The Importance of Employee Contact Tracing in the Workplace

Collaboration and teamwork have changed over the course of this year and the last, since the still ongoing health crisis has forced us to follow new rules of conduct, both in and outside the workplace. Not only do we have more instances of remote collaboration as opposed to office-based work, but more companies are looking for ways to create a hybrid model to reduce the risk of getting infected with COVID-19. 

Of course, some industries require on-site work, and some sectors have high-density workplaces where employees need to interact very closely in order to be productive. Such businesses have been slow to open during the pandemic, but as we’re hoping for more vaccinations and fewer instances of the disease, contact tracing among employees in such workplaces is becoming essential.

With the help of automated ID cards and the accompanying software, businesses can now keep track of all employee interactions inside the office in order to spot early infections and prevent the spread of the virus. The perks? There are many, but the following several benefits make it worth your while for the long haul.

Improving business productivity

Reopening your business in the midst of the pandemic comes with its own risks, one of them being the difficulty among your employees to feel relaxed enough to focus on work. Worrying about getting sick and about the newly implemented rules on social distancing makes it impossible for people to keep working efficiently.

Cards for contact tracing during the pandemic help your employees have that one simple tool that won’t disrupt their workflow, so that they can focus on their tasks, get automated notifications to remind them of social distancing rules, and the like. 

Simplified social distancing management

When working in close quarters and in high-density business environments, employees might find it extremely difficult to follow the rules, even if they want to. Not everyone can remember who they interacted with in the past two weeks, and some might even not be able to implement the simple “6 feet” rule. Giving each employee a COVID contact tracing card allows you as the manager to keep track of their interactions and to send them an alert or a text message if they need to modify their movements.

If someone does get sick, tracing that person’s movements in the past twenty days can help you isolate all other employees who have been in contact with them and prevent an outbreak. To top it all off, you’ll still maintain their information secure and private at all times. 

Avoiding unexpected closures

Closing down your business, even temporarily, can mean losing clients, partners, investors, and of course, having to make cuts internally due to lack of financial stability. Since you cannot expect the pandemic or the virus itself to simply vanish, you can benefit from contact tracing simply because you can prevent unexpected outbreaks in your offices, which would force another shutdown. 

Research has shown that 54% of the surveyed companies plan to implement the contact tracing strategy in the upcoming months to reduce the risk of closures, outbreaks, and health issues with their employees. 

Enhancing employee health and peace of mind

When employees are engaged, at ease, and when they feel valued and respected, they are much more likely to stay loyal to your business. Creating a healthy work environment for your employees plays a vital role in establishing that level of trust and loyalty. It prevents high employee turnover and inspires people to follow the rules that are implemented to keep them safe. 

Contact tracing contributes to that general sense of safety for employees. More than that, it grants them the peace of mind they need to focus on their primary work responsibilities, and not have to worry about keeping their distance. If their cards can keep track for them and they can get alerts and notifications in time to modify their behavior, all the easier for everyone involved. 

Cutting costs for your business

Unplanned and sudden shutdowns caused by the pandemic have been a widespread issue for businesses in every sector. Today, some of them have managed to reopen and to restore their operations, but the simple fact is, regular shutdowns when your employees or entire teams get sick cannot bode well for your company. 

The bottom line might not be your major concern when you’re dealing with employees who get sick, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to stay healthy and to keep your business open. Setting up your internal contact tracing system with ID cards helps you automate your employee management on a whole new level, and allows you to prevent extraneous expenses. 

 

Tracing contacts among your employees might seem overwhelming at first, especially for organizations that have been shut down since the beginning of the pandemic. Now that you have access to such advanced and seamless solutions that will in no way disrupt your business processes, implementing a contact tracing system will help you avoid or at the very least minimize future disruptions. Hopefully, the pandemic will end soon, but these precautions will make every flu season much easier for the future, and you’ll be able to protect your workers from potential health issues.