Guidance

COVID-19 vaccination: guide for employers

Updated 24 January 2024

Why supporting vaccination of your employees against COVID-19 is important

Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic, they are the best way to protect people from coronavirus (COVID-19) and have already saved thousands of lives.

Vaccinated people are far less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms and are even more unlikely to get serious COVID-19, to be admitted to hospital, or to die from it. Vaccinated people are also less likely to pass the virus to others.

Vaccines are enabling us to return to a more normal way of life and are proving crucial in getting our economy up and running again.

As an employer, you are in a unique position to support the COVID-19 vaccination programme by encouraging staff to get both their first jab and then, when they are eligible, their second jab, to ensure they have maximum protection.

Supporting your employees getting vaccinated comes with several benefits.

Having the COVID-19 vaccine means:

• your employees can better protect themselves and those around them
• lower risk of your employees catching and spreading COVID-19 to colleagues, therefore reducing the negative impact on your workforce
• protecting your customers when using your services
• bringing your staff back safely into the workplace sooner

All those aged 18 and over can book their vaccination through the NHS booking service. You can also call 119 free of charge.

Lines are open:

• Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm

Lines are closed on weekends and bank holidays.

You can book via NHS.UK

What employers can do to support the vaccination of their workforce

We are urging employers up and down the UK to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. Organisations can play a vital role in helping to promote vaccination as part of their responsibility to help reduce workplace risk.

Through collective effort we can help people make well informed decisions and encourage as many people as possible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

There are number of things you can do as an employer to promote vaccination within your workforce.

Sharing information on the facts around vaccination

1. Download our employers communication toolkit and use and share the content and assets to help you have the conversation with your employees.

2. Share and direct people to trusted sources of information when they ask for more details.

3. Share practical information about how to get vaccinated.

4. Post articles or blog posts in your company’s communications (for example, newsletters, intranet, emails, portals) about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, as well as how and where to get the vaccine in your local area.

Showing support for vaccination from senior leadership

1. Consider using departmental ‘champions’ to promote vaccination.

2. Encourage senior staff to share their vaccination experiences.

Engaging expert and community leaders

Signpost employees to experts and community leaders who are promoting the vaccine. Our toolkit provides links to videos and webinars with experts and leaders which you can share with your employees.

Being open with your employees about what support your business will provide to facilitate workforce vaccination

1. Consider allowing breaks in the day or time off to support getting vaccinated.
2. Review your sick leave policies and procedures and consider if they disincentivise your employees from getting vaccinated.

Share your experience

We want to understand what works and what could be better, so please give us feedback. You and your employees can share your COVID-19 vaccine stories via an NHS survey.

Business Partners to CONVINCE – building your business reputation

The Workplace Challenge was launched in February 2021 by Business Partners to CONVINCE – a global communication and education initiative to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake among private sector employers and employees. The partnership also plays an integral role in the broader, global CONVINCE (COVID-19 New Vaccine Information, Communication, and Engagement).

Businesses that sign up to the Challenge agree to:

• listen to employees’ needs and concerns about the impact and prevention of COVID-19
• follow the latest public health guidance to protect themselves, their employees, their workplace, their customers, and their community from COVID-19
• promote vaccine literacy based on the latest scientific evidence of vaccination benefits and risks
• encourage vaccine confidence and uptake
• advocate for accessible, equitable, and timely vaccination of employees
• engage with communities, schools, faith-based organisations and public health leaders to stop the spread of COVID-19

Resources to help you promote vaccination to your workforce

Download our employer toolkit, which includes:

• scripts to inform internal conversations
• assets for you to use including email signatures, Intranet banners, posters, videos, social media assets and more
• editorial content to use covering the essential vaccine information – such as: Vaccine protection, where to get more information, How will I know it’s my turn to make my vaccination appointment, Why it’s important to keep following the coronavirus guidance after you’ve had your vaccination
• briefing sheet, Q&A videos and vaccine fact sheet to help informed decision

Further communications materials are available on NHS.UK

See the advice from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on preparing your organisation for the COVID-19 vaccination (includes information on vaccination policy, risk assessments and vaccination recording).

There is advice from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) on employees who cannot take the vaccine or who have not yet had a vaccine.

Advice on reopening your business safely is available on HSE.GOV.UK