Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1250070
21.05.2020 9 OPINION Kevin-James Fenech Kevin is the founder and owner of JOB Search - jobsearch.mt and FENCI Consulting fenci.eu. He is a management consultant and business advisor by profession, focusing on strategy, human resources and recruitment. He has a passion for anything related to business and has written about the topic for over 10 years in most major newspapers or journals I think the workplace will change radically in the not too distant future. e COVID hysteria will accelerate the revolution of the workplace. I am not referring to short-term or quick fixes such as perspex walls or face masks; I am thinking of more permanent and long-lasting changes. Allow me to try and peer into the future: • Walking into an office building will involve 'sanitation tunnels' and mist sprays to sanitise all incoming persons; • Guest health 'screening' and detailed logging of visitors; • Hygiene stations will be locat- ed all over the office; • Wayfinding which directs in- ternal foot traffic for one way circulation; • Touchless sensors everywhere i.e. office lighting, doors, flush- ing, etc, all activated by move- ment and not hands; • e use of smartphone apps and/or voice technology to control or operate all electron- ic devices at the office; • Virtual meetings or roofed 'open air' meetings becoming the standard; • Desks which are 2m (in radi- us) apart and using materials that can withstand industrial grade disinfectant meaning wooden desks will be out and laminates or equivalent in; • Solution dyed floor coverings which can withstand heavy duty cleaning materials and do not absorb germs or viruses; e office will look, smell and feel more like a sterile hospital; • Ultraviolet devices on every workstation enabling employ- ees to clean smart phones, iPads, keyboards, basically any electronic/technological device; • Air-conditioning for office buildings will require major re-engineering to avoid the risk of community infection. I am here thinking of EPA (High-efficiency Particulate Air) filters incorporated with high-energy ultraviolet light units to kill bacteria and virus- es. Also office air changes per hour will be increased to en- sure higher standards; • e 40 hour, five day a week, office routine being replaced with 3 days at the workplace followed by 4 days working remotely from 'home' and managing your own 'working hours' or similar variations with weekends becoming a blur; In addition, staggered starting/finishing working hours so as to evenly spread the inflow/outflow of employ- ees over several hours rather than concentrating all at the same time. is could be the biggest change to the work- place and could mean that the physical office is open 16 hours+ a day so as to accom- modate this flow of people at staggered intervals; • 'Tracingtogether' Apps will (unfortunately) become the norm and refusal to consent could mean you simply can't work; • Fashion in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) becoming big business allowing employ- ees to personalise and custom- ise their PPE's thereby allow- ing individualism to continue to thrive without compromis- ing on safety although I am sure the dreaded 'face mask' will not be part of future PPE equipment since in its current form it simply doesn't offer the protection people think it does; I am more thinking of the 'work' clothes we wear incorporating safety measures and made out of materials that protects us from germs and viruses. is could also mean the death of the suit and tie in favour of a Star Trek type work outfit; • Immunity certificates will be a must to start a new job or keep your existing job and such certificates will need to be re- newed periodically, say every two three years. is also begs the question, if other 'health screening' will make its way into recruitment and employ- ee retention; • I think every company above a certain scale or size will need to appoint a Chief Health & Safety Officer (CHSO) as per law. I think it will be a legal ob- ligation to have a CHSO and if your company is too small you'll have to outsource this function to external experts. I see this function together with Risk Management being absorbed by the CHSO and developed much further. I think banks, insurers and/or regulators will be as interested in Financial Statements as in Risk Management & Business Continuity Plans. Ultimately, I'd like to think that this is an opportunity to make the place of work even better than it was; even safer; and more fun, since people would slip in and out seamlessly from home to work and back. I hope all parties are winners in this new reality; the employer and the employees. My only concern is that with this 'new normal' , however, pri- vacy and personal data might be sacrificed and technology would yet again steal more control from our personal lives. I know con- tract tracing apps will contain an- onymised data but I wonder if this is completely full proof. As much as public health is im- portant we must always bear in mind that there are other con- siderations most notably peoples' liberty. Never underestimate the importance of liberty ! My final recommendation is that when redesigning the work- place, and consulting public health officials, we can only miti- gate the risk of COVID or equiva- lent since complete elimination is a Utopian dream. So let's grasp the opportunity to make work fun and make every- one more engaged, productive and serene but let's aim to miti- gate rather than eliminate. The workplace post-COVID Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 "Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges" Advert part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Co-financing rate: Public Eligible (80% European Union; 20% National Funds) ANNOUNCEMENT – 20th May 2020 Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Open Rolling Calls – Cut-off dates Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges The Measures and Support Division within the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, designated by the Managing Authority for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 as the Intermediate Body responsible for administering aid schemes for enterprises under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014 – 2020, would like to announce further cut-off dates until end November 2020 for the submission of applications under the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes intiative. The cut-off dates for all open Calls until end November 2020 are set at noon of the following dates: • Call 1 - Business Enhance RD&I Grant Scheme - Measure 1 Feasibility Studies • Call 2 - Business Enhance RD&I Grant Scheme - Measure 2 Research & Development Projects • Call 3 - Business Enhance RD&I Grant Scheme - Measure 3 Investment in Research Infrastructures • Call 4 - Business Enhance RD&I Grant Scheme - Measure 4 Process Innovation • Call 1 - e-Commerce Grant Scheme • Call 3 - SME Growth Grant Scheme • Call 3 - Start-up Investment Grant Scheme • Call 1 - SME Diversification and Innovation Grant Scheme • Call 1 - SME Internationalisation Grant Scheme • Call 2 - SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme 29 May 30 June 31 July 31 August 30 September 30 October 30 November In addition to the above, the following open Calls have mid-monthly cut-off dates set at noon of the following dates: • Call 1 - e-Commerce Grant Scheme • Call 2 - SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme 17 June 17 July 12 August 16 September 16 October 13 November Further information on these calls including the respective Guidance Notes and the Guidelines for Implementation may be obtained from https://businessenhance.gov.mt or by contacting the Measures and Support Division on msd.mfea@gov.mt or 2295 7110.