Behavioural Actions of Shop-Floor Employees towards Occupational Health and Safety Measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions. A case of the Agriculture Industry in Zimbabwe
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has brought massive suffering to many workers globally. It has disrupted the normalcy and socio-economic fabric in many societies and has redefined the nature of the world of work. Several restrictions and measures to mitigate the spread and implications of Coronavirus have been put in place through government and individual employer efforts. These include the compulsory use of masks, body temperature tests, avoidance of unnecessary movement and maintenance of social/physical distancing among other occupational health and safety practices. Based on the findings from two selected timber sector organisations in Zimbabwe, employees have non-congruent behavioural actions to conform and adhere to the OHS measures for COVID-19. The management believes that shop-floor employees are not scared of the pandemic; they think that the virus is an illusion. Employees resist respecting social/physical distancing due to their cultural beliefs and value; some are even stealing hand sanitisers for other uses rather than the prevention of COVID-19. The study recommends effective training, awareness campaigns and effective communication for culture change and to help workers appreciate that COVID-19 is very deadly and is a reality. Taking disciplinary action for non-compliance of shop-floor employees has created negative perceptions and led to counterproductive behaviours among workers towards efforts to manage and control the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Trade unions and worker committees have a role to play in enhancing communication and advancing workers interests for improvement of decent working conditions in the face of Coronavirus. The state and employers should ensure respect for fundamental rights of the precariats who are soldering on in the pandemic context.
References
African Research Bulletin (2020). Zimbabwe: Coronavirus Lockdown. SA: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Bhebhe, M. (2020). Employee disengagement from the perspective of frontline employees; A Hotel case study in Zimbabwe. Journal of Management and Administration, 1(1), 73–100.
Brehm, J. W. (1966). A theory of psychological reactance. New York: Academic Press.
Brehm, S. S. and Brehm, J. W. (1981). Psychological Reactance. A theory of freedom and control. New York: Academic Press.
Chirimambowa, T.C. (2020). COVID-19 and the Future of Democracy in Zimbabwe. The Elephant. https://www.theelephant.info/features/2020/07/11/covid-19-and-the-future-of-democracy-in-zimbabwe/? Retrieved on August 19, 2020.
Fischer, F. (2003). Reframing Public Policy. Oxford University Press.
ILO (2020). ILO Standards and COVID-19 (Coronavirus) FAQ, Key provisions of international labour standards relevant to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak https://www.ilo. org/wcmsp5/groups/public/ed_norm/ormes/documents/publication/wcms_739937.pdf. Retrieved on July 10, 2020.
ILO, (2020). In the face of a pandemic: Ensuring Safety and Health at Work, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/ed_protect/protrav/fework/documents/publication/wcms_742463.pdf. Retrieved on July 08, 2020.
Keune, M., and Pedaci, M. (2019). Trade union strategies against precarious work: Common trends and sectoral divergence in the European Union. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 1–17.
Laing, T. (2020). The economic impact of the Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-2019): Implications for the mining industry. Elsevier Public Health Emergency Collection, 7(2), 580-582.
Lewchuk, W., de Wolff, A. and King, A. (2003). From job strain to employment strain: Health effects of precarious employment. Just Labour, 3, 23−25.
Lone, S. A. and Ahmad, A. (2020) COVID-19 – an African perspective. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 9(1), 1300-1308.
Maunganidze, L., Ncube, F. and Sibanda, P. (20130 Rethinking Pro-Active Disaster Planning in the Workplace: The Case of a selected Mine in Zimbabwe. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(15), 90–98.
Ministry of Health and Child Care (2020). COVID-19 Update.: Highlights of the situation report. Retrieved from http://www.mohcc.gov.zw/index.php?option=com on July 20, 2020.
Ncube, F. (2014). Down the memory lane: Revisiting the 1972 Hwange Colliery Kamandama Disaster. International Journal of Art & Humanity Science, 1(XX), 55–65.
Ncube, F. (2020). Developments and Changes Adversely Affecting Trade Unions in the Hospitality Industry of Zimbabwe. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 9(3), 199–214.
Ozili, P. K. (2020). COVID-19 in Africa: Socioeconomic Impact, Policy Response and Opportunities. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340610720 on July 16, 2020.
Sibanda, P., Mavenga, E., Maunganidze, L. and Ncube, F. (2014). Employees’ reactance and survival strategies in an underperforming Zimbabwean parastatal. African Journal of Business Management, 8(22), 1043–1052.
United Nations 92020) Policy Brief: Impact of COVID-19 in Africa. United Nations Economic Commission of Africa. Retrieved from https://www.uneca.org/publications, Retrieved on July 16, 2020.
Uzhenyu, D. (2020). Employment relations dynamics in the midst of COVID-19 induced national lockdown. The Zimbabwean scenario. Human Capital Development, 2, 4–7.
WHO (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report – 94. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications-detail/infection-prevention on July 15, 2020.
WHO (2020). Operational considerations for COVID-19 management in the accommodation sector. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331937/WHO-2019-nCoV-Hotels-2020.2-eng.pdf
Wilder-Smith, A., and Freedman, D. O. (2020). Isolation, quarantine, and social distancing and community containment: pivotal role for old-style public health measures in the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(2).