As health experts urge people to maintain social distancing, it remains to be seen how effectively Canadians can best practice this in the workplace.
Additionally, there are benefits packages for salaried employees and the company is prepared to offer extended sick days. “If an hourly employee faces financial difficulties arising from a two-week absence from work, we are ready to have that conversation,” says Sutton. As for paid sick leave, “we intend to discuss that on a case-by-case basis as our team comprises only 43 people with over 70 per cent on salary that would entitle them to paid leave.
As far as preventing outbreak goes, vigorous hygiene standards are maintained at the flagship store in Ottawa — frequent sanitization of high touch points areas in the store such as the ID check, diner booths, budtender bar and others. The menu to make purchases, printed on paper and in plastic coverings, is wiped down with disinfectant after every customer use. The stores are equipped with additional hand sanitizer stations.
Nudo is taking a more common sense approach to her operations: It’s essentially business as usual, with a few adjustments. As a three-member team “we are lucky enough to work remotely and conduct a majority of meeting through conference calls. We learned last week from a client that elbow tap is just as effective as a handshake,” Nudo says.“We’ve reluctantly evolved from hugs and handshakes to ‘foot pumps’ and elbow touches,” says CEO Andrew Muroff.
Many companies still figuring it outCanada’s largest cannabis company, Canopy Growth is monitoring the situation closely and has assembled a team to assess and provide global and regional directives. “Currently, we’re advising employees who are able to perform their duties from home to do so, and travel restrictions are in place,” says Jordan Sinclair, vice-President of communications and media.