Will Your Vaccine Mandate Fall Flat?

The word most used to describe the past 18 months has been “unprecedented.” But “unpredictable” seems to suit most of the events surrounding the pandemic. For example, few would have predicted vaccine hesitancy as one of the biggest issues for governments, the healthcare sector, and public and private organizations in 2021. Tens of thousands of employees in Houston hospitals took mandatory flu shots in 2012-13. As only about 40 percent of healthcare workers usually take voluntary shots, The Methodist Hospital in Houston mandated flu shots for its employees in 2017. But this year, 117 of its employees sued the hospital over its Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

Although the suit was dismissed, it points to a rising tendency of vaccine hesitancy. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 40 percent of workers in the US say that they probably or definitely would say no to the vaccine. More alarmingly, 28 percent of workers won’t take the vaccine even if it means losing their jobs. As the government proposes a new rule that will require organizations with 100 or more workers to mandate vaccines or to ensure that their employees be tested weekly, it’s time for organizations to put in place frameworks for their vaccine mandates. Instead of seeing it in isolation, they should understand that a company culture of health and wellbeing will matter when mandating the Covid-19 vaccine.

Based on my experience working with firms across sectors on health and wellbeing, I believe the success of a vaccine mandate will depend on the following six cultural elements of an organization.

1. Leadership support

For a vaccine mandate to be effective, there should be complete C-suite support. Along with that, middle managers and team supervisors too will have a deciding role in the success of such a health initiative. Informal leaders will also play a big role in a vaccine mandate. These are the persons without a title but who can sway group opinions. You can identify them by knowing who is “popular” and who speaks up amongst the groups. If you can earn their trust and partner with them to endorse the vaccination program, you’re much more likely to succeed without bitterness.

2. Shared values

Organizations, where health and wellbeing have been fundamental values, will find it easy to roll out a vaccine mandate. These firms would have mandated flu vaccination and provided onsite vaccination options to their employees. In such systems, there will be company-wide acceptance for health and wellbeing as a strategic objective. That will be regularly and intentionally reinforced by linking wellbeing objectives to executive compensation, similar to other business goals.

3. Social climate

An important indicator of an organization’s commitment to health and wellbeing is its social climate. This is how companies transform into communities where individuals look out for each other. In such firms, relationships move beyond transactional to being emotionally supportive.

When the leadership sets the tone by using uplifting language, being sensitive to individual needs and challenges, and regularly supporting health initiatives with the primary aim of employee wellbeing, the social climate dramatically improves.

4. Norms

In organizations where healthy behaviors and attitudes are the norm and not the exception, it’s easier to get employees to participate in actions that promote collective wellbeing. But far too often, companies develop cultures and sustain them not because they are healthy but because it requires significant efforts to change them. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, eating lunch away from their computers, and getting a Covid-19 vaccination are a few examples of these healthy norms. When healthy norms are already in place, one more is easier to add.

5. Peer support

Being social primates, people prefer communities that foster friendship. In companies with excellent peer support, workers can easily share their challenges and turn to each other for help. These systems also make it easier for employees to build healthy practices and habits. Such informal support systems encourage healthy behaviors. If employees can talk to each other about the struggles of losing weight, for example, they would also be more likely to share their apprehensions about the vaccine.

6. Touchpoints

Defined as all points of employer-employee interactions, touchpoints can reinforce healthy behaviors through a constant and systematic process. From onboarding procedures to employee recognition programs to resource allocation to training resources, organizations should integrate their health and wellbeing messages into a variety of touchpoints. Enhancing your culture to prioritize health and wellbeing in the workplace will require comprehensive and coordinated actions and systemic realignments. When wellbeing becomes part of your culture, introducing new measures, such as the Covid-19 vaccine, will be much more easily accepted.

What strategy did you use to help ease adoption of a vaccine mandate? Share with the LinkedIn community in a comment below.