27 May 2020 /

India, May 27th, 2020: Randstad, The Adecco Group, ManpowerGroup and Gi Group, the Indian operations of four leading global HR services companies have formed an alliance to “Help India Get Back to Work Safely”. The four organizations, combine their knowledge and strengths in the framework of a non-commercial alliance to jointly tackle the key challenges facing the labour market following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this collaboration is to minimize the negative impact of COVID-19 on the economy. For companies, it is now a question of getting their employees back to work quickly and, above all, safely. The alliance‟s actions will be focused on sharing best practices on health and safety protocols, to be established or updated for the „physical distancing economy‟.

Initially, the alliance will focus on companies in 7 key sectors in India – IT/ITeS, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, PHL, Consulting & Business Services, Retail and E-Commerce and will consult with various stakeholders in the country in the coming weeks.

Thereafter, the best practice protocols collated from companies in these 7 sectors will be used to create a comprehensive compilation of instructions and concrete measures – a country-specific COVID19: „Help India Get Back to Work Safely‟ guide with practical advice and health and safety protocols, which can be used by organizations, to support a safe return to workplaces throughout India. Through this alliance, the HR services industry is issuing a call to action to all relevant stakeholders to contribute and play their part. This includes employers, trade unions, industry associations, regulatory bodies and NGOs. The alliance is also reaching out to Governments to support, stimulate and endorse these efforts to help India get back to work safely. The HR services industry is uniquely positioned to contribute to these efforts by applying its in-depth knowledge of labour market processes through various sectors and companies.

In order to ensure the safety of employees, companies must have clear processes and protocols. Given the sense of urgency, the alliance is on a mission to make a vital contribution to this process of preparing for the new normal and helping India get back to work safely.