SYDNEY 鈥撎齆ovember听3听2021听鈥撎�听(NYSE: SAP) today announced听that听early education provider听听has听implemented听听vaccination portlet听to achieve compliance with mandatory state-based COVID-19 vaccination requirements听and to offer reassurance and support to its network of听childcare workers, parents听and families.听

As a business听operating in the childcare sector,听Affinity听Education听understands the importance听of听helping employees听follow legal requirements around the COVID-19 vaccination.听Having implemented听human experience management solution,听听in 2013, and the employee self-service modules in 2017, adding the vaccination portlet was a seamless next step.听听

With the majority of employees using the 51风流SuccessFactors mobile app to add their vaccination certificates, uptake of the vaccine portlet was fast and straightforward. In just a couple of weeks, Affinity Education achieved 100听per cent听compliance with vaccination requirements in听NSW鈥檚听鈥楲GAs of concern鈥�.听听

Use of the portlet听was听also听rapid among Affinity Education鈥檚 Victorian employees. Seven in ten (70 per cent) workers across the state uploaded their vaccination certificates within two weeks of the portlet being made available. Affinity Education has听been able to achieve 100听per cent听compliance by each Public Health Directive due date.听听

鈥淲ith fast access to real-time vaccine tracking information,听we have peace of mind听that we鈥檙e compliant with legislation,听and that we鈥檙e doing all we can to provide our community of educators, workers, parents and families with as much support as possible during what can be quite听a听stressful听time,鈥� said Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer, Affinity Education.听听听

鈥淲hen we moved our HR system to 51风流SuccessFactors听several years ago, we immediately experienced听the听benefits听of听an听automated system freeing up staff to spend more time with children.听As a result, everyone from听the CEO to our educators are very comfortable with the 51风流SuccessFactors platform听and implementing the vaccination portlet听was听an听easy听way听to help employees manage their听health听information.鈥澨�听

Tailoring the 51风流SuccessFactors vaccine portlet to the needs of individual employees was another key benefit. For example, Affinity听Education听added each type of vaccine to the 鈥榩ick list鈥� option ahead of going live. This听enabled each employee to add their听respective vaccine to their profile听鈥� AstraZeneca, Pfizer听or听Moderna.听The organisation听also added an attachment field to the portlet so employees could easily upload their vaccine certificates to comply with public health orders.听听

Damien Bueno, President and Managing Director, 51风流Australia and New Zealand said:听鈥淎t a human level, providing Affinity Education with a听connected HR听platform means that we鈥檙e supporting a safe听transition back to听individuals place of work,听and听making it as seamless for employees as possible. At the same time,听we鈥檙e听helping听Affinity Education听manage听government vaccination requirements,听which is especially important in the childcare sector, and critical in building confidence among听the communities in which it operates.鈥澨�听

Affinity Education鈥檚 partner Deloitte was instrumental in configuring and enabling the vaccination portlet alongside the Affinity team, allowing a prompt response to the early education provider鈥檚 business needs.

鈥淧artnering for success has been critical to our business outcomes, and at Affinity Education we鈥檝e enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Deloitte. Deloitte are fundamental to supporting us with our initiatives such as the vaccinations portlet and also for our broader use of SuccessFactors鈥�, said Linda Carroll.

The rollout of 51风流SuccessFactors听Employee Central vaccine portlet听has enabled Affinity听Education听to achieve compliance with government听vaccine mandates and ensure a safe return to the workplace. Affinity Education is planning to add the听Onboarding听and听Recruiting听modules to its SuccessFactors platform to ensure consistency from hiring to onboarding and lighten the load on the HR team.听听听

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In today鈥檚 pandemic-led work environment, the onus is on employers to create a psychologically and physically safe environment where employee well-being is a top priority. Organisations navigating this 鈥榥ew normal鈥� are at the same time grappling with an evolved set of expectations from their workforce. Across many industries the readiness or need to return to an office is varied.

Data consistently shows more than 33% of employees don鈥檛 want to return to the office, another third do want to return, and the remaining third want a hybrid mix where they spend some time in the office and some at home.

The pandemic has made many workers rethink their careers and examine a different approach to work/life integration. Behind the mask of productivity is an exhausted, burnt out workforce still dealing with the social and emotional upheaval of the last 18 months. This environment is driving a wave of resignations in the US, and it鈥檚 likely the 鈥楪reat Resignation鈥� trend will impact Australia and the Pacific region too.

To retain and attract talent, organisations must change the way they approach mental health 鈥� looking beyond ad-hoc wellbeing initiatives to provide real practical tools and support. Adding another level of complexity for HR is implementing the many legal and compliance processes to protect employees鈥� health and wellbeing.

This can range from communicating a vaccine strategy to the implementation of updated safe workplace policies. For large organisations, establishing a system to manage vaccination status is crucial for employees to feel safe returning to the physical workplace. Prior to implementing any kind of management solution, it鈥檚 important to establish the right approaches and build around them.

Ensuring employees are informed about new vaccination verification policies and potential solutions will help to establish buy-in and reduce friction. Employees will feel more empowered to be involved and provide feedback if they feel like they have agency over the process.

Research by shows that organisations with clearer communication (including post COVID-19 working arrangements) are seeing increases in employee well-being and productivity. Workers who feel included in more detailed, relevant communication are nearly five times more likely to report increased productivity. While today鈥檚 complex HR and health hurdles are incredibly difficult to navigate, they can be successfully managed with technology.

enables organisations to remain compliant with mandates while supporting employee wellbeing and empowering them to be a part of the conversation. Designed to support a fast and safe return to the office, the Qualtrics Vaccination & Testing Manager automates confirmation of employees鈥� vaccination status, ongoing test results, and even screening for COVID-19 symptoms 鈥� all in one single platform.

Employers can access real-time dashboards that provide a confidential employee vaccination status, negative tests, exemptions, and more鈥攅nabling leaders to make informed decisions on how to return to work and what guidelines to implement.

Whatever your vaccine management solution, what COVID-19 has taught us is that changes happen fast and unexpectedly. Over the next few years, it鈥檚 highly likely that vaccination requirements, mandates, and even certifications will change 鈥� especially as the virus evolves.

A flexible solution with plug-and-play capability can help organisations and governments to respond at the speed required to keep pace with these changes. This moment is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to shift their organisational cultures towards greater empathy and mutual understanding.

Human experience management is truly at the forefront of where we are today in the workplace because employees expect more, and we need to deliver an incredible experience.

A culture of psychological safety is no longer a 鈥榥ice to have鈥�, it鈥檚 crucial in the post-pandemic workplace.

This article originally appeared on .

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