Expert Opinion: Managing Long COVID in the workplace

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With Covid-19 infections having lost-lasting effects for many, Hallidays’ HR Director Liz Chiva shares her advice for managing Long COVID in the workplace.

With cases of long COVID on the rise, it is important for businesses to know how to recognise the symptoms and what practical support employers and managers can provide.

As the pandemic evolves, we face the reality of dealing with coronavirus long-term. Businesses are moving from prevention to support. This is certainly the case with instances of long COVID which are on the rise, causing some employees to suffer from long-term, debilitating, side effects that impact them at work.

What is Long COVID?

‘Long COVID’ refers to the ongoing ill-health experienced by some people following the initial or acute period of the COVID-19 infection. For many people, COVID-19 is a short illness. However, for others, symptoms can persist and can be debilitating for weeks, or even months, after the virus is contracted.

Symptoms can vary significantly between sufferers, but typically include:

• Fatigue, or extreme tiredness
• Breathlessness and difficulty in breathing
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Racing pulse
• Joint and muscle pain
• Loss of taste or smell
• Nausea and vomiting
• Prolonged fever
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Balance problems
• Skin rashes
• ‘Brain fog’ – not being able to concentrate or think clearly
• Anxiety and depression

A local business owner, Stuart Bradley, suffered with at least 8 of these 15 symptoms: all post COVID, some appearing slowly over the two-month period since his initial diagnosis. He describes his experience in more detail here, both in an article and a video interview below: 

How do I manage and support employees suffering with long COVID?

Awareness

It’s important to make sure you and your managers recognise the symptoms of the condition, and know where your employees can get help. There are specialist centres and support groups through the NHS that can support your employees with their illness.

Business-wide recognition of the symptoms will mean that your employees can quickly start to receive the support they need, medically, personally, and professionally, particularly as it can exacerbate pre-existing conditions such as asthma.

Management

Doing what you can, as early as you can, will improve outcomes. Your timely intervention will not only help anyone in your team who is experiencing debilitating symptoms but will also ensure that those who are unwell make a fuller, quicker recovery.

You should manage employees suffering from the effects of long COVID in a similar way to employees with other long-term conditions, although some extra considerations may be appropriate.  You should consider the following as part of your management of the illness:

• COVID risk assessments
• Communication over employee concerns about returning to the workplace
• Absence or sickness management process
• Sick pay
• Reasonable adjustments and occupational health
• Permanent health insurance (PHI), employer’s liability or income protection insurance covering employees on long-term sick leave

Is long Covid a disability?

Employees with long COVID may have a disability, so you should consider what adjustments to duties, working from home or working hours could help them return to working or the workplace. Flexible working may be needed as people may be able to work better on some days than on others, as with those diagnosed with ME.

You should avoid treating employees less favourably because of their high levels of sickness absence as this could be direct disability discrimination or discrimination arising from a disability. Line managers should be educated about how to use sickness absence policies and procedures in a non-discriminatory way. If managers are unsupportive or disengaged regarding any matters resulting from the pandemic then wider workforce relations can be damaged. As long COVID appears more prevalent in specific categories of people; older people, ethnic minorities, and women, employers also must avoid discriminating by age, disability, race or sex.

Read more on the Hallidays website