COVID-19 continues to be a critical issue throughout the supply chain. Key sourcing countries, like Vietnam, India and Indonesia have recently been devastated by the Delta variant. There has been a tragic number of deaths amongst worker communities, accompanied by a rapid change in workplace regulations, as well a s stressed and confused workers and employers.
Several reports, including one by the ILO, have argued for equitable access to vaccines for supply chain workers in order to create a more resilient supply chain, and brands and suppliers alike have actively been lobbying governments for these changes.
In Vietnam, workers are not allowed to return to work until they are inoculated, a challenging request for many and one that has led to most factories to operate at limited capacity.
As sourcing countries wait for vaccines, brands and factories are looking for ways to better support workers and secure their supply chains. Many are turning to WOVO to instantly connect with workers throughout their supply chain or in a specific location to better understand worker needs.
Here are some examples of how clients are using WOVO + worker surveys to support workers during COVID:
A brand sent a worker survey to over 150,000 workers in Vietnam to count both the number of vaccinated workers, and the number of workers who need support to get vaccinated. The brand collected over 10,000 responses in less than 24 hours and 30,000 in 48 hours. The brand has used this data to purchase vaccines for workers in the hope of reopening facilities faster.
Several factories in Vietnam have used WOVO and worker surveys to prepare for their re-opening by promoting vaccines, listing vaccine locations, and gathering documentation about workers’ vaccination status, so they can open faster. Suppliers are also better able to predict how many workers will be allowed to return each day, as they are certified as being fully vaccinated.
Several factories have used WOVO to communicate with workers while they are offsite or when government regulations change.
Many clients have implemented eLearning on WOVO to provide workers with access to safety and wellbeing courses on topics like reliance, grief, and parenting during the crisis.
Several factories in have used WOVO to manage testing roll-out, with workers signing up for certain time slots using the app in order to avoid overcrowding.
During COVID, worker voice tools have been key to worker recovery and safety, allowing factories to “assess worker sentiment so that we can timely respond to their needs. It also allowed us to quickly reach out and support workers during this fluid and challenging time,” said a human resource director at a footwear factory in Vietnam, who has been working to get workers vaccinated so they can return to work. With the data they’ve collected from WOVO and surveys, that factory can now accurately predict when workers will be back at work (based on when workers receive their second dose) and better understand which workers need more support. Facing a very fluid situation with little to no predictability having a reliable and digital system to stay in contact with workers has been key to recovery and ensuring worker safety.
Looking to better support workers and suppliers struggling to combat COVID. Reach out to your client advisor for support.