We manufacturers are pragmatists at heart. We at MAGNET are completely focused on finding ways to help our manufacturers stay strong, and while we are not experts in most of the topics below, we know the right people and are ready to make the time to help you figure out next steps. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. This list is compiled through hundreds of conversations across the country of what we have heard is important:
We have been united by this pandemic in so many ways – supporting our frontline workers, caring for our families, and staying home to save lives. This tragedy has brought out the best in so many of us and brought us together in countless ways (even as we work and live more apart than ever before). But it’s also united us in fear. Pervasive, unrelenting fear of death, illness, of the unknown.
As we start to plan for economic recovery and take steps to re-open, fear is a new frontier that leaders must actively manage. We have a long journey ahead. It’s going to stretch all of us. But we must collectively be stronger than our fears. If fear wins, we can’t. Here are six ways you can help your employees fight their fears as they return to work.
The media is full of terrifying stories about COVID-19 killing people young and old. Sadly, many people have friends and relatives who have died from coronavirus. Fear is everywhere and it is real.
Now is the time to over-communicate. Get into the details. Reach out early and often. Tell your employees exactly what you are doing to keep them safe. Tell them what is happening with their jobs and the company. Even share how YOU as a leader are feeling. In the absence of real information, people will assume the worst (“Are we closing?” “Do our bosses even care?” “Will I get sick if I go back to work?”).
You don’t have to have all the answers. No one does right now. Be honest and transparent. Saying “We don’t know _______. But we hope for _____.” is powerful and will be appreciated by your employees. Keeping them informed may be all you can do in this time of uncertainty, but at least you are showing up and showing you care. Share your fears and listen to your employees fears openly.
Even if your employees are furloughed – talk to them! Send them short videos of what is going on. Write an email. Have their managers reach out. Maintain that all-important connection.
And don’t forget the power of making it personal. Reach out one-on-one. Even if it isn’t something you normally do, make an exception for exceptional times.
Uncertainty affects all of us differently. Some people are caring for children who can’t go back to school. Some people are caring for elderly parents who are very vulnerable. Some people have naturally high anxiety. Some people are deeply scared of getting the disease themselves. You just don’t know exactly how individuals are coping. And the stress of being in constant
“fight or flight” mode can be debilitating and depleting.
As we prepare for the new normal of instituting physical health safeguards in our factories like temperature checks, we should also consider how best to monitor and support employees’ mental health as well.
Consider having every supervisor regularly check in with each person and ask them “how are you doing?” Don’t have them ask it as a cursory gesture, but really take a few moments and ask (whether on the phone or in person) how they are really doing. People are struggling with so many new and unexpected hurdles in their lives right now. It can help lessen the burden to be “seen and understood.” And if your workplace has employee support programs or counselling available, now is the time to ensure everyone knows how to access help.
Stay in close touch with your supervisors and if there are a few people that need something extra, figure out if you can help. It may be as simple as a phone call to show them that you care and that you want to be there for them. But monitoring the mental well-being and reaching out to those struggling is not only a good thing to do for your workplace culture, it is the most human thing you can do as a leader during these challenging times.
Staying safe from COVID-19 is not an easy task. It is an invisible enemy. But you should strive to make the steps you take to keep people safe extremely visible. Safety is most likely part of your core company values. And this is the surest way to combat employee fear. If you don’t show everyone all the ways you are working to keep them safe, not only will your values be called into question, but people may not want to come to work.
When you do something to advance workplace safety, make sure everyone knows about it. Better yet, make sure they see it. This is a great place to use the power of short videos to get the word out. Now is the time to double down on safety, even if it is expensive or inefficient. We need to so the right thing and be seen to do the right thing.
As excited as we all are to re-open and get back to work, there will be people who simply aren’t ready. They are too afraid to resume normal life. Sure, you can make them come to work. But if you order them back “or else” you must consider the cultural price you will pay for doing this.
One terrified person in your workplace can poison the well with fear. If you can’t allay their fears one-on-one, perhaps you should consider giving them alternative work to do remotely. If you can’t give them remote work, perhaps consider a grace period for them to return to work once they feel safer. These are unprecedented times and we will have to do unprecedented things to keep our people with us on the journey.
We will undoubtedly lose some great people who decide not to return to work. But we will be far better off if we are seen to offer compromise and options to help people during this tough transition period. We can never go wrong when we lead from a place of understanding, empathy, and respect.
Do you normally have an office lunch you can’t have anymore? Can you buy your staff lunch remotely? Can you send them a dozen donuts? Can you recognize on all-staff emails the amazing things people are doing to support each other? Maybe these things are out of reach normally or feel awkward, but these are extraordinary times. I guarantee that investing in doing extra things to show that you care and that you are there (even for laid off employees) will be more appreciated today than any past office picnic ever was. These little things include just reaching our one-on-one to ask how someone is doing and thank them for their hard work, dedication, or just hanging in there.
Crisis is scary but it also creates opportunity. An opportunity to learn new things, to pivot, to bond. Don’t get me wrong, nothing can make good of this horrible situation, but we can work to make it better. We can help our employees see challenges to overcome that might also have silver linings.
This is where your leadership comes in. Inspiration is the antidote to fear. Your employees need thoughtful, inspired leadership that helps them see the light. Perhaps start with your own search around how to reframe coronavirus not as something happening TO you, but as something happening that is a challenge FOR you to overcome.
Share your personal journey and thinking. Tell people how you are finding the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Inspire them by communicating how we can try to rebuild our post-COVID world stronger and better. This is the time for our words to be powerful, to raise people up. Help them see possibilities. Give them hope. Remind them that we will get through this.
Stories are also powerful. They are how we, as humans, make sense of the world. Tell your people real stories about the good, positive things that are happening to help counterbalance all the bad news. More than 2,000 Ohio manufacturers have stepped up to make protection equipment for frontline workers! If that’s not a powerful good news story I don’t know what is.
Together, we make the things that keep people safe. We make the things that run the world. That’s important. And a real reason to be proud about getting back to work. If we can make our pride bigger than our fear, we will successfully navigate this crisis together.
Governor DeWine is officially “re-opening” Ohio manufacturing as of May 4th. The rules outlined here are the main guidance required to qualify to re- open at this time.
The governor said the use of face coverings is no longer mandatory. But it remains a strong recommendation, he and Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said.
Ohio Manufacturers' Association, (OMA) has confirmed that face coverings has been moved from a mandated action to a "recommended best practice" under the administration's safety guidance for manufacturers.
The guidelines continue to reinforce most of the things manufacturers are already doing such as creating six foot distances between employees, encouraging working from home if you can, requiring regular handwashing, staggering or limiting the arrivals of employees and guests, daily symptom checking, and mandating daily disinfections.
Based on our health and safety experts, sometimes face shields may be most appropriate as face coverings and sometimes face masks – depending on your workplace needs. Both will provide some protection from spreading the virus through sneezes, breathing, etc. Neither provides full protection, of course, like an N95 mask might. Cotton masks may be disadvantageous in loud environments where mouth movements are important or when potential hazards involving masks potentially getting stuck in machinery is an issue. Consider what will work best for your plant and your people.
MAGNET and the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, along with Ohio MEP, have been setting up earmarked stockpiles of cotton face masks and face shields ready for purchase by manufacturers so they won’t face shortages and can continue to stay safe and open. We will share more information about how to purchase these cotton masks and face shields soon. Meantime, you can purchase protective equipment through the Exchange and we encourage you to do so if you find products that meet your needs.
We’re seeing many manufacturers going above and beyond to keep employees safe and it’s tremendous to see our industry rising to the challenge and raising the bar on safety. If you want to learn more about best practices you can read MAGNET’s advice here: Ways to Keep Your Manufacturing Employees Virus-Free at Work.Many of you have likely received your Payroll Protection Program (PPP) funds from the Small Business Administration. If you haven’t, the second round will hopefully be your opportunity. There is still a tremendous amount unknown about this grant, particularly about how forgiveness will work. New details and new questions emerge almost every day. Here is an informative Forbes article that delves into some of the complexities of this grant that haven’t yet been worked out.
Meanwhile, there are things you can do to help well-position your company for loan forgiveness. We make no guarantees that these will work or be required, but they are what many lawyers are recommending, and many manufacturers are currently doing. We appreciate that some of this advice might be overkill, but sometimes better safe than sorry:
The Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19 (website here) has been hard at work helping manufacturers retool and repurpose to make Personal Protection Equipment for frontline workers. We have had successes (such as helping make one million testing swabs and one million reusable face shields), and dozens of other companies have retooled to make many other desperately need products.
To help get this equipment in the hands of those who need it, we have set up a new online marketplace called the Ohio Emergency PPE Maker’s Exchange. It’s primarily designed for smaller purchases of PPE from retooled or repurposed manufacturers. Please share this exchange link with anyone you know who is in need of PPE, especially as reopening begins and all manufacturing workers will need protective equipment. These products are made through the ingenuity, hard-work, and perseverance of so many Ohio manufacturers and we should all be very proud to support them.
Cash is king: Do you know if you have enough? If you come up short, reach out to your bank to try and leverage your line of credit.
Do “zero-based budgeting.” Examine your entire P&L to determine what is essential vs. non-essential. Then look at headcount; who are your A-players? Do whatever you can to keep them, even if they aren’t productive right now. They are impossibly hard to find, so do whatever it takes.
And, if after you leverage your line of credit you still don’t have enough, check out:
SBA’s disaster relief loans (up to $2M) –we have more information we can share if you need it. Click here for more information and see below:
Simply put, consult your lawyer and insurance broker at the same time to see how you are covered for business interruptions or employee issues. This is a complex topic spanning multiple forms of insurance, each potentially with its own (often unclear) definition of what triggers a reimbursable loss (e.g., what if you have to shut down based on exposure versus actual COVID-19 infections?) Having this discussion now, sets you up to have your proverbial ducks in a row in case you are impacted.
Click here for more details.
We consulted the experts in labor law for a look at “Labor and Employment Laws in a COVID-19 World.” This information comes directly from Kastner, Westman & Wilkins, LLC. For more information feel free to email Tom Green at tgreen@kwwlaborlaw.com.
Below are some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the employment challenges manufacturers are facing. What follows is not legal advice, but instead general guidance relating to the current pandemic. Always consult legal counsel with questions about specific employment decisions impacting your workplace.
Labor & Employment Laws in a COVID-19 World
Below are some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the employment challenges manufacturers are facing. What follows is not legal advice, but instead general guidance relating to the current pandemic. Always consult legal counsel with questions about specific employment decisions impacting your workplace.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Congress enacted the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”) that governs many aspects of paid leave during this crisis. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the Act, who is covered, and how to administer its requirements. What follows is not legal advice, but instead is general guidance relating to the Act. Always consult legal counsel with questions about specific employment decisions impacting your workplace.
What Is “Close Contact” and What to Do after Coming in Close Contact with an Infected Person?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns that individuals that came in close contact with an infected person are at risk for contracting COVID-19 and should remain at home to limit the spread of the disease. For COVID-19, the CDC defines “close contact” as being about six feet from an infected person for a prolonged period while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment. Close contact also includes having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case like being coughed on.
There is no identifiable risk for individuals that had brief interactions with an infected person such as walking past the infected person. However, individuals that shared the same indoor environment (e.g. an office or conference room) with an infected person for a prolonged period are at a low risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19. According to the CDC, those individuals at a low risk are not required to self-isolate unless they begin to experience symptoms associated with COVID-19.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person to-person, including between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the primary way the virus spreads.
If an employee is positive for COVID-19, steps must be taken to immediately prevent further spread of the virus. You should send home all employees who had close contact with that employee for a 14-day period of time to ensure the infection does not spread. If possible, ask the infected employee to identify all individuals who worked in close proximity (within six feet) with them in the previous 14 days to ensure you have a full list of those who should be sent home. When sending the employees home, do not identify by name the infected employee or you could risk a violation of confidentiality laws.
After the infected employee is removed from the facility, employers should close off areas used by that person. If possible, open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area. Wait 24 hours (or as long as possible) before you clean or disinfect. Researchers have found that the virus that causes COVID-19 is detectable for up to three hours in aerosols, meaning an infected person’s sneeze or cough could leave particles of the virus floating in the air hours later. After the waiting period, clean and disinfect all areas used by the infected person, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls, and ATM machines.
If you have more questions, please contact the author of this advice, Tom Green, at tgreen@kwwlaborlaw.com.
The CARES Act provides for a loan of up to 2.5X your average monthly payroll including to help pay for 8 weeks of payroll, healthcare, rent and utilities – you need to talk to your bank:
You can defer social security tax and may be able to claim tax credits
There is a lot in the new bill to expand and pay for unemployment, this may affect your strategy for retaining people
Each person receiving unemployment will also get $600 more per week from the federal government. This has strategic implications for your company because in Ohio, if someone qualifies for the $600, and if they make under $50,000-60,000 they will likely be making more while on unemployment than working for you for the next 4 months that this benefit from the federal government is in place.Your future rates will likely not go up directly based on the number of people let go in your facility, they will be “mutualized” across all employers. There may be future federal relief so that rates don’t go up too much in the future as well.
(1) The employee is diagnosed with coronavirus,
(2) The employee is experiencing symptoms of coronavirus and is seeking a diagnosis or test,
(3) A member of the employee’s household has been diagnosed with coronavirus,
(4) The employee is caring for a family member or household member who has been diagnosed with coronavirus,
(5) The employee is caring for a child or other household member whose school or daycare facility has been shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic,
(6) The employee is unable to reach his or her workplace due to quarantine imposed as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic,
(7) The employee is unable to reach the place of employment because a health care provider has advised him or her to self-quarantine due to concerns related to coronavirus,
(8) The employee “was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job” as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic
(9) The employee has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household died from coronavirus,
(10) The employee quit his or her job as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, or
(11) The employee’s workplace as closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
You must extend sick leave and in certain cases paid-FMLA if you are under 500 employees, but it will be paid fully by the government – and you need to put up a poster on this now
What are you doing provide accommodations for and comfort to those who are at risk, or those who are fearful of being at risk? What communications are you sending? Are you able to increase the distance your employees need to be near each other? Are you able to make some exceptions for those who may be at risk?
Working remotely may not be an ideal option for most of you. But if some of your team is remote, you should consider a business license to Zoom, WebEx, Skype, or Microsoft Teams which is likely already loaded or available for download if you use Office365. Click on this article for other thoughts on going remote.You can do A LOT to provide a personal touch that helps calm your employees and shows them you respect their efforts and dedication by; being physically present, talking openly about future plans, not having too many closed door meetings, communicating with your staff every day, making sure you know about your employees’ personal concerns (even if all you can do is be empathetic) and ensuring your managers are keeping up with the emotional state of their direct reports.
Oh, and don’t forget that there are some crazy rumors out there. Stop the spread of misinformation by debunking those for your employees. Here are printable lists of myths debunked.
Some manufacturers locally and around the world are going to great lengths to protect themselves and their employees. Here are some of the things that others are doing. Please note that we are giving you the best ideas we have seen to figure out what will work for your company. More details and complete guides can be found here, here, and here.
These are all in addition to the specific guidelines from Ohio's Executive Order that include:
If you are looking for signage to put inside here plant, please click here.
All surfaces are not the same, it’s critical to follow the proper procedure for disinfecting based on the type of surface being disinfected. The specific procedure for disinfecting the variety of surface at your manufacturing facility varies depending upon the type of cleaner you are using (make sure it is EPA registered product against coronavirus and that you leave it on the surface for long enough). One local companies products are sure to do that if you are concerned.
Access the EPA List here.
We exist to serve Northeast Ohio's robust and resilient manufacturing industry, and that can start with you. Please reach out with concerns, and we will do our best to create a solution that is best for your business.
MAGNET is a non-profit consulting group. We grow the manufacturing industry and unlock prosperity in Northeast Ohio. Our practical consulting helps start-ups thrive and small and medium-sized companies transform with technology, innovation, and talent. We create jobs and drive change by collaborating with manufacturing CEOs, governments, community leaders, and educators to solve problems and build opportunities. MAGNET is part of the NIST and Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to support small and medium manufacturers across the US.