Eight Business Lessons Learned From the Swine Flu – H1N1 Outbreak

The mild H1N1 (Swine Flu) provided a useful test of the business community’s resilience during pandemic events and continuity of its operations.
By: Ken Wilson
 
June 29, 2009 - PRLog -- We learned the following eight lessons:

1.   Companies that had developed and tested their business pandemic response plan had the most success in managing the impact of the outbreak.

2.   The H1N1 virus spread more rapidly than expected.  Our assumptions were based on the belief that a pandemic would start in Asia and the spread would be relatively slow. It didn’t. Business pandemic response plans must be adaptable to changing conditions and designed to respond appropriately to the severity of an outbreak.

3.   School closings had a major impact on numbers of employees reporting for work. Employers found they needed to be more flexible with their work-from-home options.

4.   The health care system was overwhelmed with only a mild outbreak.

5.   Firms with a global presence found that it was difficult to manage a global crisis with one single message. Communication plans need to develop appropriate messages for both domestic and overseas audiences.

6.   Travel policies need to be adaptable to variables such as: the necessity of the trip, the likelihood of the employee’s exposure to crowds, the individual’s health condition, the severity of the event, etc.

7.   With the media in overdrive, companies need to communicate promptly and frequently in order to allay employees’ fears, maintain credibility and neutralize rumors with quick, clear and truthful information.  International coordination was more complicated than expected.

8.   Shipping pandemic supplies (N95 masks, EPA approved disinfectants, etc.) outside the United States proved to be a problem.  Some shipments were stopped and sent back by customs authorities.

These results tell us that the business community is not fully prepared for a severe pandemic influenza. Most H1N1 (Swine Flu) cases have been mild, though pandemics often have a second wave and health officials say the strain could mutate and become more severe as it did in 1918 Spanish Flu. As we approach the seasonal flu season, there is a short window for businesses to develop or fine tune their business pandemic response plan.

Ken Wilson is a CMC® (Certified Management Consultant), trainer, writer, educator, and speaker with more than 23 years of experience in helping companies grow and prosper.  An expert in the area of business pandemic preparedness, he has helped over 400 companies plan against the impact of pandemics on their businesses through consulting, workshops and seminars.  Ken is available for interviews and comments on the topic and can be reached at 763-476.2216 or Ken@wmg-mn.com.

# # #

Management consultants - advisers to management, in formulating and implementing strategies that yield sustainable results – helping clients grow and change since 1986.
End
Source:Ken Wilson
Email:***@wmg-mn.com Email Verified
Zip:55391
Tags:Pandemic, Pandemic Response, Pandemic Plan, Pandemic Flu, Swine Flu, H1n1, Flu
Industry:Human resources, Business, Manufacturing
Location:Minneapolis - Minnesota - United States
Account Email Address Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
wilson marketing group, inc News
Trending
Most Viewed
Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share