The communications plan for the Office is based on two guiding principles; firstly, ensuring staff are kept informed and secondly, providing necessary reassurance. At all times the measures implemented to protect staff have come from wider government health advice and work safety protocols will need to be continually updated in line with these measures. A sub-committee of the COVID-19 response team has been set up to ensure communications are timely, that information is clearly presented for staff and that staff receive the latest updates. A dedicated homepage "COVID-19 staff information" is currently being developed to ensure that all information is easily accessible, clearly labelled and available to all members of staff. Key elements of the response plan will also be communicated regularly to all staff as required and any updates to this information will be highlighted. Visual representation of information is another key component of the communications plan and this will provide some process flows to aid in understanding and following guidance, for example "first visit to the office".
The current COVID-19 situation is a time of uncertainty which can result in feelings of fear, anxiety and stress. These are very normal reactions to a threat such as this. The Civil Service Employee Assistance Service (CSEAS) is available to provide support to all staff at this time. As well as this, the CSO Well-Being team regularly publish material on Lotus Notes with advice on physical and mental health and self-care relevant to the current situation.
The Government’s “In This Together Campaign” also provides information on minding mental health as well as tips on staying active and connected and may be useful for employers and staff.
CSO COVID-19 Contacts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Requirement | Responsibility | Contact Details | ||
| Confidential HR queries related to COVID-19, including reporting a confirmed or suspected case | HR | AlertHR@cso.ie | ||
| Cleaning/disinfecting of workspaces | Facilities Management |
FM helpdesk |
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| Notification of attendance on-site at a CSO office | Facilities Management | FM helpdesk | ||
| Procedures required in relation to office attendance | HR | ReturntoOffice@cso.ie | ||
| Confidential staff liaison in relation to issues and concerns related to COVID-19 | Lead Worker Reps | LeadWorker@cso.ie | ||
| Free and confidential well-being support and resources for staff in relation to COVID-19 | Civil Service Employee Assistance Service | cseas@per.gov.ie Tel: 0761 00 00 30 |
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