Covid-19 Delta outbreak | Matt Cowley: Employers must get ready for Covid's arrival in Tauranga

Covid-19 is coming and Tauranga businesses should prepare. Photo / George Novak

OPINION

The Government's announcement that it will underwrite New Zealand's major events up to $200 million indicates it will open up Waikato and Auckland shortly.

As new cases of Delta are being announced in the Waikato each day, it's just a matter of time before a Delta case settles itself in Tauranga.

New Zealanders are joining the rest of the world in learning to live with Covid-19.

There is hope among the business community here that we enter the new 'traffic light' framework before Delta arrives. The new framework is much more flexible than the blunt and wide-ranging restrictions of alert level three.

Businesses need to be preparing for the new 'traffic light' framework. You need to check whether your business type is mandated by the Government to restrict entrance to vaccinated people only. This includes customers, staff and, most likely, suppliers and tradespeople as well.

If your business type is excluded from the mandated list, you can choose whether you volunteer to require vaccine passes for people to enter your premises. Those who choose to require vaccination passes will be less restricted under 'red light' scenarios than those who do not.

Employers must ensure they follow the Government's new risk assessment to help them decide whether you should mandate your staff to be vaccinated. If you follow the risk assessment, and you need to eventually let go of any unvaccinated employees, then the chances of employment grievances are significantly reduced.

You need to be a good faith employer, consider alternatives and allow people to get vaccinated during work time. There is also a grace period that allows unvaccinated staff to come back to work if they later choose to get vaccinated.

When Delta arrives, you should prepare for scenarios that might affect your business, such as when key staff need to self-isolate, which will put pressure on your remaining staff to cover the workload. In times of uncertainty and pressure, you should prepare for how you will communicate regularly with your team.

I strongly recommend that employers do some bedtime reading on the Government's employment website on how to manage their workplace during the outbreak. There are also good tips from local experts on the Tauranga Chamber website.

As always, seek expert advice before making permanent decisions. Remember, lawyers and unions will be watching out for employers who use Covid-19 as a covert opportunity to get rid staff for reasons that are not Covid-related.

- Matt Cowley is the chief executive for Tauranga Chamber of Commerce