We’ve all seen the extensive media flurry around the latest pandemic, Coronavirus; but how much is (and could) the virus impact UK businesses and what should employers be doing about it?
How potentially impacted, and therefore how seriously, businesses may need to consider the effects of coronavirus will depend on:
- If you’re an international business
- If you import goods from any of the affected, quarantined areas
- If you have employees that are required to travel abroad for work purposes
- If you any of your employees have recently travelled to the affected areas on their holidays
We’ve put together our recommendations and precautions that employers should be taking in regards to Coronavirus:
Refer to Official Advice
Employers should keep up to date with the latest official and expert medical advice on Coronavirus available on the NHS, government and World Health Organisation websites. It can be easy to become carried away with some of the extremities that the press is reporting about Coronavirus.
Remain Aware of your Health and Safety Obligations
Employees’ health, safety and wellbeing should (as always) remain high on any employer’s agenda. You have a statutory duty of care for your employees’ health and safety and to provide a safe working environment. Therefore, you should reduce any risk of putting your employees in harm’s way through potential exposure to Coronavirus. Be particularly aware of those employees who are more vulnerable, including pregnant and older workers, as well as those with respiratory and pre-existing medical conditions.
Develop a Contingency and Business Continuity Plan
Each business should assess the risks that could be caused by a major pandemic and how business operations may be impacted. Companies should also consider ways they can reduce impact or risk of the virus spreading throughout their business in a pandemic, such as implementing:
- Working from home options
- Access to hygiene products
- Restrictions on travelling abroad for work
- Reducing use of public transport
- Sourcing goods from unaffected areas
- Using technology such as video conference calls for meetings to reduce need to face-to-face interactions
- Implementing a self-quarantine period for staff who have holidayed in affected areas
- Consider other resourcing options should sickness absence levels increase and you experience staff shortages
- Introduce a voluntary special leave policy on a temporary basis where individuals can take paid or unpaid leave, or shorter working weeks should business operations become majorly impacted by a pandemic
Openly Communicate With Your Staff
One of the best ways to reduce the passing on of infectious diseases is by education and communication. Inform employees about potential exposure risks, coming in contact with infected individuals, hygiene and health precautions, the latest travelling advice and what to do if they believe they may have been infected with the virus. Also, consider whether to implement a mandatory stay at home period following their return from an affected area to reduce exposing other staff to the virus.
Despite there being relatively low risk currently to the UK, some individuals may be experiencing high anxiety and concern about the potential threat to their or their families health. Signpost these individuals to your Employee Assistance Programme.