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Friday, November 19, 2010

All about Pandemic Planning

As HR managers proceed with their plans for staffing and compensation for 2010, they should also keep in mind the looming swine flu pandemic.  Pandemics often take many organizations by surprise preventing them from taking effective measure to counter their effects.  
The health and safety of every employee is the key to business continuity and it is incumbent upon all HR professionals to anticipate new threats and arm the management with contingency plans which complement business continuity plans.  

If your company is among those that are trying to grapple with the ifs of a possible swine flu pandemic, here are a few steps to help you prepare.
Appoint a pandemic flu coordinator and pandemic flu team.  This team will develop a plan that includes business contingency planning, employee education, prevention and response measures and internal communication.  This team should also be responsible for coordinating with the local health authorities.  

Prevention being the best cure, potential human to human transmission should be minimized by promoting hygiene and social distance3ing practices by educating employees about coughing sneezing and had sanitizing methods.  Traveling should e kept to a minimum and only undertaken if it is critical to business.
Review medical consultation services to provide employees with mandatory seasonal influenza vaccinations.  Include the provision of antiviral and pandemic flu vaccines in the medical insurance policies.
Identify essential job and develop contingency plans in the event6 of essential employees falling ill.  

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