Planning ahead can minimize the impact of H1N1 on your business.
With President Obama declaring H1N1 a national emergency, many businesses are preparing for the possibility of a pandemic and thinking about how they will respond. Effective communications will be primary to reducing the impact of an H1N1 outbreak and ensuring business continuity.
Below are steps businesses may want to consider.
Appoint a wellness coordinator.
An office manager or staff member in human resources, communications or public relations is ideal for this position. The individual should become familiar with seasonal flu absenteeism rates and recognize when a significant increase in absenteeism occurs. The coordinator will work with local and state health officials and communicate updates to managers and employees.
Develop a flexible influenza pandemic plan.
This document should be fluid and updated as needed. Management should seek employee input and communicate the final document and updates. The plan will likely address the following:
- Absenteeism policies. Companies should allow ill workers to remain at home until 24 hours after their fever subsides without fear of losing their jobs. Management will need to create a policy for workers with school-age children for occasions when schools close for the flu or dismiss early.
- Prevention. Employers should encourage workers to get vaccinated and possibly hold on-site vaccination clinics. Companies should also stress hand hygiene and cleaning practices and teach employees to cover coughs and sneezes.
- Social distancing. Businesses can minimize the risk of flu exposure by reassigning individuals to duties that require minimal contact with others and physically separating workers in crowded conditions. Businesses may also consider measures such as teleworking, staggered shifts, moving workers to satellite offices, cancelling face-to-face meetings and suspending non-essential travel.
- Internal chain of command and cross-training. Identifying essential business functions and teaching personnel to perform these jobs will allow the workplace to remain operational even if key staff members are absent. The plan should establish a chain of responsibility and include the titles/names of workers who will undertake various roles.
- Supply chain and vendor arrangements. Companies should contact raw materials and service providers and other vendors and subcontractors to determine what arrangements they have made to ensure operations continuity in the event of a pandemic. A company plan should include this information as well as contacts, a list of back-up suppliers and vendors, etc.
- Web site widget. Adding a widget or button to the company intranet to call attention to the latest H1N1 news is a great way for employees to access updated influenza information.
Communicate.
As mentioned earlier, companies should communicate the pandemic plan to employees, customers, vendors and other audiences and contact them with updates. Depending on its size, a company may communicate through internal and external newsletters, email, text messages, Web sites, telephone, etc.
Share the plan with others.
Sharing the pandemic plan and best practices with vendors and other businesses will help minimize the impact of H1N1 and improve response efforts. Even if companies are located in communities where H1N1 is not yet a problem, they should take a proactive stance now to protect their workforce and minimize employee and customer fear, anxiety, rumors and misinformation.
For more information about H1N1 flu and regular updates, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/.
