IES Blog

How Corporate America Took the Lead During COVID-19

Posted on June 7th, 2021 Read time: 2 minutes

The speed and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to act quickly and decisively. In a matter of days or weeks, cross-functional teams from HR to IT and facilities made a massive shift to remote work possible. They put plans and policies in place, built communication and collaboration networks, and ensured that workflows remained resilient in the face of unprecedented circumstances. Although many companies had business continuity plans in place, pandemic scenarios were not deemed likely to occur and therefore, plans were not refined. Businesses had to learn in the moment and demonstrate their ability to rise to the occasion.

We have seen corporate America step up in unexpected ways regarding public health and safety measures. Employers moved fast to put face covering policies in place and worked to enforce social distancing as much as possible. Retailers responded in similar ways by requiring face coverings in stores and limiting the number of customers who could enter. Notably, companies took these measures even when they were not mandated by law.

Corporate America consistently went above and beyond to protect employees and consumers from the pandemic. It is worth asking how the private rather than public sector came to take the lead on this issue and what we can learn from this experience to improve workplace health and safety moving forward.

 

Read the full article in HR.com here.

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This guest-contributed article was written by: Tania Fiero, Chief Human Resources Officer at IES

Tania Fiero is the chief human resources officer at Innovative Employee Solutions (IES), a leading global employer of record in more than 150 countries that specializes in payrolling and contractor management services for today’s contingent workforce. Founded in 1974 in San Diego, IES has grown into one of the city’s largest women-owned businesses and has been named one of its “Best Places to Work” for 10 years in a row. An expert in joint employment and the Affordable Care Act, Tania helps employers embrace contingent workers in their staffing strategy and culture.

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