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C) After the first wave
Recovery stage
66. After the first wave it will be vital to allow staff sufficient time and space to recover. However, the possibility of a second wave of a pandemic occurring has to be kept in mind and preparations made to cope with such an eventuality. There should be a formal way of recognizing the contribution staff have made during what will have been an extremely challenging period.
67. Once the pandemic is officially over, those staff that have been working beyond contracted hours should be given compensatory leave where appropriate. Annual leave requests should be reviewed. The provisions of the Working Time Regulations will need to be reinstated and any "opt outs" rescinded. Where staff have taken on new tasks these will need to be evaluated and discussion take place on whether they should be developed into longer term changes if they have had benefits.
68. Any disciplinary or grievance issues will need to be followed up using agreed local procedures. It is likely that this will take some time and it is vital that a "no blame" culture is maintained and due account taken of the circumstances that prevailed during the pandemic. A system for learning from any adverse events needs to be put in place.
69. It is likely that demand for occupational health, counseling and staff support services may increase after the pandemic has finished. Sickness absence levels may also continue to be higher than normal as stress related and other repressed conditions emerge. Emotional stresses may also come to the surface. Staff are likely to be tired and may need some time before they can return to ordinary performance and this should be taken into account.
70. It is essential to sustain morale during this period and learn any lessons from the first wave of the pandemic. For example could plans be strengthened, were gaps in training exposed and how flexible were they? It is not clear at what stage ordinary working would resume and in particular when targets would be re-imposed. Organisations do however need to plan to be able to resume normal working within two to three months of the end of the pandemic.
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