By Alex Gangitano - 12/16/20 06:00 AM EST
Food packing giant Tyson Foods has hired its first chief medical officer, highlighting a growing trend among major companies trying to make it through and emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Tyson Foods joins companies including Royal Caribbean, Constellation brands and Salesforce in hiring an in-house health care professional tasked with overseeing the safety and well-being of its employees.
Companies have typically worked with outside advisers on health initiatives but having an in-house medical professional on top of outside counsel is necessary in the new normal brought on by the pandemic, experts said.
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“I think it’s smart. Companies are thinking about bringing more employees back to work. They are concerned about getting sued by employees, so they need credible advice,” said Peter Cappelli, director of the Center for Human Resources at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.