How do you strike a balance of freedom of choice versus collective good of the people – getting vaccinated? Last month, Australian fruit and vegetable manufacturer SPC took the step as being the first Australian company to mandate vaccinations for all onsite personnel who wish to enter their workplace.
Chief Executive, Robert Giles, spoke about the mandate saying the decision was made “Not only to protect our staff but to protect the food supply for the country”.
This move sparked a national debate – can, and should employers make the COVID-19 vaccination a requirement for those who wish to continue working?
Telstra has recently followed suit, reporting that they will mandate the vaccination for around 8,300 of their customer-facing staff, only assessing exceptions on the base of medical grounds.
We are seeing this trend over in Papua New Guinea as well. What started as education sessions, followed by 100-kina ($40) incentives, the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby handed out bonuses to their staff for doing the right thing. That was in July, now come September, we are seeing our own Peopleconnexion PNG unable to conduct site visits to certain clients in PNG unless fully vaccinated.
Mandatory vaccinations aren’t a new notion. By public health orders, many workers in sectors such as health care and aged care have had to comply with mandated vaccinations due to working in high-risk environments.
If we look at other countries around the world, France for example, has taken a ‘no jab, no play’ approach which of course gained negative responses to begin with. However, France has balanced giving citizens the right of choice and adequately assessing risk. Now if you wish to dine out or go to a pub in France, citizens require proof of vaccination to enter.
In fact, this month we will see NSW implement the same approach. With soaring case numbers and incredibly tough lockdowns, those with a vaccine will be able to take advantage of eased restrictions in an effort for citizens to recognise both the physical and mental health impacts the virus has played on the community and ease the risk of increased cases going forward.
From the lens of recruitment, is it possible that vaccination statuses and passports will start creeping into the personal detail’s section of our resumes, or into pre-screening questions? How will this play out in a market that is largely in a drought of talent? From one perspective, will a company forego mandating a vaccination for the right fit, and can a candidate bargain for this, or will they still bare the decision of becoming vaccinated for a role that requires it?
Globally, we are seeing businesses comply with COVID-19 health and safety regulations as per government directives and their due diligence, which already poses a number of limitations on people’s everyday lives – so would a mandate be that much of a stretch of freedom?
What are your thoughts on mandatory vaccinations? Do you think vaccine mandates for staff is the way forward?