As some industries return to work Thursday, Red Level Group is launching a free mobile app to help businesses address health screening and location capacity amid the deadly COVID-19 outbreak.
The Novi-based IT services and application development company launched its COVID ClearPass app internally earlier this month to safely manage its essential workforce during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's "Stay Home" order's recommendations for social distancing and health screening at work.
"When we developed the app, we knew other companies were going to need something just like it," said Megan Testani, director of marketing for Red Level. "Today there are already several industries back to work or never stopped working, and from a workman's compensation perspective to maintaining a workforce to just caring about your employees, keeping everyone as safe as you can is critical."
The app, which is integrated through Microsoft's business suite, adds a health self-declaration form for employees to fill out, and the app automatically generates an email to human resources if an employee fails to complete the form or indicates illness.
Employees' access to company buildings would then be denied until a sufficient quarantine period or testing has been completed.
COVID ClearPass also manages limits on the number of employees admitted to company locations and allows workers to register for entry to the buildings as well as check in and check out.
"It's really a tool to replace the sign-up sheet when that could be dangerous," Testani said. "The app goes through workflows and if there is availability in the office, it allows entry. If it isn't available, the employee is put on a wait list. Once someone cancels or leaves the facility, a new employee can be approved for entry."
The app uses push notifications to users' mobile devices to notify them whether or not they are approved to enter a facility, while also allowing employers to send critical information via the app, Testani said.
The tool is, inevitably, a tracking service for when employees are on site and with whom they may have come in contact during on-site visits. In the event of a COVID-19 diagnosis, HR can quickly determine if other employees were exposed.
Companies have expressed interest in an app that could automate some of the monitoring functions of work under the COVID-19 crisis.
Julie Bell, vice president of human resources for Roush Industries, told Crain's that the company believed it would make use of an app like ClearPass.
"We're learning more and more companies are using an app to self-disclose around symptoms and exposure as well as a daily temperature check. That relies on honesty of our employees," Bell said. "Having something that can be driven by technology would really help us around many issues."
Bell said an app would likely solve another conundrum: the COVID-19 stigma.
"Employees are having a fear factor of getting the label of being COVID positive," Bell said. "The app would preclude most people from coming in and prevent the embarrassment of getting turned away."
For Red Level, it's another opportunity to grow its business, even though the app is free.
"Of course, we would love to be able to work with the companies using our app," Testani said. "It is built so organizations can customize it with their own logos or own colors. We would, of course, then charge them a customization fee."
Red Level will host a webinar on the COVID ClearPass at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The company is also accepting registrations for the product here.
