NNews-Spring-2022

20 N JAMHAA thanks the members who shared their organizations’ experiences with COVID-19 and strategies they developed to address challenges that the pandemic introduced. Please share examples of changes to workforce policies that weremade due to the pandemic and their impact. Angela G. Mallon, Vice President of Human Resources, CarePlus New Jersey: “We implemented a travel policy for COVID-related issues; a policy for providing proof of weekly COVID testing; and a requirement to report any illness that looks like COVID prior to reporting to work.” Theresa Cortina, RPh, New Jersey Director of Pharmacy, Aetna Better Health of NJ: “There are a few things that stand out among changes that were made to our workforce policies as a result of the pandemic:  “Over 50% of our staff has had their location statuses changed by their supervisors to permanently work from home.  Other than executive leadership and the distribution center, no employee is in the office five days a week. We have moved to a permanent hybrid model alternating every other week of a three-day or a two-day in the office work week with the alternate days remote. As a result of having fewer employees on site, real estate leases have been termed with office closures or floor reductions.  All Board rooms are at half capacity.  All employees, regardless of their location status, must be fully vaccinated in order to continue employment.” Howhas the pandemic affected staff morale andwhat strategies are you implementing to increase and maintainmorale? Jerry Starr, LCSW, Executive Director, Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon andWarren Counties: “Staff morale has been a concern since the start of the pandemic. To help the staff continue to feel supported and connected to the agency and each other, we increased our Zoom clinical meetings to two times a month from one time a month. We also instituted a ‘coffee Members Share Views and Strategies Related to COVID’s Impact Spring 2022