Protecting Businesses From Swine Flu – How to Keep Operations Going

There’s a new report out that the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, could cause worker absenteeism to reach 30-50% in an influenza pandemic. Moreover, the report explained that very few companies are prepared for a flu outbreak and have little if any contingency plans to keep offices operational. In fact, a Harvard University School of Public Health study stated that just one-third of the businesses in the United States would be able to sustain operations if half of their employees were absent for two weeks due to H1N1. Only a fifth of the companies said they could continue more than a month if they were hit.

“Business continuity” consultants are feverishly working (so to speak) to help companies prepare for a possible flu outbreak that would cripple, and in some cases, destroy many businesses. One of the primary focus areas involve helping companies protect contagious behaviors. Everyone knows the common sense solutions involving the washing of hands and covering coughs and sneezes. Most experts advice that if someone is sick that they stay home.

However, there are technological solutions that companies can easily implement that are inexpensive, practical and convenient.

The first plan of action for companies interested in maintaining operations in an outbreak is to set up a telephone and/or web conferencing service, including desktop video. Phone conference calling allows employees to isolate themselves at work or at home and still get the job done. During the past recession, many companies saved thousands of dollars by utilizing conferencing technology to avoid travel and meeting costs. But there’s an added benefit as well — by using conferencing, workers do not put themselves in harm’s way by transmitting or catching airborne viruses. Simply, talking on the phone is a lot safer and healthier than meeting with someone face to face.

If a business situation demands more than conversation, and documents or presentations are involved, new and inexpensive technology will allow you to share those documents or PowerPoint presentations over a web conference on the Internet. A presenter can not only share written materials, but can share his or her desktop. In other words, anything the conference leader sees on his computer desktop screen can be shared with any one else in the conference. Let’s say, you wanted to show several people an Excel spreadsheet you’ve prepared. You can just click a button on your web conferencing service, and everyone in the conference can see exactly what you’re looking at on your monitor. Whatever you see, they see. So if you want them to look at your spreadsheet, just bring it to the front and tell them what they are looking at. The visual portion of the conference is on the Internet, and the sound or audio portion is on the phone — all done in real time.

So if you are interested in protecting your business from the possible effects of a swine flu outbreak, or any other disease, your first plan of action is to sign up for a phone conferencing account that you can access at anytime. Maybe you’ll never need to use it. But in any event, you’ll be prepared to spring into action and head off an attack on your business that could prove crippling. Business that are prepared to stay operating, even when a high percentage of the workers are at home, will stay the course and come out way ahead of their competitors.