Preventing Swine Flu – 5 Key Steps to Protect Your Business & Employees From a Pandemic

By June 19, 2009, all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands had reported H1N1 infection. H1N1 outbreaks are ongoing in parts of the United States, in some cases with intense activity. Every business must understand and plan for an outbreak of H1N1 (Swine) Flu and prepare ahead of time.

High rates of worker absenteeism can also interrupt other essential services, such as law enforcement, transportation, banks, restaurants, government offices, telephone and cellular phone companies, post offices, stores, and your business practices.

Plan for the possibility that usual services your employees and your business need may be disrupted. You need to consider how business will continue during a pandemic. Consider staggered shifts, telecommuting possibilities and needs, accessing remote networks, and using portable computers. Consider flexibility in leave policies as well.

Knowing the 5 steps to preparing for the H1N1 (Swine) Flu are essential for protecting your business and employees.

Step 1 Know the Facts

Step 2 Prepare Ahead of Time

Step 3 Educate Your Employees

Step 4 Loosen Your Leave Policies

Step 5 Allow Telecommuting

Pandemics touch every aspect of society, so every part of society must prepare. All have roles in the event of a pandemic. Federal, state, tribal, and local governments are developing, improving, and testing their plans for an influenza pandemic. Businesses, schools, universities, and other faith-based and community organizations are also preparing plans. As a business leader, you are an essential part of our nation’s defense against natural and man-made threats. Preparedness is the best method to defend against the impacts of all threats and hazards, including public health threats.

Every business, large or small should have a written plan to address how to deal with this pandemic. Human Resource Departments, Administrators, Office Managers must all find the necessary resources, create the policies, and communicate their expectations to their workforce in order to prepare for the H1N1 Swine Flu. A good place to start is using the 5 Key Steps to Protect Your Business & Employees From Pandemic.