Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1293694
ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 Page 14 Fostering Mental Health in Your Company…continued from page 7 Continued on page 15 Amanda says that "drivers stock their own trucks at the end of the day after cleaning and sanitizing their vehicles." This process minimizes others touching the truck or the PPE equipment inside the cab or the work boxes. In the office, safety practices are also emphasized and implemented. Each employee has their own workspace and is equipped with hand sanitizer. Masks do not have to be worn when the office employee is alone in their work area. When leaving the area, masks are always worn. All employees complete daily "wellness checks" about how they are feeling both physically and emotionally. All of the processes described above, according to Amanda, "provide a sense of safety and comfort to everyone in company. They know that we care and that we are serious about everyone's physical and emotional well-being." Pit Stop did have office personnel working from home in the early months of the pandemic, but everyone is back at work now. She says that "we may revisit the idea of working at home when we find a better solution for communication." There have been no employees with exposure to COVID-19, but one employee was possibly exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus. Amanda says that "the employee took the week off until the exposed person tested negative. This level of care and concern is important to everyone in the company." Amanda continues, "during the first several months of the pandemic, we offered 'hazmat bonuses' to our employees as a way to express how appreciative we are to one another." Now, the company has a "scorecard challenge" for route drivers whereby each driver earns points based on safety, efficiency, cleanliness, and customer satisfaction. She states that "the scorecard provides friendly competitiveness among the drivers with the highest performer receiving a bonus." Creating a caring atmosphere in their business with the emphasis on each individual team member and their personal safety, Pit Stop is continuing to excel in their marketplace. Amanda's guiding principles of "appreciation and understanding" are genuinely felt throughout the company. Nancy Gump—Andy Gump Company Nancy Gump is CEO of the Andy Gump Company. She has 35 years of experience in the portable sanitation industry, is extremely knowledgeable, and successfully operates a well-respected, customer-oriented, and employee- friendly firm. It is no surprise that when COVID-19 first began to make its way into the US, Nancy began to take proactive measures. Nancy says that "having a COVID emergency preparedness plan was critical for us, and it was one of the first documents that we began to work on in the late February time frame." Her primary goal was very clear: "Considering that we were an 'essential business,' we had to have a plan that protected our people while servicing the public." While most of the contents of the plan now seem common knowledge, the Andy Gump plan was one of the first in our industry to accumulate all the health and safety precautions into one document. In addition, Nancy says, "We communicated with our team on a daily basis about the latest information on COVID as well as the need for PPE." Through Nancy's and her team's efforts, they were able to create an atmosphere where employees felt safe and well-informed about the latest news regarding COVID-19. Nancy Gump