Noblis is proud of our status as a Top Workplace and has worked hard to earn it. The actions by company leadership and teams is a reflection of that commitment to our employees. When the pandemic hit, thanks to a resilient strategic IT infrastructure, Noblis was prepared for a situation that might force the company to work remotely such as a power outage or inclement weather. The company put its scalable business continuity plan and crisis management plan in action and directed all employees to work remotely for their safety. Noblis’ IT infrastructure has performed robustly during the pandemic – fully supporting a virtual environment. Company leaders initiated and have continued to lead a high level of collaboration and a unified communication strategy. Dynamic capacity planning and digital workforce automation also made the transition seamless. To fully understand the potential social impacts of the pandemic, Noblis leadership also sought advice from its own bioinformatic experts who provided data to government clients that contributed to accelerating the COVID-19 detection process and combating the outbreak.

Teams across Noblis worked to facilitate a successful transition. The Noblis enterprise technologies team developed new remote support and device deployment models, then adjusted in real time to keep the business moving and achieve objectives. There was a significant increase in the use of our productivity tools and accelerated user training. The company smoothly transitioned to a virtual environment and did not miss a beat in its mission critical work for its clients.

The Noblis facilities team worked to ensure that essential employees going into our buildings are safe. Additional sanitizer and touchless soap and towel dispensers were added, doors in high traffic areas were upgraded with motion sensors to open and eliminate touching additional surfaces; conference room doors were equipped with nano static technology for self-cleaning and conference room capacities were limited to meet current guidelines on physical distancing. Cleaning protocols were enhanced, and new air purification technology installed at our headquarters and signage was clearly posted in all areas to help remind employees about mask wearing and other safety practices.

During the pandemic the Noblis leadership team have used video messages, virtual meetings and online communications to keep employees informed of the company’s operational status; the safety precautions the company has taken; and other COVID-19 related information such as the company’s plan for return to the workplace. A COVID-19 Guidance Toolkit was created and shared via the company intranet to keep employees updated on operational safety plans, frequently asked questions and guidance.

Noblis leadership held daily meetings discussing company protocols for safety, how to ensure employee physical and mental wellness, how to support new hires during a virtual transition and how to virtually implement Noblis’ summer internship program. The program, which is a valuable source of innovation and talent for Noblis, had one of its most successful sessions this past summer and was recently recognized by WayUp as an award-winning program.

As one employee said, “The leadership have really walked the talk when it comes to Noblis being a great place to work and a company that values its employees by keeping our safety and our need for regular updates a top priority. I can personally say, as a working mom and a professional, that Noblis has made my experience during the pandemic so much easier. My job has been the least stressful aspect of my life during the pandemic thanks to the good choices made to keep us all safe and the assurance that we can work remote and support our families in whatever way necessary while we do it.”