Business was going well. You felt comfortable and in control. Your processes were slick, your IT stable and operations smooth. When innovating there was the luxury of time to explore, experiment, learn and scale. Most importantly your employees were engaged and productive. Managing people comes with challenges, but fulfilling your duty of care was well structured and supported by your processes, applications and systems.
Ah yes! – how we long for the good old days of 2019.
Hello 2020!
Business is unpredictable. Disruption is constant and teams are scattered. Change and uncertainty make it difficult to innovate. Who knows what new rule or regulation might arrive tomorrow? Fulfilling your duty of care to employees is becoming a headache:
- How do you bring them safely back to work?
- How do you reduce the risk of infection in your workplaces?
- How do you cope with a tsunami of mental health issues?
- How do you adapt your applications, systems and workflows on a daily basis?
- How do you show you’re complying with the steady stream of rules and advice?
A significant piece of the puzzle is “low-code” innovation. Low-code technology enables the development of new applications and workflows in hours and days (not weeks and months) allowing you to respond rapidly. It overcomes resource bottlenecks by lowering the “coder” skill barrier. Easy integration with existing systems simplifies the capture of comprehensive real-time data for audit purposes.
1.COVID 19 pre-screening: using a low-code web application ensures that employees or contractors coming into a workplace do not have symptoms and therefore pose a risk to their co-workers. Managers can monitor the overall picture and quickly identify trends. This builds employee confidence that they are safe to come to work and significantly reduces the risk of infections.
2.Physio assessment: In the absence of DSE compliant workplaces creating a simple “Musculoskeletal” assessment tool using low code technology will ensure employees who are new to working from home are monitored regularly and any early signs of pain are detected and quickly addressed preventing long term damage and time off work.
3.Mental health awareness: many employees will be struggling with their mental health due to isolation and fears around job security. Low-code allows the rapid creation of a daily check-in where employees assess their own mental health as well as receive daily tips and expert reminders to help them self-manage their wellbeing. Managers can oversee their teams and take early preventative action to support particular employees if needed.
4.Automated Referrals: the rapid assessments described so far are great for surfacing potential employee issues early. Low-code technology can help further by integrating assessment workflows with those of your HR and occupational health teams as well as external specialists, clinicians, or testing services. This ensures employees who are flagged as being at risk are automatically escalated and referrals are quickly facilitated.
5.Extensive support networks: The pandemic has increased the daily strains and burdens that everyone faces. Using low code technology employers can rapidly increase the network of support offerings they provide through their employee portal. This could include integrations with childcare providers, debt counselling services, shopping delivery, specialist training, dental services etc.
Global upheaval and change will continue for the foreseeable future. Low-code technology allows you to become proactive in meeting your duty of care. To respond quickly to the rapidly changing needs of your employees and to innovate rapidly to support their health and wellbeing.
