ATLANTA – Church’s Chicken has implemented new workplace and employment policies to address potential long-term impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The company announced it is consolidating its offices to a single building while its test kitchen and research and development group will remain in place to ensure continuity of operations. Church’s expects that moving the corporate team into a single building will limit delays and enable more frequent exchanges that are critical to planning and immediate decision making.

Church’s also will be assisting workers to set up home offices as the company expands its remote office model. Under the company’s new “Distributed Workforce” policy, all staff members who work together in the same functional areas will be together in the office on the same days. Starting June 15, teams will take alternating days on-site and off-site, and all teams will observe Fridays as remote-office days, the company said.

“The aim of the policy is to allow for better social distancing and time for employees to watch over children and family members at home while communities adjust to the ‘new normal,’” the company said.

Finally, Church's created “Business Health & Safety Guidelines” which is a required course on the company’s internal learning management system. The guidelines promote safety as a shared responsibility across all employees and all levels of the company. Church’s also is expanding the company’s archive of content to include new workplace practice policies, regularly updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FAQs and best practices, tools and tips for making remote work more successful.

“Our people are our most valuable asset at Church’s,” said Karen Viera, senior vice president and chief people officer for Church’s. “The tremendous gains of the past few years would have been impossible without our teams working at every level to make this brand one of the leaders in the industry.”

Church’s previously implemented safety and social distancing precautions such as limiting the number of people in the office, advanced cleaning and sanitation protocols and remote-office assignments for employees with vulnerable health care status or those with vulnerable family members within their households. The company reiterated its commitment to continuing these practices for the long term.

“The needs of workers aren’t the same as they were 20 years ago, or even two years ago,” Viera said. “We don’t have to limit ourselves with that kind of thinking. We absolutely can give employees more of what they want while still meeting and exceeding company goals. The technology and resources are there — and so is the personal commitment to make this new era work well for everyone.”