Pandemic Tabletop Exercise
The Effect of a Pandemic on Your Employees
The most obvious way pandemic affects businesses is the increase in employee absence. But with proper education and training, your workforce will be prepared. Conducting a pandemic tabletop exercise is a great way to test your plan.
Your company is likely prepared for the occasional employee illness but even these anticipated sick days still cost businesses billions of dollars per year. On the other hand, many businesses are not expecting half their staff to call in sick on the same day or for extended periods of time. This may very well happen if the flu or a pandemic sweeps through your area.
Cross-Training Employees for Pandemic Preparedness
Many businesses train each employee to fill a single position, especially the important ones. This is actually the opposite of what you should do.
Barbara Webster, Crisis and Business Continuity Consultant, believes that “information and proactive wellness planning are essential to alleviating fears and false information that can spread rapidly.” She recommends encouraging employees to get flu shots, working from home when sick, and providing hand sanitizers within the branches near entrances and at counters can also help.
“If there are several branches,” Barbara said, “management needs to prepare a business plan that would allow them to temporarily consolidate services in one location. Should a significant percentage of their workforce become ill or exposed, the plan would be a time-saver.”
Download our Pandemic Tabletop Exercise to test your emergency preparedness plan.