11 Jun 2020
COVID-19: HOW WE’VE PROTECTED OUR HUMAN RESOURCES
Almost three months have passed since Covid-19 first appeared in Europe, signaling the emergence of a pandemic that has affected the entire world and that is still devastating many nations today.
Because Italy was one of the countries hit first and hardest by the virus, it had to lead the way in implementing measures to contain the pandemic.
To address this complicated situation, Comunello Group promptly appointed Remo Lunardon, a trusted account manager who had been with the company for more than a decade, to take charge of procedures relating to the Covid-19 emergency.
Today, now that some time has passed, we have asked him about the steps taken, in order to share how the company has responded to this unprecedented challenge.
It was a very difficult time for businesses, as they faced a precarious balancing act in their efforts to both protect workers’ health and ensure economic survival.
REMOTE WORKING
The company had never adopted remote working arrangements before, but this did not discourage employees and managers, who in just a few days moved their “offices” to their homes.
The response to this new approach was 95% positive, with the exception of some R&D units that require very complex and bandwidth-heavy software that is difficult to manage remotely.
An involuntary choice for the moment but an opportunity for the future.
SOCIALLY DISTANCED PRODUCTION
Space is not lacking in the companies of Comunello Group; in fact, the five manufacturing plants cover a total area of 40.000 square meters.
And the production work processes, fortunately, do not require close interaction between individuals.
Nevertheless, the company immediately made available all the personal protective equipment — such as masks, disposable gloves and hand sanitizer — necessary to respond to this new emergency.
TRAINING AND MONITORING
The new government guidelines were promptly translated into internal operational plans to ensure worker safety and the continuity of production.
All workers were given a document outlining all the rules, but for greater clarity, especially for the production department, in-person training sessions were organized as well.
The company continues to apply rigorous health and safety measures, which range from temperature checks at the plant entrance to continuous monitoring of the distance between individuals and the use of personal protective equipment.
NEW SPACES AND FLEXIBLE HOURS
In the companies of Comunello Group there are many common areas for employees, including the cafeteria, changing rooms, bathrooms and break areas.
In these extraordinary circumstances it was necessary to rethink the use of all these spaces, limiting access and adjusting working hours and break times.
It was and is a difficult and complex situation, but one that was addressed quickly. This made it possible to reduce plant closures to the absolute minimum.
Good job, Remo!