Beware the dangers of creating a vaccination divide

More than half of UK employees in a recent survey by Glassdoor said Covid vaccinations should be mandatory for those returning to work, with 14% going so far as to state that they would hand in their notice if they were asked to return to the office before everyone has had the jab.

The poll also found that 68% believe social distancing and wearing masks should remain compulsory until everyone in the office has been vaccinated. Clearly – and understandably – employees want to feel safe when the time comes to go back to the workplace.

This strength of feeling will fuel the debate around “no jab, no job” policies, providing additional impetus for employers seeking to make inoculations mandatory. As things currently stand, the UK Government has not made vaccination a requirement of returning to any workplace, with vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi saying last month that “it’s up to businesses what they do”.

Employers have a legal obligation to ensure staff’s health and safety is not put at risk when coming to work, but given that vaccination isn’t compulsory, is it ethical to demand this as a condition of employment?

Uptake has been high so far, but that was to be expected among the older age groups that have been prioritised to the front of the queue. Younger people will likely be less inclined if they feel they are not at risk of being seriously affected by Covid-19. There is also concern about uptake among ethnic minorities as the spread of online misinformation targeted at these groups has eroded their trust. How all of this will play out in the real world is yet to be seen.

Most employees still do not have a return date. And in terms of practicality, requiring a vaccination would be a difficult policy to implement until the whole of the adult population has been offered the jab.

The best course of action is to engage in a full and frank consultation with staff about timings and policies for returning to the workplace.

Rather than compulsion, employers should focus on providing factual and impartial information, as well as support such as paid time off to attend vaccination appointments.

For those who still choose for medical or other reasons not to be vaccinated, an antagonistic “us versus them” approach is unlikely to sway opinion. Rather than belittling their decision, the far better option is to create an open forum where concerns can be raised and listened to by all sides.

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Posted on March 24, 2021