The new variant is putting a lot of pressure on HR – are you prepared for what comes next?
As Omicron lurks in the background, employers and employees are monitoring the situation with breath held. All hopes were for a swift and safe return to work before 2022 – but the new variant is slowly dampening out any idea of an in-office New Year. Michelle McKinnon, associate at McMillan, and Dianne Rideout, partner and head of labour & employment group in Vancouver, told HRD what this new variant could mean for employers going into 2022 – and offered some advice on how to approach vaccines, policy changes, and rising safety concerns.
“The Omicron variant, which has now been detected in Canada, has once again raised concerns about the possibility of another wave and further restrictions,” she explained. “Employers are also considering how the possibility of a new wave might impact their workplaces and what steps they can or should take to minimize the risk of transmission in the workplace to protect the health and safety of employees.”
According to McMillan and Rideout, there’s a few things for employers to consider when thinking about rolling out a mandated vaccination policy – starting with a safe return to work, whenever that may be.
“Many employers have mandated a return to work for employees on the assumption that infections are on the decline and the overall outlook improving for workplaces,” explained Rideout. “We don’t know yet what the impact of Omicron...
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