| How would your business operate if half your | | | | could fill in, how would the business run? It is |
| work force were out sick? Would your business | | | | estimated that between 30-60% of the |
| continue to function if several of your top key | | | | workforce will be out sick.Maintain a healthy work |
| employees died? How many employees are | | | | environment. Encourage hand washing, offer hand |
| cross-trained in other positions?A recent study | | | | sanitizers, consider quality air purifiers. Limit |
| showed the threat that most preoccupies the | | | | face-to-face contact with employees and |
| world's business leaders is a global influenza | | | | customers. Limit large group meetings, shared |
| pandemic. This is why you need to start asking | | | | workstations and public events. Limit or eliminate |
| these questions now so your business can be | | | | non-essential business travel. Make use of |
| prepared for a possible bird flu pandemic. A bird | | | | conference calls and video conferencing.Review |
| flu pandemic will not discriminate. Everyone from | | | | employment policies to see if you can require |
| the janitor to the CEO would be affected. | | | | employees to stay home if they are sick. |
| Worst-case scenario could leave millions sick and | | | | Establish new sick time policies. Check employee |
| any where from 5 million to 1.5 billion people dead | | | | agreement clauses for business closure plans, |
| around the world.The World Bank, which has | | | | hours of work and position changes. Establish |
| estimated that a bird flu pandemic lasting a year, | | | | policies and procedures for sending staff home, |
| could cost the global economy up to $800 billion. | | | | staff leaving work on their own, unauthorized |
| The economic toll on the world economy will be | | | | absences and returning to work. Plan to offer |
| catastrophic. There would be major economic | | | | additional sick time pay or wage and salary |
| losses due to worker absences and interruptions | | | | advances to staff unable to work. Plan for family |
| in supply and delivery chains. Even a | | | | member illness, community quarantines, school |
| ìmildî pandemic would have lasting | | | | business and public transportation closures.Offer |
| effects on your business. Because a global flu | | | | telecommuting options to as many employees as |
| pandemic is such a threat, current business and | | | | possible. Offer flextime and other creative job |
| disaster response plans may not be adequate to | | | | options.Back up essential files off site, provide |
| deal with it. What steps should you start to take | | | | access to a network of key employees.Establish a |
| now to prepare?As with any worst-case scenario | | | | communication plan for employees and business |
| you should be aware of the risks and have a | | | | contacts. Include key contacts and tracking for |
| contingency plan in place before you need it. By | | | | employee status. Employees will be hungry for up |
| planning now you will help keep your business | | | | to date information about their business, jobs and |
| running, your employees safe and head off | | | | co-workers. Good communication with your |
| possible legal issues. Some of the steps you may | | | | employees is essential to avoid rumors, panic and |
| want to consider are:Establish a pandemic | | | | misinformation.To encourage employees to stock |
| coordinator or team with responsibilities for | | | | up on food and supplies for an extended home |
| preparedness and response planning. Provide | | | | stay, purchase supplies for them in bulk to take |
| current avian influenza information to all | | | | advantage of discounts, offer the savings to |
| employees. Identify and make available | | | | employees. Or offer them a SAMÃs Club or |
| information on community resources.Identify key | | | | Costco membership at no charge.Taking these |
| essential areas and current employees responsible. | | | | steps today will help your business be prepared |
| Cross-train other employees in those areas so | | | | for a possible bird flu pandemic, survive for the |
| they are able to fill in for sick employees. Have | | | | duration and return to business as normal faster |
| written documentation for those employees filling | | | | than those who are not prepared.TJ Smith writes |
| in for others.Identify key suppliers and alternative | | | | about avian flu and the coming pandemic.To stay |
| sources for critical materials and supplies. Increase | | | | up to date on avian influenza, bird flu and the h5n1 |
| raw material inventories to keep production going | | | | virus visit The Bird Flu Index Find links to bird flu |
| for several months. Plan for ìjust in | | | | websites, blogs, forums, official medical and |
| timeî inventory shortages. Products and | | | | government sites and full information about how |
| inventory from Asian countries may not be | | | | the bird flu could turn into a global influenza |
| available if Asian factories are shut down due to | | | | pandemic. Search through the article archive for |
| illness.Play "what if?" What if Joe in accounting was | | | | the latest bird flu articles. |
| out sick for a month? Or Sam in IT died? Who | | | | |