MEF Recommends Hybrid Work Model to Cope With Omicron
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Given the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of Covid-19, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) recommends maintaining a hybrid approach of on-site and remote working. It said that employers should not rush to ask their staff to return to work full-time, which could raise the risk of infection.
MEF advises companies to use the hybrid strategy to lower infection risks, regardless of how viable it is for them. It also said that working from home (WFH) should be a preventative measure to keep workers safe from Omicron infection.
Clear guidelines for employees
"Organisations should lay out clear guidelines on, and arrangements for, WFH to avoid any confusion or misinterpretation," said MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman.
He suggested that employers who are unable to adopt WFH should consider restructuring the workplace to allow appropriate physical separation between workers. Employee capacity limits in the workplace should also be a policy.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may find it challenging to execute WFH arrangements with limited personnel and resources. However, SME Association of Malaysia president Ding Hong Sing said they would continue to monitor the situation and plan accordingly.
"It will be difficult to return to full WFH since we require the personnel on-site." He claims that several SMEs have only five or six full-time staff.
He also noted that other businesses had permitted employees to work from home or come into the office on alternating days to prevent the virus from spreading.
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Since it was initially discovered in Malaysia, the Covid-19 Omicron variant cases have rapidly increased, with 62 cases reported as of December 25, 2021.
How WFH helped companies to cope with the pandemic
A poll by the MEF to assess how individuals are dealing with the WFH model discovered that lowering electricity and utility expenditures (78.%) and increasing technology adoption at work (68.5%) were two of the most significant benefits of the model.
For employees, 89.4% said they saved up on commuting expenses, and 88.6% said they experienced less commuting stress.
In response to the pandemic, 93.6% of the 203 companies used a combination of WFH and work from home arrangements.
The survey, titled "Implementation of Work From Home and Work From Office Practices In Response to Covid-19 Pandemic," was conducted last June 9 to August 6. It found that 61.7% of businesses said they would continue to use this hybrid work arrangement, citing the benefits to both employers and employees.
Downsides of WFH
However, according to Syed Hussain, there are drawbacks to applying WFH, such as missing out on components of the job such as team building, interaction, and discussion.
"Interactions in the workplace serve to develop a person's intellect. As a result, organisations implementing WFH must implement methods to foster teamwork and address mental health, particularly for individuals who participate in WFH regularly," he stated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Friday that a Covid "tsunami" is threatening to overwhelm healthcare systems, as record spikes fueled by the Omicron strain once again dampened New Year's celebrations throughout the globe.
The highly transmissible Omicron, which is circulating at the same time as Delta, is causing a tsunami of cases, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Source: The Star