Return from the “Great Lockdownturn”
Now that we are here, when and how do we exit this lockdown?
What a difference a few weeks can make.
If you had told me a few weeks ago that the air outside would be cleaner than it has been in decades, but I’d have to wear a mask and still not be able to go outside, I would have struggled to comprehend the conundrum.
Meanwhile, humankind, seemingly, basking in triumph at conquering mighty mountains, the moon and Mars, has been brought to its knees by microscopic microbes. Imperceptible and impalpable pathogens, not missiles, have forced almost all of humanity to hunker down and create massive societal, industrial, economic disruption, hardship and chaos.
These virulent specks have forced us to hole up and lock down in an unimaginable way — bringing every aspect of life, society, industry and the economy to a grinding to halt. This downturn is not the result of a financial crisis. It is not even the direct result of the pandemic. The downturn is the result of a deliberate policy choice.
Which is why I am calling this the “Great Lockdownturn” — a downturn caused by the lockdown.
Historically, there are many analogies of consequential downturns — 1914, 1929, 1941. But this one is incomparable in many ways — not least due to the precipitous nature in which it unfolded, the pretty-much planetary prevalence of the pandemic and the permanence of the impact it will leave with us. There has never been a crash landing like this before.
That’s why since there is no equivalent precedent, there is no playbook. We have to create one.
To make matters worse, it is unfortunate that we find ourselves woefully under-prepared despite the prescient exhortations by proficient pundits. It now seems unpardonable to not have heeded the counsel of people like Pulitzer winner Laurie Garrett — who gave a powerful TED talk 13 years ago about the dangers of microbial hitchhikers we are now witnessing play out in front of us, and Bill Gates — who put it bluntly that We’re not ready 5 years ago.
Now that we are here, when and how do we exit this lockdown?
When does this lockdown end? Well, to quote NY state Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “It’s over when we have a vaccine” or an effective medical treatment that is available at necessary scale.
Until then, we are in a state of forced abnormal. This transient phase is certainly not normal. Which is why I hate the phrase “new normal”. It is at best an aberration or anomalous until we get to some sense of accepted normalcy — after we have a vaccine and effective treatment available to anyone who needs it.
What this means? Meanwhile, this is going to be a fairly long change-cycle — 18 months by many counts. Leadership teams, therefore, need to commit to appropriate resources — that are discussed in this piece — for such an extended period. Further, given the risk of second- and third-wave outbreaks, no one has any idea how far and fast the resumption of normal life can safely go, it seems likely will need to stay in place to manage the unevenness of return.
So, what we need is something that can us get from now to until we have medical treatment and a vaccine. How do we phase this reopening — return from the lockdown?
There are several public policy factors that will govern this reopening, including testing and tracing. This article does not delve into those aspects. This article attempts to focus on the micro- procedures — that must be guided by and aligned to the requirements and regulations required in each jurisdiction — to reopen to a safe workplace.
This reopening will also vary industry by industry. Therefore, given that my personal background has been predominantly in the technology services industry, I will confine myself to views for that industry in this piece.
Where do we start? Let’s begin by considering the current state. The anxiety level among the workforce is very high. The sudden economic and psychological consequences for many and their families have been severe. While many are eager to get on with it, there is also evidence of significant doubts about the risks of venturing out of their existing safe spaces.
Per a new Axios-Ipsos survey, over half of Americans still working outside of the home feel that doing their jobs puts their health and wellness at risk right now compared to a small minority of those working from home. This week, 57% of Americans still working out in the world report that they feel doing their job is a moderate or large risk to their health. Of those working from home only 13% say the same.
That’s why it is essential to define and communicate a clear and coordinated plan that ensures the safety and well-being of employees and their families when they return. A solid, continuous ongoing communication plan needs to comfort employees that competent teams are in charge and empowered to make necessary changes along the way.
In order to do so, the first and foremost thing to do is to put in place an unambiguous chain-of-command — with a single person at it’s apex — if not already in place.
In order to do so, the first and foremost thing to do is to put in place an unambiguous chain-of-command — with a singular person at it’s apex — if not already in place.
Who’s in charge? For long, I have been a proponent of the role of a Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) in services organizations. For all the talk that people are their biggest assets, I am afraid, not enough has been done by services companies to treat them as such. Now is as bad a time as any to formalize this. If it’s not done now, I doubt it’ll ever get done.
I propose the Chief Wellness Officer be at the top of the chain-of-the-command to drive this change journey.
I also recommend the CWO report to the CEO. The tendency would be to put such a role under the COO or CHRO, but I have reservations against this — not least the at-times conflicting priorities between these roles. Given the emphasis this role requires, it is pertinent for this role to be under the CEO.
Who’s on the team? The Wellness Team below the CWO should consist of multi-disciplinary experts in areas of health, behavioral psychology, organizational behavior, occupational safety, operations and communication.
The rapid unraveling of an alphabet soup of terms and topics during this pandemic — from asymptomatic to zoonotic spillover — shows how collaboration across diverse disciplines is required. A monodimensional team would be quickly overwhelmed.
A good starting point: Nearly all companies already have a department that manages occupational safety and health that deals with ensuring safe and healthful working conditions for their employees. That would be a good place to start — and assemble a team around that.
Adjacencies: It is important to note that this lockdown directly affects many everyday, essential services — real estate, transportation, retail, education, restaurants — around employees. Operations should, therefore, be planned in the context of the overall ecosystem.
In the medium to longer term, facility planners must factor in larger workplace design principles, such as automatic, contactless operations (opening and closing doors, dispensing soap, operating faucets). Given the tightness in capital, it may be difficult to retrofit existing facilities in the short-term, but these should become standard design considerations for new capital projects.
Planning to return from the lockdown: With governments eventually slated to announce return-to-work measures, companies should be getting organized now, while stay-at-home orders are still in place. #lockdownreturn
Herein below are some resources that you may find useful as you prepare for the post-stay-at-home-order era in the coming weeks. These resources outline how to implement everything from advanced social-distancing practices to on-site health screening and employee training; recommendations on disinfecting everything from computer screens and keyboards to bathrooms and vending machines; staggering shift arrival times and lunch breaks to reduce congestion.
1. Editable “Safe Work Playbook Template” repurposed from Lear Corp (Word format)
2. The original 51-page “Safe Work Playbook” from Lear Corp
3. Editable COVID-19 Awareness Slideshow from Lear Corp
4. Editable workplace signage template from Lear Corp (PowerPoint format)
5. Editable Safe Start Protocol Checklist from Aptiv (Excel format)
6. Health and Safety Resources for Suppliers in a Coronavirus Environment by OESA
Thanks to the many organizations that have generously shared the above resources. These are some of the many acts of compassion and cooperation that underline a resolute desire to resiliently bounce back from this lockdown — #lockdownreturn.
