Covid-19 and the Workplace: How Employers Can Continue to Protect Staff

Although the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic are no longer in place, companies still have a statutory duty to ensure the health and safety of their employees. As of 2026, workplace Covid-19 policies have transitioned to an endemic approach, focusing on promoting general health and safety, fostering shared responsibility, and encouraging voluntary preventive practices. While the general health of employees is their responsibility, there are certain steps employers can take to help protect their staff, including getting employees the Covid vaccine for the workplace.

Update Risk Assessments and Policies

• Risk assessments: Although Covid-19 risk assessments are no longer mandatory, you can still incorporate respiratory infections into your general health and safety assessments. By doing so, you can minimise the risk of infections spreading in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive offers guidance to help employers keep their employees healthy and safe while at the workplace.
• Company policies: You need to ensure your company stays flexible, especially when it comes to the management of high-absence scenarios. To achieve this, make sure you regularly review your company’s policies regarding sick leave, flexible remote working, and attendance.
• Focus on vulnerable individuals: To prevent discrimination, it is important to regularly review and update your policies and procedures to better support employees with disabilities, or those at greater risk from infectious diseases.
• Reporting procedures: Make sure your company’s managers are able to recognise symptoms and fully understand the procedures for reporting sickness.

Support Flexible Working and Open Communication

• Hybrid working: The Covid-19 lockdowns forced companies to make alternative arrangements that allowed employees to work from home where possible. Today, remote and hybrid working arrangements are a highly effective way in which employers can reduce the risk of spreading infections.
• Communication: Keeping your staff in the loop with actions being taken to ensure their safety at the workplace is a must. Not knowing what’s happening could cause employees to feel frustrated, it’s best to make sure that you keep communication open at all times.

Mental Wellbeing and Occupational Health

• Mental health care: The pandemic had a major impact on people’s mental health, particularly the anxiety employees experienced when they had to return to the workplace. Ensure that you offer staff support services that can address any concerns they may have.
• Covid vaccines for the workplace: When it comes to occupational health and safety of employees, Covid vaccines are still considered the best way to help protect individuals against Covid-19, which can be a life-threatening illness. If the employees have already received the Covid vaccine, you can encourage the uptake of booster vaccinations. To make the process of getting vaccinated easier for your employees, organise and pay for an on site vaccination clinic to visit your premises. It is, however, important that you make employees aware that these corporate vaccines are voluntary and that employees are under no obligation to get the vaccine if they do not wish to.

Basic Workplace Safety and Hygiene

• Hygiene practices: Hygiene is always vital, especially in areas where larger groups of individuals interact on a daily basis, like at the workplace. To maintain a high standard of hygiene, it is imperative that high-traffic areas and surfaces are cleaned on a daily basis. Also, encourage staff to regularly wash or sanitise their hands.
• Workplace ventilation: One of the most effective and non-intrusive ways to reduce the risk of transmitting airborne viruses is by improving ventilation. Therefore, ensure there is adequate ventilation, particularly in enclosed spaces.

Are Your Staff Protected Against Covid-19?

While the number of Covid-19 cases are much lower than during the pandemic, the virus is still doing the rounds, with reported hospitalisations in England highlighting the importance of continued vaccination. If you want to better protect the health and safety of your employees against Covid-19, contact our team today. Our specialist team of clinicians will come to your premises to ensure your employees get vaccinated in a simple, fast, and efficient way. We can vaccinate up to 80 people per booking and assist with large-scale vaccination requirements through multiple bookings, should you wish.