What should businesses do to prepare for swine flu?

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization increased the swine flu alert level from a 4 to a 5, indicating a pandemic is looming. While healthcare facilities and schools across the country are responding and being proactive to prevent the spread of the virus, non-healthcare businesses should also be prepping their employees and crisis plans in the event of an outbreak in their office or buildings.

Businesses should take this as an opportunity to review their crisis plans and ensure they are ready to deal with the virus so it doesn’t affect business-as-usual. Although the majority of cases have been found in people under the age of 18, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, patients range in age from 8 to 81, and working adults should take extra steps to protect themselves from the virus.

Communication is crucial in a crisis situation. There are several strategies businesses can employ to ensure employees are aware and understand what the virus is, how to protect themselves against it and how the company will handle an outbreak if one occurs.

Awareness

Companies should form a team of managers who will decide how to communicate to employees about the virus, including what it is, how it is transmitted and simple steps to take to prevent the spread of the virus. This can be the same group of people who handle the crisis management at the company. Part of this team’s message for employees should include encouraging them to proceed with a normal daily routine, yet with precaution.

Develop a Plan

Every company should have a crisis plan in place, and a key aspect of that plan should be communication. A crisis plan not only protects the company but also its employees. Having a plan in place prepares your company for good response time and consistent messaging that will promote your company as stable and strong, even when a crisis hits. This remains true for any crisis, including health emergencies.

Communication

This team should also devise a plan that includes a statement that can be used to communicate to the company’s clients, customers and to the public, in the event of an outbreak within the business. The statement should include information about how the company is handling the outbreak, ensuring the area is cleaned properly and other employees are safe.

Also, the company should communicate an internal plan to employees that allows those who show signs or symptoms of the flu to work remotely so as not to spread the virus to other staff in the office.

Businesses should be prepared to answer questions from employees about using sick leave or paid time off and privacy issues when discussing if employees should work from home if they show signs of flu symptoms.

It is important that companies begin to look at these issues and develop a plan now rather than when the virus hits their area or office building. By initiating a plan today to help educate employees and reviewing sick-leave and work-from-home policies, it will help prevent or downsize a crisis later.

Our client Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System specializes in infection control and is helping businesses be prepared for potential swine flu outbreaks in offices. Coverall is offering checklists and educational information about identifying "hot spots" that are prime areas of germ and infection transmission. The company is also offering insight about the proper cleaning methods and materials needed to clean an area that has been infected by swine flu. For more information about Coverall and its services please visit www.coverall.com.