5 Tips for Safely
Reopening Your Office
An article by HBR
Open now? Open later? As debate rages about restarting economies, one critical element is absent from discussion. The predictor of our success or failure will have less to do with when businesses open their doors and more to do with how often people open their mouths.
A few years ago, John Noseworth, CEO of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, proudly told me about a nurse who confronted him when he forgot to use hand sanitizer as he exited an elevator. He said, in effect, “If everyone in our system will speak up to forgetful colleagues, no matter their level or position, we can avoid most incidents of preventable harm.” And he was right.
And yet, in late April, at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vice President Mike Pence entered the Mayo Clinic to learn about their research efforts. During his tour, provided by Mayo leaders who all wore masks, Pence proceeded barefaced. While the vice president has since said that he should’ve worn a face covering, the incident is an obvious — and public — reminder of how hard it can be to speak up to people in power.
