3 tips to effectively and empathetically approach vaccine policies in your workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently rolled out a proposed COVID-19 vaccination mandate for companies with 100 or more employees, affecting about 84 million private-sector workers. According to OSHA, companies must collect records of employees’ vaccination status by December 5 — and get employees vaccinated (or institute an alternate testing method) by January 4 — or face financial consequences. While the mandate is temporarily suspended, it is in employers’ best interests to prepare now so they’re not caught off guard if and when these do go into effect.

Here are three best practices for HR and business leaders to successfully implement the new vaccine mandate.

1. Finalize your plan and communicate it as quickly as possible

Developing a comprehensive vaccination plan requires thoughtful consideration of several factors and, although the legality of the mandate is still up in the air, employers should be prepared to communicate the specifics of their plan as soon as it is rolled out. It’s worth taking the time to create a thoughtful strategy and get internal organizational alignment now.

Specifically, employers will need to determine policies around testing, tracking, exemptions, termination effects, and timelines unique to their company. Below are factors to consider within each category:

• Testing: Consider whether you will choose to offer routine testing as an alternative to the vaccine and if the logistics are worth it to your company financially and decide who will pay for it (you or your employees). Offering a testing option could alleviate labor shortage concerns in the short term, though it could come with a very steep price tag.
• Tracking: Determine a method of tracking who is and isn’t vaccinated and get those data as soon as possible so you can confirm your population’s vaccination status by January 4.
• Exemptions: Legitimate medical and religious exemptions for vaccinations (not just COVID-19) are rather rare. Most employers are repurposing their standard HR exemptions processes for the vaccine mandate and are requiring either a note from a health care provider or a signed statement of religious beliefs against vaccines. You may want to attach your company’s code of ethics to the exemption documentation to encourage honesty.
• Termination effects: Determine how you will handle those who don’t adhere to the mandate by the deadline. To avoid confusion or backlash, be transparent about what employees can expect on January 4 if they don’t adhere. For example, will it result in termination? What details surrounding termination can you provide?
• Unique timelines specific to your company: If your company already has its own vaccine mandate in place, ensure that you are maintaining or accelerating these company policies as needed to meet deadlines. For this, you may need to take into consideration various timelines for differing groups (i.e. remote, in-person, or unionized employees).

Finalized plans should be communicated to the entire workforce as clearly and swiftly as possible to encourage compliance. All communication should come directly from the CEO, president, or a senior HR leader.

2. Offer support and approach employees with empathy

As employers and HR leaders finalize plans to meet OSHA’s deadlines, they should plan to be available for any questions from employees. Be prepared with FAQs and to field common questions around whether or not testing options will be available in lieu of vaccination, how testing will be paid for, whether mandates apply to remote workers, and how to navigate vaccine requirements if workers have received their first dose of the vaccine but are not yet considered fully vaccinated by the time January 4 comes around.

Consider hiring extra team members or using a call center to aid in fielding employee questions or concerns. Partnering with local health officials or offering educational resources can also go a long way in providing unbiased and factual communications, in turn creating a more inclusive company culture that eases employees’ hesitancy about getting vaccinated.

3. Use what’s been working for your population

Quickly adapting to change induced by the pandemic is nothing new. Nearly two years into the pandemic, employers have had to think through thoughtful dynamic workforce policies and how to best approach this next phase. By now, companies have learned the ins and outs of what resonates best with their workforce and their employees’ unique needs, including which communication methods, cadence, and incentives are most effective, what company culture and sentiment is toward the COVID-19 vaccine, and which software and tools are best at managing vaccine records and testing. For the vaccine mandate, there is little need to reinvent the wheel. Indeed, implementing new policies, communication methods, or tools for tracking could serve as a barrier in employee compliance.

Employers remain among the most trusted sources for health information. They can alleviate vaccine hesitancy by creating a culture that encourages people to become more informed about the benefits of being vaccinated and corporate policies about the vaccine mandate. With these basic guidelines, and by leaning into the lessons the pandemic has already taught thus far, employers will be ready to move forward with their vaccine strategic planning.

Dr. Dena Bravata is chief medical officer at Castlight.