The emergence of the novel coronavirus has led to an unprecedented universal sabbatical from common human behaviour. It is now ‘illegal’ to shake hands or to even sit close to people we would often snuggle close to. Workplaces have not been spared either. Companies have had to find ways to adapt to the scourge of the pandemic and change their office operations while ensuring business does not come to a halt. While at it, many of them are taking measures to safeguard their workforce from total decimation. Covid-19 has so far infected more than 1.7 million globally, killing around 100,000. In Kenya, 7 out of the close to 200 confirmed have succumbed. Kenya Airways has been one of those hardest hit by the scare, with the airline staring at massive losses amid a possible total business shutdown. Last month, KQ announced that its employees would have to make do with pay cuts of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent, depending on their level, with low cadre employees being handed a slight reprieve and taking the lower cuts. The middle level staff would have to incur a 50 per cent cut. Staff would also be required to take unpaid days off work. “With effect from April 1, 2020, all employees at grade H06 and above will be on a one-week paid and three weeks’ unpaid leave. All employees at H05 and below will be on two weeks paid and two weeks’ unpaid leave,” Chief Executive, Allan Kilavuka, told staff. “If you are required to be on duty, you will be on 25 per cent or 50 per cent pay subject to your grade.” The management team would also have to do with bigger pay cuts. The chief executive would take an 80 per cent cut. Other members of leadership were to be subject to a 75 per cent cut. It is the drastic measures that companies have to take, and employees are facing the full wrath of such decisions. At the time, 65 per cent of the airline’s flights had been suspended. Now, the situation might even be bleaker as passenger flights are no longer active. As many companies bid their staff to work from home, a study by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that only less than a third of Kenyan companies have the infrastructure that enables their employees to work from home. Out of […]
How companies are adapting to tough measures against virus
The emergence of the novel coronavirus has led to an unprecedented universal sabbatical from common human behaviour. It is now ‘illegal’ to shake hands or to even sit close to people we would often snuggle close to. Workplaces have not been spared either. Companies have had to find ways to adapt to the scourge of the pandemic and change their office operations while ensuring business does not come to a halt. While at it, many of them are taking measures to safeguard their workforce from total decimation. Covid-19 has so far infected more than 1.7 million globally, killing around 100,000. In Kenya, 7 out of the close to 200 confirmed have succumbed. Kenya Airways has been one of those hardest hit by the scare, with the airline staring at massive losses amid a possible total business shutdown. Last month, KQ announced that its employees would have to make do with pay cuts of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent, depending on their level, with low cadre employees being handed a slight reprieve and taking the lower cuts. The middle level staff would have to incur a 50 per cent cut. Staff would also be required to take unpaid days off work. “With effect from April 1, 2020, all employees at grade H06 and above will be on a one-week paid and three weeks’ unpaid leave. All employees at H05 and below will be on two weeks paid and two weeks’ unpaid leave,” Chief Executive, Allan Kilavuka, told staff. “If you are required to be on duty, you will be on 25 per cent or 50 per cent pay subject to your grade.” The management team would also have to do with bigger pay cuts. The chief executive would take an 80 per cent cut. Other members of leadership were to be subject to a 75 per cent cut. It is the drastic measures that companies have to take, and employees are facing the full wrath of such decisions. At the time, 65 per cent of the airline’s flights had been suspended. Now, the situation might even be bleaker as passenger flights are no longer active. As many companies bid their staff to work from home, a study by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that only less than a third of Kenyan companies have the infrastructure that enables their employees to work from home. Out of […]
