SYDNEY –��November��3��2021��–����(NYSE: �鶹ԭ��) today announced��that��early education provider����has��implemented����vaccination portlet��to achieve compliance with mandatory state-based COVID-19 vaccination requirements��and to offer reassurance and support to its network of��childcare workers, parents��and families.��

As a business��operating in the childcare sector,��Affinity��Education��understands the importance��of��helping employees��follow legal requirements around the COVID-19 vaccination.��Having implemented��human experience management solution,����in 2013, and the employee self-service modules in 2017, adding the vaccination portlet was a seamless next step.����

With the majority of employees using the �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors mobile app to add their vaccination certificates, uptake of the vaccine portlet was fast and straightforward. In just a couple of weeks, Affinity Education achieved 100��per cent��compliance with vaccination requirements in��NSW’s��‘LGAs of concern’.����

Use of the portlet��was��also��rapid among Affinity Education’s Victorian employees. Seven in ten (70 per cent) workers across the state uploaded their vaccination certificates within two weeks of the portlet being made available. Affinity Education has��been able to achieve 100��per cent��compliance by each Public Health Directive due date.����

“With fast access to real-time vaccine tracking information,��we have peace of mind��that we’re compliant with legislation,��and that we’re doing all we can to provide our community of educators, workers, parents and families with as much support as possible during what can be quite��a��stressful��time,” said Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer, Affinity Education.������

“When we moved our HR system to �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors��several years ago, we immediately experienced��the��benefits��of��an��automated system freeing up staff to spend more time with children.��As a result, everyone from��the CEO to our educators are very comfortable with the �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors platform��and implementing the vaccination portlet��was��an��easy��way��to help employees manage their��health��information.”����

Tailoring the �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors vaccine portlet to the needs of individual employees was another key benefit. For example, Affinity��Education��added each type of vaccine to the ‘pick list’ option ahead of going live. This��enabled each employee to add their��respective vaccine to their profile��– AstraZeneca, Pfizer��or��Moderna.��The organisation��also added an attachment field to the portlet so employees could easily upload their vaccine certificates to comply with public health orders.����

Damien Bueno, President and Managing Director, �鶹ԭ�� Australia and New Zealand said:��“At a human level, providing Affinity Education with a��connected HR��platform means that we’re supporting a safe��transition back to��individuals place of work,��and��making it as seamless for employees as possible. At the same time,��we’re��helping��Affinity Education��manage��government vaccination requirements,��which is especially important in the childcare sector, and critical in building confidence among��the communities in which it operates.”����

Affinity Education’s partner Deloitte was instrumental in configuring and enabling the vaccination portlet alongside the Affinity team, allowing a prompt response to the early education provider’s business needs.

“Partnering for success has been critical to our business outcomes, and at Affinity Education we’ve enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Deloitte. Deloitte are fundamental to supporting us with our initiatives such as the vaccinations portlet and also for our broader use of SuccessFactors”, said Linda Carroll.

The rollout of �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors��Employee Central vaccine portlet��has enabled Affinity��Education��to achieve compliance with government��vaccine mandates and ensure a safe return to the workplace. Affinity Education is planning to add the��Onboarding��and��Recruiting��modules to its SuccessFactors platform to ensure consistency from hiring to onboarding and lighten the load on the HR team.������

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In today’s pandemic-led work environment, the onus is on employers to create a psychologically and physically safe environment where employee well-being is a top priority. Organisations navigating this ‘new normal’ are at the same time grappling with an evolved set of expectations from their workforce. Across many industries the readiness or need to return to an office is varied.

Data consistently shows more than 33% of employees don’t want to return to the office, another third do want to return, and the remaining third want a hybrid mix where they spend some time in the office and some at home.

The pandemic has made many workers rethink their careers and examine a different approach to work/life integration. Behind the mask of productivity is an exhausted, burnt out workforce still dealing with the social and emotional upheaval of the last 18 months. This environment is driving a wave of resignations in the US, and it’s likely the ‘Great Resignation’ trend will impact Australia and the Pacific region too.

To retain and attract talent, organisations must change the way they approach mental health – looking beyond ad-hoc wellbeing initiatives to provide real practical tools and support. Adding another level of complexity for HR is implementing the many legal and compliance processes to protect employees’ health and wellbeing.

This can range from communicating a vaccine strategy to the implementation of updated safe workplace policies. For large organisations, establishing a system to manage vaccination status is crucial for employees to feel safe returning to the physical workplace. Prior to implementing any kind of management solution, it’s important to establish the right approaches and build around them.

Ensuring employees are informed about new vaccination verification policies and potential solutions will help to establish buy-in and reduce friction. Employees will feel more empowered to be involved and provide feedback if they feel like they have agency over the process.

Research by shows that organisations with clearer communication (including post COVID-19 working arrangements) are seeing increases in employee well-being and productivity. Workers who feel included in more detailed, relevant communication are nearly five times more likely to report increased productivity. While today’s complex HR and health hurdles are incredibly difficult to navigate, they can be successfully managed with technology.

enables organisations to remain compliant with mandates while supporting employee wellbeing and empowering them to be a part of the conversation. Designed to support a fast and safe return to the office, the Qualtrics Vaccination & Testing Manager automates confirmation of employees’ vaccination status, ongoing test results, and even screening for COVID-19 symptoms – all in one single platform.

Employers can access real-time dashboards that provide a confidential employee vaccination status, negative tests, exemptions, and more—enabling leaders to make informed decisions on how to return to work and what guidelines to implement.

Whatever your vaccine management solution, what COVID-19 has taught us is that changes happen fast and unexpectedly. Over the next few years, it’s highly likely that vaccination requirements, mandates, and even certifications will change — especially as the virus evolves.

A flexible solution with plug-and-play capability can help organisations and governments to respond at the speed required to keep pace with these changes. This moment is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to shift their organisational cultures towards greater empathy and mutual understanding.

Human experience management is truly at the forefront of where we are today in the workplace because employees expect more, and we need to deliver an incredible experience.

A culture of psychological safety is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s crucial in the post-pandemic workplace.

This article originally appeared on .

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