Have patience with businesses as infections impact staffing

With Omicron case counts on the rise, the head of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is urging people to be patient.

The message comes as widespread illness could plague staffing levels, impacting service.

“It’s something we’re going to have to get used to,” Executive Director Dan Rogers said. “Don’t be frustrated if you don’t have the same level of service that you once enjoyed. Workplaces are having to adjust; employers are having to adjust if they don’t have the same number of employees available.”

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said businesses need to put contingency plans in place to ensure businesses are operational when staff are off ill.

“At this point, given the number of people getting sick every day, we need to reactivate those COVID-19 safety plans. Those were the layers of protection specific to your business that allowed you to operate safely,” she said. “We need to anticipate that as many as a third of your workforce at any one time may become ill with COVID-19 and they may not be able to come to work and we need to adapt businesses so we can operate at these reduced numbers.”

Rogers said many business owners are still asking about acquiring rapid test kits.

“We unfortunately aren’t able to provide those, but we are passing them on information from the government, so they at least have a couple options to pursue them,” he said. “I think that’s indicative of there being more nervousness in the workplace because of Omicron.”

While the latest variant of COVID-19 will slow the economic recovery and impact businesses, Rogers noted employers should communicate the latest information to their employees.

“Continue to communicate with your staff so they’re fully aware of what the new orders are and if you’re confused, call the chamber office and we’ll help you walk through what the new requirements are, but don’t get into the speculation game,” he said. “As we’ve seen, with Omicron, that variants can arise and that can lead to changes down the road.”