A new risk that many companies were not potentially considering was the pandemic Covid-19. Since early 2020, this pandemic has jilted and even dismantled some companies. Even in 2021, some companies remain crippled due to the ramifications of their unpreparedness for something like Covid-19. Many companies have suffered from the inability to work without their employees being physically present. This unpreparedness comes from a myriad of factors from lack of access to or funds for sufficient PPE to the inability of management to allow proper offsite access to office files and servers. Risks like this are important to focus on because not only do they stunt productivity, but they endanger the lives of all the employees and stakeholders in the company.

Risk management specialists have had ample time to study this virus and the changes that need to be made to the workplace because of it. With the new vaccinations in place, reintegration into the workplace will soon be a serious discussion. Although being physically present in the workplace has become obsolete for some companies, other will not be able to function that way. Those in risk management must address some of the risks that endangered many employees with this Covid-19 Pandemic. For instance, crowded workspaces allowed the virus to be spread more easily. Post-COVID workplaces should be less closed-in and better ventilated. PPE such as hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies should be well-stocked, allowing for frequent cleaning of the workspace. Also, a wheel-based rotating work schedule should be implemented so not everyone is in the office at the same time. This will eliminate the issue of overcrowding and decrease the possibility of the spread of disease.

The threat of Covid-19 and diseases like it that could potentially come can affect a person’s comfort at work or willingness to work certain jobs. For instance, a lot of people who were once interested in pursuing jobs in the medical field are reconsidering due to the dangerous amount of exposure that have affected people already. Also, jobs that do not allow for offsite work access have become less desirable to jobseekers. Jobs such as retail, food service, and hospitality left employees jobless with no income due to the mandated Covid-19 restrictions, so jobs in those fields will also be less sought after.