There is no question that global fear, uncertainty, anxiety, and doubt can be used to describe the last 18 months. And now, change is upon us yet again. This change will certainly create new questions, new stresses, and new ways of doing things. And we need to prepare for what’s next.
While we still have a long way to go before we can put this pandemic behind us, the availability of vaccines have made it possible for us to start engaging with one another again in person. We took this as a chance to jump into our future with both feet and made the decision to open our US office locations in the beginning of July for those that are ready to go back.
However, as we look towards the months ahead and reopen our global offices, we’ve put the well-being of our employees and community first. Back in the beginning of May when the vaccine availability began to accelerate, the leadership team and I made the decision to require vaccinations for those returning to the office or traveling for OneLogin. We have also mandated proof of vaccination for new employees starting at OneLogin.
We do know that not everyone is ready to come back to the office and, regardless of our current employees vaccination status, that is okay as we continue to optimize our ongoing version of a hybrid work environment. Our plan is to continually evaluate and respond as things evolve.
Why Vaccine Requirements Are Important to OneLogin
There were a lot of questions in the early days of the vaccine about whether or not to require vaccination for returning workers and the implications. And while many employers held off making decisions, we decided early on that vaccination requirements were the best way to not only protect our employees and their families, but to also do our part in the global quest to end the pandemic.
As we learn more about the new Delta variant, we believe that employers need to play a critical role in accelerating the rate of vaccination across the globe. The sooner we increase the rate of vaccinations, the sooner we can start getting back to normal. I believe our policies will be the norm, not the exception for all businesses and organizations in the months to come.
By requiring the vaccine, we can ensure that our employees feel comfortable being together safely, and we can help protect employees and their children who are unable to get vaccinated from severe illness.
We Took the Risk
There are many reasons why employers are hesitant to mandate vaccinations for employees returning to the office. Believe me, we debated and discussed all of them.
For many employers, mandating vaccinations during a talent crunch is a huge risk. There is no getting around the fact that we are in a very tight labor market—it is difficult to hire, and it is difficult to retain employees. There are certainly concerns that if employers push vaccines, people will leave. And while we are making the appropriate accommodations for current employees who can’t get vaccinated or who do not wish to come into the office regardless of status, we believe that requiring vaccinations for returning to the office is the right choice to ensure the safety of OneLogin employees, customers, contractors, their families, and ultimately the global population. We are taking responsibility for making our workplace and our world a place that is a little safer and healthier for all.
Our First In-Person Event
We know that things are changing rapidly, including mask mandates and restrictions, but because of our vaccination requirements we were able to get a good portion of the OneLogin US team together for a mid-year sales and technical kick-off a few weeks back.
With proof of vaccination, we felt comfortable allowing US travel to the Bay Area, and we enjoyed three fun-filled and informative days of sessions. We met new employees face-to-face for the very first time, and simply enjoyed being together. It was a fantastic feeling to see everyone, brainstorm new ideas, and laugh together once again!
Equally important we believe because of our vaccine mandate and employees responsible adherence to our policies and practices; we had no outbreaks among our employees or their families after the event.
While we are very enthusiastic about the road ahead, we are also curious to see how the Delta variant or other potential new variants affects our future. We are proud to do our part, support the global vaccination effort, and move towards ending this pandemic.
