Making COVID-19 vaccination part of your workplace wellness program may offer benefits to you and your employees. To aid in keeping their workplace healthy, employers can consider offering free, onsite COVID-19 vaccinations at work locations.
This HR Insights article provides an overview of guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for workplace vaccination programs. As of this writing, vaccine programs are not yet available to many employers, depending on the type of organization and guidance from local officials. However, vaccination programs will extend to additional workplaces as vaccine availability increases, meaning that employers should begin planning accordingly. Employers should continue to monitor CDC guidance and follow direction from local health officials.
Providing COVID-19 Vaccines to Your Employees
Some workplaces may be able to offer a COVID-19 vaccination program on-site. However, if your organization can’t offer COVID-19 vaccinations onsite, or if your state or jurisdiction has determined that your organization is not a suitable location at this time, you can encourage employees to seek COVID-19 vaccination in their community and provide them with information about where they can get the vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccination Program Benefits
Vaccination programs can offer benefits to workplaces. For employers, these potential benefits include:
- Improved workforce health by helping prevent employees from getting COVID-19
- Reduced absences due to illness
- Reduced time missed from work to get vaccinated
- Improved productivity
- Improved morale
For employees, potential benefits include:
- Prevented COVID-19 illness
- Reduced absences and doctor visits due to illness
- Offered convenience
- Improved morale
Implementing a Workplace COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Employers considering implementing a workplace COVID-19 vaccination program should contact the health department in their jurisdiction for guidance. The planning process for hosting a workplace COVID-19 vaccination program should include input from management, HR, employees and labor representatives, as appropriate. Important preliminary steps include obtaining senior management support, identifying a vaccine coordinator, and enlisting expertise from local public health authorities, occupational health providers and pharmacies.
