Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

CoronavirusVaccinationsHealth and safetyReturn to work and rehabilitationSickness absence management

Covid-19 vaccine guidance issued to help employers

by Nic Paton 8 Mar 2021
by Nic Paton 8 Mar 2021 Vaccine misinformation, from MMR through to Covid-19, means OHNs must be able to show how international research indicates the safety and efficacy of immunisations. Image: Shutterstock
Vaccine misinformation, from MMR through to Covid-19, means OHNs must be able to show how international research indicates the safety and efficacy of immunisations. Image: Shutterstock

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has launched guidance to help employers navigate vaccinations and imminent returning to the workplace post pandemic.

The HR body’s guidance, Preparing for the COVID-19 vaccination: guide for employers, is designed to help employers understand their responsibilities towards staff and support them as the vaccine rollout continues and we move through the reopening ‘route map’ over the next few months.

Areas covered in the guidance include encouraging vaccination and how to communicate this, adopting a vaccination policy, planning for employees who can’t have the vaccine and employees who may be hesitant or refuse, and asking employees (and potential employees) if they have had the vaccine.

Covid-19 vaccines

EasyJet crew to be trained to deliver vaccines

Vaccine hopes lead to increased recruitment

CIPD chief executive Peter Cheese said: “The widescale vaccine rollout really is uncharted territory for employers. Many are confused as to what their role in it is, to protect their workforce, business and customers.

“The UK government hasn’t made the vaccine compulsory so neither can employers. Nor should they be restricting people coming to work based on whether they have had the vaccine.

“Instead, employers – in line with official public health guidance –should consider promoting the importance of staff getting the vaccine and highlight official advice to show its safety and effectiveness.

“Many employers already do this in the winter months for the flu jab so will have experience of encouraging staff to look after their physical health and wellbeing in this way,” he added.

While the arrival of the vaccine and the potential for increased workplace testing were both positive measures in terms of limiting infections, the CIPD has also warned employers not to rush to get employees back to the workplace:

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“It will be many months before most working age people will have received the vaccine. Where employees can continue to work from home, they should,” said Cheese.

“This will help to protect staff and bring the virus under control. If people must be in the workplace, employers must continue to take all reasonable and required steps to protect their employees, regardless of how many have had the vaccine. We’re not out of the woods yet,” he added.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Half of severe Covid patients also suffered injury to the heart
next post
Bevan Brittan appoints third female senior partner in a row

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Four ways employers can reduce the risk of...

14 May 2025

Data highlights positive link between group income support...

14 May 2025

Period pain and absence harm women’s pay and...

13 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Young people are less work-ready, say employers

7 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today