An online self-assessment tool known as the ‘Covid-19 Workplace Readiness Indicator’ has been developed by a team of IISc researchers in collaboration with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).

The tool was developed as part of research efforts at the new Centre for Networked Intelligence (CNI) established at IISc with support under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from Cisco.

As cities and businesses ease out of the lockdowns, workplaces need to effectively follow guidelines in order to ensure safety. The Workplace Readiness Indicator is an advisory tool that can enable organisations to understand their current level of preparedness and key risk areas. It will also help them plan and establish pandemic-specific policies, procedures, and necessary management practices.

“The tool not only scores an organisation’s readiness, but also provides some targeted suggestions if specific weaknesses are identified,” said Nihesh Rathod, a Cisco-IISc PhD scholar at the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering, IISc, who helped develop the tool.

Government approved

The Karnataka government has recommended this advisory tool to various organisations in the State, as they begin operation in accordance with the Unlock-1 guidelines.

“The end of the lockdown does not automatically mean a return to the old ‘normal’ and the opening will take different shapes, with different regions and different business sectors opening up in different ways and at differing speeds,” said Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, KSDMA.

“Organisations will need to take a holistic approach to restarting. Emerging from the lockdown, companies and workplaces will need to be more vigilant about health and increase their demands on safety,” he added.

The tool is an outcome of a broader effort to develop mechanisms that enable better and decentralised decision making, an important goal of the CNI.

“Over the last few months, every aspect of our world has been disrupted, prompting us to pivot to a new way of life very quickly,” said Krishna Sundaresan, Vice-President, Engineering, Cisco India & SAARC.

He said, “In the beginning, technology served as the greatest enabler of business continuity, as workforces across India turned remote. Now, as they return to office, technology is once again playing a significant role in ensuring employees’ safety, which is a top priority for any organisation.”

:He added, “This crisis is much too complex for anyone to solve alone, and in partnership with IISc, we are committed to helping the industry emerge from it stronger.”

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