Workplace Ecology: The Next Organizational Challenge

Moving from COVID as Pandemic Towards COVID as an Endemic

It appears that we are at the end of the worst of the pandemic evidenced by its transition from rapid spread towards stabilization, barring a fall-winter 2022 season absent of surprises (Antia & Halloran, 2021; Briceno Noriega?& Savelkoul, 2022; Spencer, 2022). However, there is a small but growing bump in the road, RSV or respiratory syncytial virus which produces common cold symptoms (Johnson, 2022; McPhillips, 2022; McPhillips & Goodman, 2022). While the medical system, scientists, and researchers continue to monitor the current pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19 mix currently emerging, we will just have to wait and see how this all plays out during this fall and winter season (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).

According to the unemployment rates of 46 states and the District of Columbia, which were derived from surveys, administrative data, statistical modeling, and adjusted for sampling errors, the unemployment rate has decreased lower than it was a year ago. It has declined to 3.5 % over the month, and more employees have returned to the office on a hybrid schedule (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022; Ingber, 2022). Some employers are struggling to acclimate to their new normal – flexibility (Caminiti, 2022). Other employers have seen an increase in productivity and have used hybrid models to help with recruiting efforts according to Drew Houston in a CNBC interview (Houston, 2022).

Breakthrough COVID Infections

As of November 3, 2022, there have been 97,604,763 cases of COVID-19 and 1,068,667 deaths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID Data Tracker, 2022). Hospital admissions in the United States have reached 20,829 cases and 5% of the US population over the age of 5 have received the updated booster dose (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). With breakthrough infections on the rise, employers have the added challenge of managing employee vaccination and booster records along with the complexities of the employees’ right to refuse the COVID vaccine. However, employers are establishing or revising their workplace guidelines and policies as updated information on COVID-19 becomes available. For example, some employers are requiring weekly COVID testing for employees who are unvaccinated. Other employers are placing unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave while other employers are terminating unvaccinated workers (Smith & Nagele-Piazza, 2022).

In contrast, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for those employees who elect not to be vaccinated and are exempt from having to be vaccinated. There are several reasons why an employee may reject receiving the COVID vaccine. Those reasons include having religious principles, traditions, or practices, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related health issues, collective bargaining agreement, negotiation, and labor relations issues, and long - COVID or post-COVID medical conditions (Society for Human Resources Management, 2021; Smith & Nagele-Piazza, 2022).

Aerosol Effects and Other Bacterial and Viral Contaminants: The Next Possible Workplace Threats

As the commencement of return-to-work policies are enforced and more employees head back to the office, the next threats await staff and employers - the aerosol effect, future COVID variants, and viral cousins to COVID-19 such as MS2. Questions continue to surface about the efficacy of aerosolized COVID -19 virus. The aerosol effect occurs when individual coughs, sneezes, or exhaled breath that is emitted into the air and inhaled by another. The viral contaminants can circulate in HVAC systems if not well maintained and linger in the air for hours (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2021; Oudejans and Ratliff, 2021;?Environmental Protection Agency, 2022).

Building Safety

The health, environmental, and economic costs of the pandemic are many. Policies such as the Emerging Viral Pathogens Policy?have been established to monitor the efficacy of products designed to mitigate pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2020). Several studies have been performed to improve the quality of air through improved building operations. One such study contends that airborne virus transmission is significant and improving the operation of HVAC systems could alleviate the spread of infections (Cary et al., 2022; Faulkner, et al.,2022). In the Schibuola and Tambani study, researchers investigated the impact of increasing the rate at which air was ventilated by using mechanical ventilation which resulted in an improvement in air quality through the reduction of indoor pathogen concentration and subsequently a reduction in infection risk (Schibuola & Tambani, 2021).

Post-COVID Building Design and Construction

The pandemic has changed how we live, work, and socialize inside of buildings. A key challenge is how to build for the future needs of building occupants. The pandemic has shifted how space is used. This has resulted in the use of modular building designs. In addition to modular building designs, research shows that viral mitigation strategies also include the addition of plants including vertical gardens as well as measures such as bipolar ionization, and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (Navaratnam et al., 2022). Additional post-COVID building design changes are the usage of rooftops for greenways, socialization, and work (Balocco, et al., 2020; Manso et al., 2021).

The Emerging Normal?

Literature investigating workplace ecologies, air quality in US buildings, and how to mitigate future viruses and other contaminants, is limited and presents?opportunities for additional organizational research. The next 24 months will prove whether employers are committed to learning from their employees. That is, whether the policies adopted during COVID were superficial or whether they were indeed sincere efforts to change workplace cultures by listening to employees, being empathetic, and partnering with them to fulfill the organization’s goals. Who knows, how employers managed through the pandemic just may show up on a work culture survey (Society for Human Resources Management, 2021a; Society for Human Resources Management, 2021b). As employers contend with the ongoing changes brought on by the pandemic and the need to stay current on the latest research and findings concerning their workforce and the workplace, they may want to consider thinking outside the office – literally.

?References

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