Coronavirus: Strategies for Managing Pandemics at Work
Asinta Partners suggest global workforce managers use some tried and true strategies for managing pandemics at work. They are deceptively simple sounding, but support an effective response to COVID-19 or any pandemic. Specifically, they apply to corporate policies, the people who organize the response, health insurance, and sick leave benefits.
Step 1 – Review and/or update company policies as they relate to pandemics
If you don’t have one, use other disaster planning policies (such as in the case of wildfires or earthquakes) as a starting point. They typically include protocols for communication and consistent messaging, office visitation, standard practices for office closings and remote work, and measures to ensure fair treatment of employees.
Step 2 – Bring together a cross functional emergency preparedness team
- These people should be decision makers or have direct access to the people who make decisions on office closures, leaves of absence and flexible working arrangements.
- The team should discuss how and what to communicate, both internally and externally, regarding employee health and safety, medical leaves, personal leaves, and disability. Don’t forget about the need to increase technical support, and don’t lose focus on legal compliance. Having one team focused on the response to the pandemic makes it much easier to manage through potential disruption.
Step 3 – Understand how/if your company’s localized health and travel insurance covers pandemics.
Read this Asinta article on the coronavirus and health insurance for specifics. Travel insurance is discussed as well.
Step 4 – Amend your sick leave policy to include local public health systems or ministries
- In the United States the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says companies should:
- Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance.
- Develop non-punitive leave policies so that sick employees do not feel pressured to come into work where they can infect others.
- Loosen requirements for a doctor’s note for employees to validate a respiratory illness or to return to work.
- Maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member.
This article is one of a series dedicated to helping global workforce managers navigate the evolving challenges brought on by COVID-19. Expect regular articles such as this from the Asinta Partnership as the global impact of the coronavirus unfolds.