Phased return process

A decision to use a phased return process to allow staff to make the necessary adjustments after almost two years of remote, rotational and / or staggered methods of working follows a series of consultations with stakeholders across the institution as to the way forward.

While these new Return to Work procedures are being formalised, line managers should use the opportunity to discuss the way forward with their teams in terms of work arrangements, this includes flexible work arrangements. Note that 1 March 2022 is the chosen starting date to return to work, if staff have not already been required by their line managers to be back on campus.

Lectures begin

With lectures starting on 14 February, many of the support departments and academics are already back at their physical posts preparing to welcome students and offer mask-to-mask LT activities, and are relishing the “normalcy” of being on campus again.

Health and safety preparations

The Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) team has been hard at work preparing additional lecture venues in line with COVID-19 protocols, as well as staff offices and other meeting spaces that may have lain redundant for some time.

A risk assessment is also underway to ensure that the university does all that it can to keep staff and students safe while learning to co-exist with the virus. 

Occupational Health

Additionally, the Occupational Health team continue to vaccinate staff and members of the public thereby growing individual and population immunity.

Return to Work Concerns

We appreciate that you will have many questions about returning to work. The Human Resources team is preparing communication to support you in this process – developing procedures, a toolkit for line managers, presentations and the like which will also all be made available on a dedicated Return to Campus webpage. The latter will also include a special FAQ section. In the interim, please feel free to share your questions with ReturnToWorkProc@mandela.ac.za

Ms Nandipha Sishuba

Executive Director: Human Resources