How to facilitate a safe return to work | EBI + iCIMS

February 23, 2021

 

iCIMS Staff

3 min read

As we approach the first anniversary of working from home, many wonder when, how, and even if we’ll make a safe return to the office.

While some organizations have moved back, many, like mine, are still waiting for the safest possible return date. The date looks closer than ever after speaking with our partner EBI.

EBI specializes in integrated background screening solutions with iCIMS recruiting. But last year they quickly pivoted to help with the current dilemma: remote work isn’t possible for every company.

Three ways to facilitate the safest return to work possible:

1. Start with your workplace entry.

According to EBI, workplace health and safety begins by identifying potential illness before it enters your workplace. A typical workflow to stop the virus from entering your doors involves two easy steps:

1. 1. Send out a CDC-recommended question set to each employee, daily. This questionnaire will help to identify potential symptoms and risks. The CDC suggests sending out their questions, which EBI provides via their mobile app and/or using a kiosk. If answered honestly, the questionnaire will inform employees and companies whether or not an employee should enter the workplace.
   2. Ask employees to check their temperatures once they arrive at work. EBI supplies thermal scanning kiosks that measure body temperature within 0.3 degrees of accuracy. A bonus to the kiosk system is it can detect masks, too. Given that high temps are the main symptom of COVID-19, checking for a safe range temperature can help.

2. Ensure safety throughout the day with distance monitoring.

EBI notes that the best way to ensure workplace safety remains intact throughout the day is to ensure social distance compliance.

With EBI’s Distance Monitoring System, employees wear a lightweight sensor that emits a warning when they are too close to another employee. The Distance Monitoring system also alerts you to high traffic or congested physical areas in the workplace. If this happens, reorganize the space to reduce the risk of crowding.

3. Stop the spread with contact tracing.

The next best way to ensure safety is through contact tracing after exposure occurs. Tracking the path of an illness is a critical defense in preventing infection across your organization. Suppose an employee tests positive for COVID-19 or another infectious disease. In that case, contact tracing helps identify people who may have contacted the infected employee and highlights locations in your facility where the employee worked.

To learn more about EBI’s three steps or how to manage your entire workforce through a safe return to work with data, click here.

Merge tech for best results

The best part about these new tools and technologies is that these steps can work in conjunction with your existing tech stack.

As an iCIMS user or a user who already has outreach tech, you can quickly share these new workplace safety tools.

For instance, candidate relationship management (CRM) email campaigns or mobile recruiting software are fast, effective, and simple ways to streamline communication and ensure your employees receive the information they need. (Learn more about how to engage internal and external talent here.)

Are you interested in assessing your organization’s health and safety risk mitigation plan? Schedule a free 30-minute session with EBI today!