Organizations are making sweeping changes to their benefits programs and workplace practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of the WorldatWork COVID-19 Employer Response Survey of 1,510 HR professionals. Key findings include:
- There has been a 415% increase in the percentage of employees working remotely part- or full-time.
- More than a third of organizations (37%) will provide full pay for employees unable to work due to illness/caregiving needs. 47% will apply an existing leave policy/benefit; 45% will apply a new leave policy/benefit.
- Among organizations making healthcare plan changes, waiving co-payments/deductibles was most frequently cited (60%), with nonprofits more likely to do so. Other changes include implementing telemedicine (30%), changing how prescriptions can be accessed (30%), and creating/providing additional resources for at-risk populations (26%).
- Most organizations (65%) do not have plans for additional hazard pay for employees required to work on-site during the pandemic. However, retail (46%) and healthcare/pharmaceutical (29%) workers are most likely to receive some form of hazard pay.
- Most organizations (56%) have already paid out or are planning to pay out salary increases, while 21% are holding off.
- More than half of the organizations surveyed are making changes to staff/operational hours by implementing: a hiring freeze, except for critical roles (72%); furloughs (39%); or layoffs (25%).
- Most organizations are not sure whether performance metrics will be adjusted: Some 42% are considering but not yet decided, while 21% are still in the process of setting performance metrics.
- Most organizations (67%) are sending out COVID-19-related communications daily or every few days.
- Most organizations (63%) expect to be back to normal operations by summer.
“The pandemic hasn’t just disrupted work, it is a body blow to the health of people, organizations, and nations,” notes Scott Cawood, president and CEO of WorldatWork (www.worldatwork.org). “And while most organizations anticipate being back to normal by summer, it’s clear the future of work looks very different than it did in 2019.”