Employer’s number one concern during the pandemic is ensuring the safety of their employees. For most of the lockdowns, this meant changing workplace policies and enabling more work from home opportunities. Before the pandemic, only 6% of the U.S. workforce worked remotely, and over 75% had never completed work outside the office. During the peak period of lockdowns, 71% of the total U.S. workforce worked from home. These new measures cut down the risk of infection and improved the well-being of employees.

Even though an increasing number of employers now require employees to start returning to the office, safety is still a top concern. Sagitec was not immune to these challenges as we partially returned our workforce in India. To help teach our new health and safety protocols and improve employee safety, we utilized our Back to Office (BTO) solution. This unique resource enabled us to develop a customized plan, efficiently track health assessments, and ensure everyone’s safety. This resource played a vital role in safely bringing our employees back to the office by helping us achieve the following.

Identify and Overcome the Challenges of Returning to the Office

There is not just one problem to solve when returning employees, but several. From the layout of the offices to education on new policies, each obstacle required a unique solution. Some of these problems included:

• Tracking employee training on new procedures and ensuring compliance
• Organizing when employees would return to the office
• Changing office layouts to optimize social distancing
• Building confidence in managers’ abilities to reinforce guidelines and protocols

Our Back to Office solution was instrumental in overcoming each of these challenges. Sagitec, through this resource, set well-defined protocols to ensure a safe workplace. This included office-specific social distancing guidelines, temperature checks, hygiene policies, and isolating symptomatic employees through the app’s interface. The BTO app provided an instant solution when it mattered most.

Embrace Technology to Effect Organizational Change

The BTO solution was the first line of defense in protecting employees and preventing the spread of COVID-19. This solution enabled Sagitec to focus on transitioning business operations while confident that employees were safe. The app made organizational change possible by quickly creating and tailoring recovery plans, establishing procedures for employee screenings, and scheduling office activities.

Before going to work, Sagitec employees were required to use the app to self-report any symptoms that could present a risk, received a personal risk assessment based on COVID-19 exposure, and assist the managerial and HR teams in planning office capacity. Further, it tracked the progress and training of employees with new CDC/WHO guidelines as they evolved during the pandemic and quickly disseminated critical communications.

Optimize for Employee Safety

From January to April 2021, Sagitec safely rotated teams in and out of the office. Each employee went through self-screening procedures configurable in the BTO app. Before the new wave of cases impacted India, 456 employees returned to their offices safely. Sagitec has since requested employees to work fully remote again, but when the situation improves, the BTO app will provide well-defined protocols now familiar to Sagitec to ensure a seamless transition.

Download our free case study to learn how Sagitec helped bring employees back to the office safely. For more information on how our Back to Office solution can help your organization create a unique plan and ensure compliance with new policies, visit our website.