As we continue to face increasing concerns about COVID-19, many organizations and HR professionals are facing new and unprecedented challenges.
In an effort to help, we are providing free access to our Workforce Health and Safety solution to current Oracle Human Capital Management Cloud customers. This module will help our customers manage key workplace health and safety issues and answer critical response questions, including:
- Who in my organization has been exposed to the virus?
- Have the communal areas of the buildings been appropriately cleaned?
- Do we have adequate supplies for cleaning and for protecting staff?
- How do I reach staff to let them know an incident has occurred?
- Do I need to notify local public health authorities? What data should I share?
- How can I be sure we have followed up on an incident, and implemented corrective action?
Employees can access this information wherever and however they need—from mobile to desktop devices—and we think of this module as an "incident response button". It provides HR professionals and managers with a number of ways to help take the necessary actions to help keep employees safe.
For instance, as a manager, I typically know what to do when someone calls in sick. But under the current circumstances, once I've helped that individual, I also have to think about what I need to do to protect his/her coworkers and the company as a whole.
Our Workforce Health and Safety module helps automate reporting of workplace incidents both now and in the future, as we adapt to heightened health and safety concerns. For example, consider the task of reporting when a conference room hasn't been cleaned overnight. Under ordinary circumstances, such an incident might not be a top priority, but under the current circumstances, it's critically important for it to be reported and for action to be taken immediately.
Once an employee or HR manager reports an incident, the system immediately routes the incident to whoever is assigned to remediate it and act. It also sends an email confirmation to the employee who reported the incident, noting the report has been received and is being acted upon.
In addition to providing an easy, effective, and confidential process for handling health and safety matters, our Workforce Health and Safety module also gives reassurance that reports are being appropriately acted upon.
At Oracle, we are committed to helping our customers get up to speed with Workforce Health and Safety as quickly as possible. We will be providing a white paper with step-by-step instructions for configuring basic incident reporting and will also hold virtual "office hours" through the end of April to assist with configuration.
During this time of unprecedented uncertainty, we want to do everything possible to help and we want you to know that you can continue to count on us to support your changing business needs.
Other Resources
Customers can download and modify sample reports from Customer Connect: https://cloudcustomerconnect.oracle.com/posts/ab7d3058b0
CDC: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html
OSHA: 10 Ways to Get Your Safety Program Started https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/ten-easy-things.html
OSHA: Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/worker-participation.html
Workforce Health & Safety Cloud Service Documentation https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/human-resources/20a/fawhs/index.html
Gretchen Alarcon is group vice president for Oracle's human capital management strategy.
