A New Phase
- Published: June 01, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak has revealed a critical need for our industry. Converting and printing facilities continue to be challenged daily by COVID-19, as it has caused an unexpected increase in demand with limited supplies and laborers. According to Business Insider, as May kicked off, the state and city populations affected by some kind of stay-at-home order was totaling to about 199 million people, or about 60 percent of the U.S. population, a significant decrease from the end of March, where 42 states and more cities and counties were under stay-at-home orders — a total of 308 million people, or 94 percent of the U.S. population.
Apprehensively, we are now entering a new pandemic phase – time for a change once again. While the many people that have been deemed “essential workers” have not stopped working throughout the coronavirus pandemic, some employees have just begun anxiously returning to the workplace, with others soon to follow in the conflict to reopen the country.
With the fear of “what if I get sick” in mind, companies are doing what they can to keep positive and safe work environments. One company trying to help workers feel more in control and less anxious is New York-based consulting firm FROM, The Digital Transformation Agency, whom has been hard at work developing a unique and secure social distancing app that could benefit both employees and employers.
How does it work, you ask? According to press materials, the employee installs the app on their phone and wears it on an armband while they attend work. If employees come within six feet of each other, Social Safety alerts them through beeps, vibration and light display. As employees get closer together, the sounds and display become more urgent.
The social distancing app also keeps a secure, private record of accidental close contact between people at a location, so that in the case of infection, employers will be able to warn employees of potential exposure risk for self-quarantine purposes.
Many companies have been working diligently and rising to the challenges COVID-19 has brought to the workplace, creating solutions both onsite and off, and I am excited to announce that amongst the articles in the June of PFFC, we have a special feature examining companies that have proven to “Rise to the Challenge,” remaining committed, and going above and beyond, to meet COVID-19 demands - a first highlight on how manufacturers and suppliers are shining during the current pandemic to provide essential services that are characterizing the industry.
