Your Chamber at Work - May 11, 2020

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

One of the questions we’ve heard several times from contacts to our Return to Workplace Help Desk is “When are most companies going back to the workplace?” So we polled our Chamber Board members at a special meeting this past Friday, and this is what we found out:

• 41 percent said they were returning June 1.
• 18 percent were already open.
• Nine percent said they’d been open all along.
• Nine percent said May 15.
• Nine percent said June 15.

The vast majority – 91 percent – said they were planning a staggered return of their workforce. Fifty-five percent said they were working on their reopening plan while 45 percent said they’d developed and shared a plan with their employees.

Several Board members said they were surveying their employees to determine their comfort level in returning to work, and were making accommodations for those in the high-risk category or living with someone in that category. Many mentioned the safety measures they were putting in place – providing masks, Plexiglas shields, moving chairs and furniture for social distancing, and temperature checks for employees before and after work.

Finally, the CEO of one of our local health systems told us to spread this message: as we open back up, especially in large locations, we need to wear a mask. Period.

Be safe and remember we are here to help in any way we can.

CHILD CARE RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

Schools are closed. Summer camps are cancelled. Parents and caregivers are returning to the workplace. Families will need access to child care if we want our community to return successfully. Click the link to take the child care assessment needs survey now. It is open to all employees of all businesses. The KC Chamber, Mid-America Regional Council, and The Family Conservancy developed the survey to get a better idea of the need for families across Greater KC. Child care providers welcoming kids back will also need help. The KC Chamber is here to help providers work through the loan and grant application process, facilitate relationships with lenders, and help you understand exactly what federal and local resources are available. Providers should contact Danielle Isbell at isbell@kcchamber.com for help.

HEALTHY KC NETWORKING FORUM: LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

Join us Wednesday, May 13 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for Leadership Behaviors – The Critical Factor for Increased Workforce Well-Being, Engagement, and Performance. Dan McDonough, President, Kansas City Chapter, Academy of Culture Ambassadors will moderate a panel focused on behavioral-based leadership, and why it’s the key to achieving highly engaged, healthy employees. Panelists include Sean Sullivan, JD, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM) and its WorkPlace Wellness Alliance; Pat Combs, Senior Vice President Consulting, Teamalytics; Jack Bastable, President & Founder, Vital Leadership, LLC. Register now for this free event.

ONLINE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING

Spend Friday morning with your fellow KC Chamber members -- online. Our virtual Neighborhood Networking sessions have been a helpful way to stay connected to your colleagues, friends, and to make new connections even as many physical workplaces remain closed. Register here for the Friday, May 15 networking, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Make sure your coffee cup is full! Special thanks to the KC Chamber's 2020 networking sponsors: Mazuma, SS&C, and Sprint.

WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH: CONTINUE THE CHAT

About six months after the KC Chamber and Healthy KC launched the Workplace Mental Health Assessment, the results are more important than ever. Join Healthy KC and Nancy Spangler, President of Spangler and Associates, on Wednesday, May 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. to learn the full results of the assessment. Hear from local businesses as they share their own success stories and best practices. Learn how to strengthen mental health resources in your own workplace, and how you can support your employees. Register here to continue the chat.