When COVID-19 hit Hollywood in 2020, the entertainment industry knew they had to act fast to mitigate risk. After all, studios risked losing millions of dollars by pausing production—but potentially risked something even more serious if they chose to ignore the threat and put their casts and crews in danger.

If you own a business, your company may not feel as high-profile as a major film studio! But you still want your employees to feel safe, and losing any amount of time, money, and productivity due to COVID can be just as devastating. That’s why today, we’re taking a look at how large quantity testing helped the entertainment industry stay afloat, and how organizational testing can help your business, far beyond the scope of COVID.

What can we learn from the entertainment industry’s response to COVID? 

Within months of the first lockdown, the DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and the Teamsters—four powerhouse unions in the entertainment industry—published “The Safe Way Forward,” a set of guidelines that would keep sets safe and cameras rolling. The document rallied around one central statement: “We believe strategic testing for the presence of COVID-19 is critical for a safe return to work.”

Since then, Boomerang has partnered with major organizations like Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Apple to perform organizational testing for COVID-19 at scale on projects of all sizes. And though they’ve been affected by COVID just like any other field, the entertainment industry was considered a leader in prioritizing employee safety in the face of a public health crisis—without completely shutting down.

They succeeded by doing three key things: they addressed the problem quickly, prioritized large quantity testing, and looked to medical experts for help. In fact, the health guidelines published in “The Safe Way Forward” leaned heavily on advice from a coalition of public health experts, medical doctors, industrial hygienists, and some of the world’s top infectious disease epidemiologists. 

But of course…not every business has that kind of access to information and guidance when it comes to employee safety! So if you’re a business owner who’s been tasked with creating a safe work environment, how can you decide what’s best for your employees? 

Organizational testing—a solution for any industry

We may not all have access to a team of top epidemiologists—but with the rise in business medical testing for COVID, we don’t have to make hard choices about employee safety, either. Recent innovations in medical testing at scale mean that all sorts of business testing solutions are now more accessible and affordable for employers.

Right now, you may be most interested in rapid antigen and/or PCR COVID testing for protecting your employees’ health. We offer quick and reliable versions of both types of tests, which are currently being used weekly by school districts, film crews, and large corporations across the country. And if you’re curious about testing at scale, we even offer extra benefits for companies ordering 500 or more tests.

But with the rise of quick and easy on-site medical testing, you may want to consider other ways to prioritize the wellness of your workers, even beyond the scope of COVID! For example, if you work in a field where on-the-job safety is key, you should consider toxicology testing through Boomerang. 

While toxicology testing was once an expensive process requiring an on-site proctor, it’s no longer cost-prohibitive, nor does it need to slow your business down. Plus, just like with all of our other medical tests, toxicology testing results can be delivered virtually through our secure, HIPAA-compliant portal. 

With the speed and ease of today’s toxicology testing, it’s practically a no-brainer to implement a large quantity testing program for your company, and reduce the risk of workplace accidents and injuries. 

How else can medical testing improve employee health and satisfaction?

COVID and toxicology testing solutions are both great ways to establish a safe and healthy work environment for your employees. But here at Boomerang, we encourage every business owner and HR team to think beyond COVID testing and compliance—and start considering the holistic health of your workforce. 

We provide tests that cover everything from a general health check, to a sleep and stress test, to a measure of heart health—and we encourage companies to work with us to offer our tests as a benefit to their employees! 

This is a perk that goes beyond one-size-fits-all wellness solutions, like fitness reimbursements or company-wide health challenges. Our testing kits deliver results that are customized to each person, providing them with personalized information and action steps based on their current health status. 

When your employees know more about their health, and can start making recommended adjustments to their lifestyle, you’ll see improvements in the wellness of your staff—and the health of your business. 

To see how Boomerang can help keep your workers safe, healthy, and happy, visit our “For Businesses” page to learn more about large quantity testing. Or contact us at: business@boomerangkit.com.