job continuity, and job creation is vital.  There is an urgent need to mobilize our collective resources to stimulate the economy. We have put together these recommendations as a strong attempt to address the safe return to the workplace."

Sandeep Gulati, MD, ManpowerGroup India said, "We are in a formidable situation balancing employee wellness, redesigning the new normal while still staying profitable. By coming together along with The Adecco Group, Randstad and Gi Group, we have attempted to ease off some pressure by providing a ready reckoner of recommended safety guidelines and employee wellness parameters, which is a culmination of Industry best practices. We hope this helps our fellow corporates and clients to speeden up their process of getting safely back to work. These unusual circumstances need unusual measures and greater efforts – more digital, more connected, more wellbeing-oriented than we ever could have previously imagined."

 Marcos Segador Arrebola, Managing Director, Gi Group India said, "The impact of this crisis on society is enormous, especially for those more unprotected. With COVID cases in the country picking above 60,000 a day recently, the challenge to create a safe environment that assures the security of the workforce is more important than ever: leadership must act to ensure workplaces are both productive and safe. For this reason, the alliance created with Randstad, The Adecco Group, ManpowerGroup and Gi Group is willing to minimize the devastating effects of the virus into the economy and people‟s lives by creating safer workplace environments for us all."

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