Now that COVID-19 vaccinations are underway and the availability of the vaccines is increasing, it’s time to decide what role your business will play in the rollout. There are a number of ways you can support vaccination and help your employees, your company, and your community. These include providing information and clarity about vaccines, incentivizing employees to get vaccinated, and perhaps even hosting an on-site vaccination clinic.
Public Support for Vaccination Continues to Grow
Understandably, many businesses have taken a “wait and see” approach to this question. Back in September 2020, a Pew Research poll found that only 51% of adults in the United States said they would “definitely or probably” be vaccinated if it were available then.1 (Of those who said they wouldn’t get the vaccine, 72% said knowing how effective and safe it would be was a major reason for their reluctance.2) But by January 2021, 64% percent said they would likely get vaccinated when they had the opportunity.3 A poll released in late February 2021 indicated that “at least” 55% of Americans had either already been vaccinated or planned to get vaccinated “as soon as possible.”4
As more people see friends and loved ones handling the vaccine without serious health complications, support for participation in the vaccination program continues to grow. Increasingly, “I’m not going to get vaccinated” is being replaced by, “I wish I knew how I could get vaccinated.”
Vaccination is Key to a Healthy Economy
Support for COVID vaccination among businesses is strong. In December (2020) 66% of employers said COVID-19 vaccinations were “very or somewhat necessary” for their business continuity.5 Since vaccinations have ramped up dramatically since then, it’s reasonable to believe that business support has continued to increase as well.
That shouldn’t be surprising. As more employees are vaccinated, you can invite more of them back onsite, and get closer to business as usual. You will reduce the possibility of COVID-related shutdowns and have fewer employees missing work because of the illness.
One thing is clear: life and business as we knew it will not return fully to normal until COVID-19 is no longer a widespread threat to our health. Experts say that will come with “herd immunity”—when 70% to 85% of the population has gotten vaccinated. Your business will not only help your employees, you will help end this pandemic. It will also be helping your business and the economy get back to true normal—back to a time when dealing with the ramifications of the pandemic no longer dominates your time, attention, and resources.
Mandate or Encourage?
Late last year, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that employers would be allowed to mandate COVID vaccination, with some accommodation exceptions. Even businesses that see a vaccination mandate in their future are taking a measured approach at this point, encouraging rather than requiring vaccination. One of the best strategies for businesses on this path is serving as resource for workers to gain a better understanding of COVID and the available vaccines.
Building on Early Efforts
Not surprisingly, industries that require employees to be on-site and public-facing have taken the early lead in vaccination-related benefits. In the grocery space, Aldi has offered two hours of pay for every vaccine dose an employee receives, along with schedule flexibility for salaried workers to get to a vaccination clinic.6 Meanwhile, the Yogurt maker Chobani is offering up to six hours of paid time off for employees to get two vaccine doses.7 As more businesses take a proactive approach to vaccination, additional strategies have emerged.
Opportunity One: Providing Education and Information
Not all of the information available on the Internet and through social media is based on facts and science. Employees are understandably confused by the conflicting narratives they’re hearing about COVID vaccinations. Whether your policy is to encourage or mandate those vaccinations, one of the most important things you can do is help educate and inform.
Remember: if you currently provide healthcare benefits and wellness incentives, and especially if your company offers or supports yearly flu shots, your employees already see you as an authority on questions like this. Monitor state and local vaccine plans and updates, and, where possible, consult with local and state healthcare officials, so you can provide your employees with accurate, honest information about the COVID vaccines. Even if you can’t provide on-site vaccinations, you can help employees understand when they and their families are eligible for the vaccine and point them toward a clinic. If you’ve witnessed (or felt yourself) the frustration of people who want the vaccine but don’t know how or where to get it, you’ll understand how powerful your guidance in this matter can be. Help them with this kind of information, and you’ll earn both gratitude and loyalty.
Opportunity Two: Provide Employees Financial Incentives for Getting Vaccinated
Another option is treating the COVID vaccine as you would other wellness and fitness initiatives such as smoking cessation and exercise—by incentivizing employees financially to take part. A January 2021 survey found that more than two-thirds of employee respondents said they would accept a monetary incentive of between $10 and $1000 to be vaccinated for COVID.8 TASC can help you implement that addition to your benefits package.
Opportunity Three: On-Site Vaccinations
If your company offers on-site flu shots, adding COVID shots is a natural extension of your commitment to keeping your people safe. To this point, strict rules around vaccination eligibility and priority have made the proliferation of clinics onsite in businesses impractical. But as the vaccine supply increases and vaccination is opened up to more age groups and risk groups, that will likely change. If you have the space and the interest, start by consulting your local health department. If you get the go-ahead, make vaccinations available during work hours.
A Proud Episode in Your Company’s History
We’re living through history. How you or your company responds to the challenges of COVD-19 will help define it for the future. Supporting the massive inoculation effort can pay off in the short term, by helping return your workplace to normal, and in the long term, by defining your organization as a leader in overcoming one of the great challenges of our time.
Editor’s Note: TASC offers a Vaccination Reward Account to encourage your employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination from more than 50 benefit offerings that can be configured into custom plans that meet employee needs – where they are in life.
Sources:
- “U.S. Public Now Divided Over Whether To Get COVID-19 Vaccine,” Pew Research Center, September 2020: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2020/09/17/u-s-public-now-divided-over-whether-to-get-covid-19-vaccine/
- Ibid
- “Majority of Employers Will Encourage, Not Require, COVID-19 Vaccine: SHRM Research,” SHRM, January 2021: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/majority-of-employers-will-encourage-not-require-covid-19-vaccine-shrm-research.aspx
- “More Americans say they plan to get COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible: Poll,” ABC News, February 2021: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/americans-plan-covid-19-vaccine-poll/story?id=76112849
- “Majority of Employers Will Encourage, Not Require, COVID-19 Vaccine: SHRM Research,” SHRM, January 2021: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/majority-of-employers-will-encourage-not-require-covid-19-vaccine-shrm-research.aspx
- “More employers are turning to these COVID-19 vaccine incentives,” Human Resource Executive, February 2021: https://hrexecutive.com/more-employers-are-turning-to-these-covid-19-vaccine-incentives/
- Ibid
- “Want to convince workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Try money,” Human Resource Executive, February 2021: https://hrexecutive.com/want-to-convince-workers-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-try-money/
