India is opening up for a long, drawn out lockdown, but COVID19 is still around. It will be around till a vaccine is found, and that might take close to a year from now. What we have learned so far is life will not stop. It has to continue- businesses will have to come back online, many employees will go back to work.

Which puts the onus on organizations, irrespective of their size, to make the workplace safe for employees. They will have to do frequent testing, sanitize the workplace, and have medical facilities available.

COVID-19 put employee well-being front and center for organizations as physical, mental, and financial security has became paramount.

COVID-19 has made business leaders think about three things:

• How can productivity be maintained while ensuring a safe working environment?
• How can we limit workforce exposure?
• How do we alleviate employee concerns about returning to the workplace?

It was always known that in future there will be increase in use of automation and technology in daily activities, workplace included. COVID-19 has hastened the pace. Employees across all functions, for example-sale and marketing, finance, etc have rapidly learned how to complete tasks remotely, using digital communication and collaboration tools.

Driven by situational urgency, marketing and sales leaders are increasingly willing to embrace agile methods; they are getting used to jumping on quick videoconferences to solve problems and give remote teams more decision- making powers. It’s also important, of course, for cross-functional teams to not lose sight of the long term goals and to avoid panic reactions.

Things that organization need to take care :

• Organizations should ensure employees reduce usage of public transport.
• Organizations should try to provide transport facilities from the home to office. The vehicles should be sanitised and social distancing should be taken care of.
• There should be a paramedic to check every single person in a workplace twice a day.
• There can be a rotation shifts for employees to reduce office duration time.
• Employees should be trained in maintaining social distancing at work, and increasing personal hygiene focus.
• Employees should not be forced to come to work if not necessary. Organizations should take a close look at a job function level to determine office schedules.

Returning back will be difficult but it is possible by taking necessary measures and precautions on time.

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