People First: Why We Decided to Require Vaccination at Our Milwaukee HQ

Below is a message we?shared with the Milwaukee Business Journal earlier today.

Many of us crave collaboration, connection and a sense of routine, so after enjoying weeks of what had felt like a new, more relaxed normal it was with heavy hearts that we reinstated the mask policy last week here in our Milwaukee HQ. Rising infections and slowing vaccination rates together with the new CDC guidance are a stark reminder of just how fragile progress can be.?

While the economic recovery is here we are still battling a pandemic.?People are still on the labor market sidelines, here in the US as well as in other countries, as they worry about their safety and wellbeing in their lives and at work.?We are seeing pandemic-related workforce shortages across the world as a result, slowing the pace of the recovery.?All of this is a strong nudge to take additional steps to ensure we can maintain the positive trends we have seen in recent months.

We know that the pace and foundation of social and economic recovery is based on people feeling comfortable coming to work in a safe way, returning to a life we can enjoy in all facets, at home and in new ways of working.?Human connection should once again be the foundation of interaction in the workplace, allowing people to separate work from home where they choose and collaborate with colleagues without the distractions and anxiety working full time from home can bring. ??

We now also know that one way this can be achieved faster is by ensuring as many people as possible are vaccinated. Looking at the data and trusting the science is how we will take the next step in this evolving pandemic.?

To redesign how we get work done, to encourage and enthuse people to come back to the workplace, and to further reassure people that ours is a safe and healthy working environment, we believe that everyone who can get vaccinated, should.

Effective this week, we will require proof of full vaccination for anyone entering HQ during our soft launch phase.?By October 4, when we fully reopen, we will require all ManpowerGroup employees, partners and guests at our HQ to be fully vaccinated, except those meeting a qualified accommodation.?And here’s why:

• It’s What Workers Want.?People wanted a hybrid future of work even before the pandemic – now this is magnified.?They want to retain the balance and flexibility they have enjoyed the last 18 months, with the ability to get together safely with colleagues to collaborate, innovate and celebrate at least a few days a week; only 5% want to work remotely all of the time.?For us, our Work Your Way flexible working approach will be our new normal.
• “Healthy and safely” is a whole new ball game. Trust matters: people want to know that unwell workers will stay home and that strict hygiene policies are enforced. We’ll have an accommodation process in place for employees with medical, religious or other protected reasons and employees who are granted a qualified accommodation will be given guidance on when they can return to the workplace. We will continue keeping wellness front of mind into the fall and winter months, offering on-site COVID-19 testing and flu shot clinics as a convenience and peace of mind for our employees.
• We are guided by science and learning from others.?We have experienced the pandemic across the 70+ countries in which our people live and work. In Europe, despite starting vaccinations months after the U.S., their vaccination rates recently surpassed our own and are climbing higher fast.?In most other parts of the world, the populations are clamoring to get vaccinated as fast as possible, suffering from shortages of vaccines. We are very fortunate to have the ability to better control the outcome of the pandemic with ample access to vaccines for everyone in the U.S. And the science tells us those that are vaccinated that become infected experience milder symptoms and much reduced risk of hospitalization and death versus of those who are unvaccinated, with social and economic benefits for all of us.

After much reflection, we believe that if we want things to improve for our people, our business and the community, we need to be part of the solution. We continue to closely monitor local health conditions and government guidance, and we are pleased to be welcoming fully vaccinated team members back right now as part of our soft launch ManpowerGroup HQ reopening. We are committed to doing our part in reshaping a better, brighter, healthier future for our people, their families and in the community we call home. Working together, we can beat this pandemic and continue our economic recovery!