Getting a pandemic plan ready for business continuity

The COVID-19 outbreak is certainly unsettling. Early and thoughtful planning by business leaders can reduce the impacts of pandemics, protect essential business functions, and minimise financial losses for the enterprise over the long term.

Applying a number of key measures to the planning effort highlighted below will help your business be ready for continuity.

Understand the Risk

Businesses that have access to reliable data will secure an advantage. The following websites are reliable sources of pandemic information for international, national, state, and local information:

The COVID-19 pandemic is a fluid situation. Thus, additional guidance, restrictions and best practices will evolve as the situation progresses. To best prioritise the safety of employees, customers and the broader public, it’s vital to stay up to date on the latest guidance.

The CDC is working with the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. government to coordinate U.S. public health response to this disease.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is also providing information that includes updates on conditions in countries around the world.

The following links can provide a starting point for staying current:

• CDC: COVID-19 official updates and announcements
• CDC: COVID-19 facts and information
• CDC: Printable COVID-19 fact sheets
• WHO: COVID-19 facts, information and news
• CDC: Information for travellers
• Ready.gov: Business continuity plan
• Fisher Phillips: Comprehensive FAQs for Employers on the COVID-19 Coronavirus

Focus on Actions

While knowledge about risk is important, only actions can help manage the threat of a pandemic. Businesses are encouraged to take steps to help overcome the consequences of a pandemic, before, during, and after a pandemic episode.
As with other natural hazards, business continuity planning for pandemic will require thoughtful research on available options, informed decision-making, and documentation of key policies and procedures. An implementation schedule for selected actions would help ensure the business takes the essential steps in protection.

Raise Worker Awareness

Offering awareness and education sessions, brochures, and other materials in cooperation with local health authorities will help employees respond to the threat with reason instead of fear. They would benefit from knowing basic facts on how the virus spreads and how to avoid acquiring the disease in the workplace.

Strict adherence to hand washing protocols, respiratory etiquette, and not working while ill is the cornerstone of an infection control plan and may be the most successful preventative action during a pandemic.

Informing and protecting the workforce will help avoid interruptions in essential functions, and may be the most important step any business can take in managing pandemic risk.

Keep Your Business in Business

For hazards of all types, business leaders should identify the essential functions that are absolutely critical to enterprise survival. These are more likely to be time-sensitive functions that demand specific skills and knowledge. Many businesses have prepared Business Continuity Plans (BCP) that could serve well in a pandemic situation.
Managers should identify the core resources required in each function, such as skilled personnel, utilities, raw materials, equipment, or data, and contemplate the loss of these resources with several pandemic scenarios in mind. In the event of pandemic, core resources at risk first and foremost include the employees. In addition, every business should anticipate impairment among suppliers, utilities, and contracted services, including transportation and financial services.
The success of any business continuity plan depends on ready access to alternate resources in the face of adversity. During a pandemic, businesses that can temporarily replace ill workers will have an advantage. Businesses may want to consider succession planning, cross-training, and alternative ways that employees can work from home (e.g., telecommuting). Replacement workers could come from other business units, or from a pool of recently retired workers and contractors.
In addition to interruptions to the supply side of your business, it would be wise to anticipate impacts on demand for products or services. Depending on how the general public reacts to the threat of pandemic when it arrives, consumer confidence may be affected, with corresponding changes in consumption and social patterns. Businesses in the service sector, for example, may experience a drop in demand. Due to the unknowns surrounding pandemic events, businesses should be prepared to adjust operations to meet the demands of different situations.
Organisations that have prepared for and can quickly adapt to new situations will have a better chance of continuing operations and survival.

Africa HR Solutions commitment to our clients

Africa HR Solutions has supported small to medium-sized businesses for the past decade. Even though the recent COVID-19 pandemic has considerably impacted the business landscape worldwide, we want to ensure you that we are prepared and here to support our clients and partners through this outbreak.

Our top priority is the health and safety of our employees, clients and the communities where we live and work.

Through our business continuity plan, we are confident in our ability to continue delivering the premium level of service to which you are accustomed.

Africa HR Solutions will continue to monitor the situation and guide its clients and partners accordingly.