Healthcare experts and members of the scientific community alike warn us about the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall. However, it has already begun to hit in China and South Korea during the first few days of summer. The end-of-lockdown celebrations may well be very short.
Economists and politicians agree on one point: Canada cannot afford to put its economy on hold for a second time.
The manufacturing sector: an essential economic driver
Along with healthcare, the manufacturing sector has proven to be a key pillar of our ability to deal with such a pandemic. We must continue to process food to feed the population, manufacture goods for essential sectors, protective equipment for medical staff, breathing devices, medication, sanitary products, fire protection and electricity distribution equipment, along with all other activities that we now know to be essential since last March.
The second wave challenge: your employees
The pandemic has forced companies to adapt their facilities and production equipment to comply with the new public health rules. As the second wave of COVID-19 threatens to strike, the challenge for entrepreneurs will be to retain their employees, whose expertise remains essential. Without them, machines and factories cannot function.
Yet a recent Angus Reid survey, conducted for the human resources firm ADP Canada, shows that two out of five employees (41%) in Quebec plan to look for a new job after the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 11 % admit that they are already actively searching. How can you get back to a normal or higher level of activity when a significant portion of your workforce is planning to "jump ship"? The survey identifies some of the causes of this situation: loss of loyalty, fear for health and safety, fear of returning to the workplace, fear that the company's revenues have dropped too much, among others.
Communicate to convince, motivate and reassure
Employers will need to continue to communicate effectively in order to explain the measures that were put in place to protect workers against COVID-19, and to reassure them about the risks of spreading the virus to their families. The next step will be to communicate the company's performance to motivate workers and restore a strong sense of confidence for the future.
There is an undeniable advantage to communicating clearly with your employees through meaningful messages that will help dispel uncertainties and mobilize them around the business objectives you have set. Don't miss it!
