24 THE QUEENS COURIER • QUEENS BUSINESS • JULY 9, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
queens business
Borough Hall to host another Virtual Jobs Recruitment Fair
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
As Queens continues to recover from
the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating
Courtesy of Queens borough president’s offi ce
Five steps companies might consider before reopening their offi ce spaces
Aft er weeks of having employees work
remotely whenever possible, many organizations
are developing plans to reopen
their physical workplaces. For many business
leaders, this is a challenging time as
they try to determine how to reconfi gure
their offi ces aft er quarantine. Putting
a plan in place may be the best solution.
A return-to-work plan may mitigate
the closure of offi ces for additional and
more enhanced cleanings, help prevent
lost productivity and help reduce absenteeism.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic,
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimated that lost
productivity due to absenteeism in the
U.S. cost employers $225.8 billion annually
- or $1,685 per employee - through a
combination of direct and indirect costs.
To help position your business for a successful
reopening, Stephen Mohan, EVP,
Business Solutions Division for Offi ce
Depot, Inc., recommends considering:
Site assessment
Partner with a business solutions provider
and conduct a site assessment.
Details derived from an assessment of
the site can help develop facilities plans,
and programmatic cleaning strategies. It
may help guide your change management
strategies and your reconfi guration of the
workspace with tools and equipment like
physical barriers, entrance screening stations,
space dividers, fl oor markings, and
signage outlining traffi c fl ow to facilitate
social distancing.
High-touch surfaces
Assess key areas used regularly by
employees, including the lobby, work
areas and offi ces, restrooms, cafeterias,
elevators, storage spaces, high-traffi c
hallways and stairs, auditoriums,
break rooms, classrooms/training
rooms, parking garages,
gyms and conference
rooms. Th ese areas may
require additional cleaning
or separate strategies.
Social distancing
Currently the CDC recommends
a minimum of
6 feet between people for
proper social distancing.
Th is will likely mean reconfi
guring many work areas,
including cubicles, smallgroup
collaboration spaces
and larger meeting rooms with appropriate
seating, capacity limitations and traffi
c pattern signs.
Touch-points and cleaning
Determine how to limit touch-points
in the workplace and enhance cleaning
and disinfecting practices. Identify what
cleaning products are appropriate
for your business,
such as stronger and
more durable disinfectant
wipes, DIY cleaning
stations, low or
touchless motion-activated
solutions, and
consider whether antimicrobial
products or
furniture may benefi t
your workplace.
Communications
Consider how to have ongoing and
transparent communication with your
employees as you work through the
phases of welcoming everyone back into
the offi ce. Provide employees with clear
communication about safety and cleaning
protocols through the use of digital and
print signs, posters and literature. You
may want to maintain an open-door policy
for employees to voice their concerns
or ideas for improving the workplace.
— BPT
impact it had on the economy,
Borough Hall will hold another Virtual
Jobs Recruitment Fair on Wednesday,
July 15.
New York City Health + Hospitals,
ADAPT Community Network and
Northwestern Mutual will join the Child
Center of New York, the Council for
Airport Opportunity, Queens Centers for
Progress, the U.S. Census Bureau, the
United States Tennis Association (USTA),
Watch Guard 24/7, Workforce 1 and the
Young Adults Institute (YAI) in the fi ft h
virtual job fair since the coronavirus crisis
began to connect job seekers to available
employment opportunities.
“As New York City enters phase three
of reopening, we want Queens to be at
the forefront of the economic recovery,”
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon
Lee said. “Many employers are hiring to
fi ll jobs in key sectors of our economy,
and we are pleased to have both new and
returning employers to answer questions
live about available jobs now, including
Census jobs, support professionals and
more.”
Prospective applicants interested in participating
in the live interactive Q&A
via Zoom Webinar must RSVP
by Tuesday, July 14, at www.
queensbp.org/rsvp. Th e jobs fair
will also be live-streamed from
2 to 3:30 p.m. at www.queensbp.
org/recruitmentfair.
“With 11 acute care hospitals,
a robust network of primary
care community health centers,
nursing facilities, a home
health care agency, and dozens
of specialty services and Centers
of Excellence, Th e NYC Health +
Hospitals healthcare system off ers
opportunities for every level of
healthcare professionals and every
kind of setting,” NYC Health +
Hospitals Associate Director of
External Aff airs Cleon Edwards
said. “Our health system provides
a unique and exciting work environment
where healthcare professionals
can practice their skills
with excellence and share their
passion for our mission to care
for all New Yorkers regardless of
their ability to pay or immigration
status.”
Participants and viewers will
hear brief presentations from
employers and recruiters seeking to fi ll
hundreds of positions in a variety of
essential fi elds including transportation,
retail, security and more.
“Th e Council for Airport Opportunity
(CAO) is once again honored to partner
with Queens Borough President Sharon
Lee,” CAO Executive Director Andrew
Campbell said. “We are seeing a growing
need for more airport workers as we
begin to safely and slowly recover
from this devastating pandemic.
Partnering with the Queens
borough president’s offi ce on this
recruitment fair will help the
Queens community gain access
to much-needed employment situations.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic
limited the U.S. Census Bureau’s
fi eld operations and now they are
staffi ng up in an eff ort to ensure
an accurate count in the borough.
“Now more than ever, it is
extremely important that we get
a complete and accurate 2020
Census count and community
members throughout Queens can
help,” U.S. Census Bureau New
York Regional Director Jeff T.
Behler said. “First, we need everyone
to fi ll out their 2020 Census,
whether online, over the phone
or on paper. Th en, we need every
willing and able Queens resident
to apply for a short-term temporary
job with the 2020 Census. $28
per hour and a great way to serve
your community by ensuring all of
Queens is counted.”
Th e fi rst four Virtual Queens Jobs
Recruitment Fairs were held on April 22,
May 13, June 3 and June 24.
To view the videos, visit www.queensbp.
org/recruitmentfair.
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