With swine flu still in its early stages, predictions on the number of people who will be affected vary enormously.
But while no one yet knows how serious this flu pandemic will be, businesses are expecting to see their operations disrupted as employees are forced to take time off to recover. And although private medical insurance does not cover primary swine flu treatment, advisers are expecting clients to turn to them for advice. Not only will complications potentially lead to claims, but employers also want to know how to use psychological techniques to best manage a scenario that could lead to panic.
The NHS is basing its plans on figures ranging from 11,000 deaths in the UK, which is slightly higher than the number of deaths from normal flu each year, to an upper estimate of 65,000.
Staying at home is the fundamental piece of advice from the experts. Wherever you are based in the UK, the NHS’s primary advice is to stay at home, with this supported by advice to contact a GP or, in England, the National Pandemic Flu Service.
With those infected with a serious bout of swine flu taking around a week to recover, employers are already seeing an increase in the level of absence. For instance, by mid-July, one in 217 people on absence management company FirstCare’s live database were off work with coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms – three times the normal rate expected for this time of year.
This represents an increase of 300 per cent in this type of absence in just three weeks. “We are seeing a much higher incidence of absence as a result of these types of symptoms than we would normally at this time of year,” says Nadira Bullock, head of sales and marketing at FirstCare. “We’re also seeing different reactions to it. For instance, in the private sector we’re seeing some employers telling staff to stay at home if they’ve come into contact with the virus, even if they haven’t developed symptoms themselves. This will help reduce the spread of the virus but clearly this isn’t practical in all situations.”
With swine flu likely to affect many businesses, employers are looking at how they can be more prepared. Medical insurance is unlikely to play much of a role in the plans as Dudley Lusted, head of corporate healthcare development at Axa PPP healthcare, explains: “We’ve seen a steady stream of traffic to the information we’ve posted on our website about swine flu but we haven’t seen any claims relating to it. This isn’t surprising as UK policies do not cover the cost of primary care services and the vast majority of cases are being treated within this setting.”
Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are also out of bounds for medical insurance policies. As these are out-patient drugs they’re not covered and, indeed, in many cases if someone has the symptoms of swine flu, anti-viral drugs will be available free through the NHS.
Where medical insurance may have a part to play is where complications occur. Ronjit Bose, head of product development at Standard Life Healthcare, explains: “Swine flu isn’t out of scope so if an employee needs treatment for a complication that arose as a result of the virus then this could be covered on their medical insurance.” An example of this could be where an employee develops a respiratory problem that necessitates an in-patient stay.
But while there is a possibility that the insurers will see more claims as a result of these complications, Bose doesn’t believe this will be the case. “The vast majority of people are only likely to suffer minor symptoms. We are watching closely but there are no implications that it will have any bearing on future premiums,” he adds.
Although medical insurance may only have a limited role when it comes to looking after those who become infected by the virus, the industry is actively promoting business continuity planning to employers to help them deal with the higher levels of absence. “We’ve had a lot of requests from clients for information about dealing with swine flu,” says Jamie Barnes, client services director at Enrich. “It’s important for employers to have a plan in place so they can deal with any cases of swine flu. This should focus on preventing the spread of the virus, explaining to employees about the importance of washing their hands, recognising the symptoms of swine flu and stressing the importance of taking time off to recover.”
A common sense approach to planning for absence is also important. Lusted says that employers should be encouraged to plan for a range of scenarios. “How an organisation will be affected on a week-by-week basis will depend on how the workforce is distributed. If most people are in a single factory or office the impact will be greater as a higher proportion of people are likely to be infected at the same time,” he says. “It’s also worth considering the relocation of business critical people into different offices so that the risk of large numbers of people undertaking a business critical role being infected at the same time is reduced.”
Additionally, it won’t just be a question of sick employees being absent. Parents may also need to take time off to look after their children if they are affected. This could push up the absence figures, possibly leading to longer periods of absence if infection in the family isn’t concurrent.
As well as planning for absence, employers may also be able to reduce the risk of spreading the infection throughout the workforce by considering alternative ways of working. “Instead of having meetings you might want to minimise travel and have telephone conferences instead,” Bullock explains. “And think about letting employees work from home. The more time they spend travelling on public transport, the greater the risk of picking up the virus.”
But while employers might want to adopt a full battle plan to combat the virus, it’s also important they consider the psychological impact swine flu might have on employees. Mandy Rutter, clinical manager at Axa Icas, says that anxiety and stress are on the increase as people are bombarded with news on the virus threat. “Parents are concerned about their children and employees are anxious about the financial and wellbeing risks of catching the virus. This is having a significant impact on employees’ performance at work,” she explains.
A number of steps can be put in place to take some of this pressure off employees. “Plans are essential,” says Rutter. “Employers need to have processes in place to support managers in the shift from managing objectives, targets and finances to monitoring illness and huge levels of anxiety in their team.” She also recommends having clear trigger points in place for managers who are dealing with sick employees. These will enable them to feel more confident about taking decisions such as sending them home as well as ensuring employees feel they are treated the same.
It’s also essential to speak to employees about their fears. “Managers need to ask employees about their family commitments and get an understanding of their support network at home. Think about the anxiety and concern parents might be having and also find out whether employees are worried about work closures and the impact it could have on finances,” Rutter says.
Additionally, with many employees feeling anxious about the virus and the ways in which it might affect them, access to an employee assistance programme can be particularly helpful. This can provide support and information to help prevent their anxieties escalating.
So while the medical advice may be to stay at home and wait until you feel better, for employers, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to minimise the disruption swine flu could have on their business.
Health advice for employers
The Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health have worked with the healthcare sector and other related parties such as the police and fire service to develop guidance for employers to help them deal with swine flu in the workplace.
This recommends that employees that show signs of the flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Line Service for an assessment. If this indicates they are suffering from swine flu they should inform their employer or occupational health department and then stay at home until they are fully recovered.
Additionally, the guidance looks at the steps employers can take to reduce the spread of the swine flu virus at work. This is split into three areas – environmental, organisational and individual – and includes the following advice:
Environmental
• Prominently display signs to remind employees of the signs and symptoms of flu and measures to be adopted.
• Clean surfaces frequently and consider improving access to hand hygiene facilities.
• Minimise the amount of soft furnishings and other objects that are difficult to clean.
Organisational
• Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of flu and the importance of self-isolation.
• Promote a culture where employees with symptoms feel they can stay at home until they are well.
• Consider alternatives to direct meetings and visits, for instance telephone or video conferencing.
Individual
• Encourage proper hand hygiene.
• Minimise interactions with people.
• Consider asking individuals with symptoms to wear a face mask.
More information on the guidance can be found on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk.
With swine flu still in its early stages, predictions on the number of people who will be affected vary enormously.
But while no one yet knows how serious this flu pandemic will be, businesses are expecting to see their operations disrupted as employees are forced to take time off to recover. And although private medical insurance does not cover primary swine flu treatment, advisers are expecting clients to turn to them for advice. Not only will complications potentially lead to claims, but employers also want to know how to use psychological techniques to best manage a scenario that could lead to panic.
The NHS is basing its plans on figures ranging from 11,000 deaths in the UK, which is slightly higher than the number of deaths from normal flu each year, to an upper estimate of 65,000.
Staying at home is the fundamental piece of advice from the experts. Wherever you are based in the UK, the NHS’s primary advice is to stay at home, with this supported by advice to contact a GP or, in England, the National Pandemic Flu Service.
With those infected with a serious bout of swine flu taking around a week to recover, employers are already seeing an increase in the level of absence. For instance, by mid-July, one in 217 people on absence management company FirstCare’s live database were off work with coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms – three times the normal rate expected for this time of year.
This represents an increase of 300 per cent in this type of absence in just three weeks. “We are seeing a much higher incidence of absence as a result of these types of symptoms than we would normally at this time of year,” says Nadira Bullock, head of sales and marketing at FirstCare. “We’re also seeing different reactions to it. For instance, in the private sector we’re seeing some employers telling staff to stay at home if they’ve come into contact with the virus, even if they haven’t developed symptoms themselves. This will help reduce the spread of the virus but clearly this isn’t practical in all situations.”
With swine flu likely to affect many businesses, employers are looking at how they can be more prepared. Medical insurance is unlikely to play much of a role in the plans as Dudley Lusted, head of corporate healthcare development at Axa PPP healthcare, explains: “We’ve seen a steady stream of traffic to the information we’ve posted on our website about swine flu but we haven’t seen any claims relating to it. This isn’t surprising as UK policies do not cover the cost of primary care services and the vast majority of cases are being treated within this setting.”
Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are also out of bounds for medical insurance policies. As these are out-patient drugs they’re not covered and, indeed, in many cases if someone has the symptoms of swine flu, anti-viral drugs will be available free through the NHS.
Where medical insurance may have a part to play is where complications occur. Ronjit Bose, head of product development at Standard Life Healthcare, explains: “Swine flu isn’t out of scope so if an employee needs treatment for a complication that arose as a result of the virus then this could be covered on their medical insurance.” An example of this could be where an employee develops a respiratory problem that necessitates an in-patient stay.
But while there is a possibility that the insurers will see more claims as a result of these complications, Bose doesn’t believe this will be the case. “The vast majority of people are only likely to suffer minor symptoms. We are watching closely but there are no implications that it will have any bearing on future premiums,” he adds.
Although medical insurance may only have a limited role when it comes to looking after those who become infected by the virus, the industry is actively promoting business continuity planning to employers to help them deal with the higher levels of absence. “We’ve had a lot of requests from clients for information about dealing with swine flu,” says Jamie Barnes, client services director at Enrich. “It’s important for employers to have a plan in place so they can deal with any cases of swine flu. This should focus on preventing the spread of the virus, explaining to employees about the importance of washing their hands, recognising the symptoms of swine flu and stressing the importance of taking time off to recover.”
A common sense approach to planning for absence is also important. Lusted says that employers should be encouraged to plan for a range of scenarios. “How an organisation will be affected on a week-by-week basis will depend on how the workforce is distributed. If most people are in a single factory or office the impact will be greater as a higher proportion of people are likely to be infected at the same time,” he says. “It’s also worth considering the relocation of business critical people into different offices so that the risk of large numbers of people undertaking a business critical role being infected at the same time is reduced.”
Additionally, it won’t just be a question of sick employees being absent. Parents may also need to take time off to look after their children if they are affected. This could push up the absence figures, possibly leading to longer periods of absence if infection in the family isn’t concurrent.
As well as planning for absence, employers may also be able to reduce the risk of spreading the infection throughout the workforce by considering alternative ways of working. “Instead of having meetings you might want to minimise travel and have telephone conferences instead,” Bullock explains. “And think about letting employees work from home. The more time they spend travelling on public transport, the greater the risk of picking up the virus.”
But while employers might want to adopt a full battle plan to combat the virus, it’s also important they consider the psychological impact swine flu might have on employees. Mandy Rutter, clinical manager at Axa Icas, says that anxiety and stress are on the increase as people are bombarded with news on the virus threat. “Parents are concerned about their children and employees are anxious about the financial and wellbeing risks of catching the virus. This is having a significant impact on employees’ performance at work,” she explains.
A number of steps can be put in place to take some of this pressure off employees. “Plans are essential,” says Rutter. “Employers need to have processes in place to support managers in the shift from managing objectives, targets and finances to monitoring illness and huge levels of anxiety in their team.” She also recommends having clear trigger points in place for managers who are dealing with sick employees. These will enable them to feel more confident about taking decisions such as sending them home as well as ensuring employees feel they are treated the same.
It’s also essential to speak to employees about their fears. “Managers need to ask employees about their family commitments and get an understanding of their support network at home. Think about the anxiety and concern parents might be having and also find out whether employees are worried about work closures and the impact it could have on finances,” Rutter says.
Additionally, with many employees feeling anxious about the virus and the ways in which it might affect them, access to an employee assistance programme can be particularly helpful. This can provide support and information to help prevent their anxieties escalating.
So while the medical advice may be to stay at home and wait until you feel better, for employers, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to minimise the disruption swine flu could have on their business.
Health advice for employers
The Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health have worked with the healthcare sector and other related parties such as the police and fire service to develop guidance for employers to help them deal with swine flu in the workplace.
This recommends that employees that show signs of the flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Line Service for an assessment. If this indicates they are suffering from swine flu they should inform their employer or occupational health department and then stay at home until they are fully recovered.
Additionally, the guidance looks at the steps employers can take to reduce the spread of the swine flu virus at work. This is split into three areas – environmental, organisational and individual – and includes the following advice:
Environmental
• Prominently display signs to remind employees of the signs and symptoms of flu and measures to be adopted.
• Clean surfaces frequently and consider improving access to hand hygiene facilities.
• Minimise the amount of soft furnishings and other objects that are difficult to clean.
Organisational
• Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of flu and the importance of self-isolation.
• Promote a culture where employees with symptoms feel they can stay at home until they are well.
• Consider alternatives to direct meetings and visits, for instance telephone or video conferencing.
Individual
• Encourage proper hand hygiene.
• Minimise interactions with people.
• Consider asking individuals with symptoms to wear a face mask.
More information on the guidance can be found on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk.
With swine flu still in its early stages, predictions on the number of people who will be affected vary enormously.
But while no one yet knows how serious this flu pandemic will be, businesses are expecting to see their operations disrupted as employees are forced to take time off to recover. And although private medical insurance does not cover primary swine flu treatment, advisers are expecting clients to turn to them for advice. Not only will complications potentially lead to claims, but employers also want to know how to use psychological techniques to best manage a scenario that could lead to panic.
The NHS is basing its plans on figures ranging from 11,000 deaths in the UK, which is slightly higher than the number of deaths from normal flu each year, to an upper estimate of 65,000.
Staying at home is the fundamental piece of advice from the experts. Wherever you are based in the UK, the NHS’s primary advice is to stay at home, with this supported by advice to contact a GP or, in England, the National Pandemic Flu Service.
With those infected with a serious bout of swine flu taking around a week to recover, employers are already seeing an increase in the level of absence. For instance, by mid-July, one in 217 people on absence management company FirstCare’s live database were off work with coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms – three times the normal rate expected for this time of year.
This represents an increase of 300 per cent in this type of absence in just three weeks. “We are seeing a much higher incidence of absence as a result of these types of symptoms than we would normally at this time of year,” says Nadira Bullock, head of sales and marketing at FirstCare. “We’re also seeing different reactions to it. For instance, in the private sector we’re seeing some employers telling staff to stay at home if they’ve come into contact with the virus, even if they haven’t developed symptoms themselves. This will help reduce the spread of the virus but clearly this isn’t practical in all situations.”
With swine flu likely to affect many businesses, employers are looking at how they can be more prepared. Medical insurance is unlikely to play much of a role in the plans as Dudley Lusted, head of corporate healthcare development at Axa PPP healthcare, explains: “We’ve seen a steady stream of traffic to the information we’ve posted on our website about swine flu but we haven’t seen any claims relating to it. This isn’t surprising as UK policies do not cover the cost of primary care services and the vast majority of cases are being treated within this setting.”
Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are also out of bounds for medical insurance policies. As these are out-patient drugs they’re not covered and, indeed, in many cases if someone has the symptoms of swine flu, anti-viral drugs will be available free through the NHS.
Where medical insurance may have a part to play is where complications occur. Ronjit Bose, head of product development at Standard Life Healthcare, explains: “Swine flu isn’t out of scope so if an employee needs treatment for a complication that arose as a result of the virus then this could be covered on their medical insurance.” An example of this could be where an employee develops a respiratory problem that necessitates an in-patient stay.
But while there is a possibility that the insurers will see more claims as a result of these complications, Bose doesn’t believe this will be the case. “The vast majority of people are only likely to suffer minor symptoms. We are watching closely but there are no implications that it will have any bearing on future premiums,” he adds.
Although medical insurance may only have a limited role when it comes to looking after those who become infected by the virus, the industry is actively promoting business continuity planning to employers to help them deal with the higher levels of absence. “We’ve had a lot of requests from clients for information about dealing with swine flu,” says Jamie Barnes, client services director at Enrich. “It’s important for employers to have a plan in place so they can deal with any cases of swine flu. This should focus on preventing the spread of the virus, explaining to employees about the importance of washing their hands, recognising the symptoms of swine flu and stressing the importance of taking time off to recover.”
A common sense approach to planning for absence is also important. Lusted says that employers should be encouraged to plan for a range of scenarios. “How an organisation will be affected on a week-by-week basis will depend on how the workforce is distributed. If most people are in a single factory or office the impact will be greater as a higher proportion of people are likely to be infected at the same time,” he says. “It’s also worth considering the relocation of business critical people into different offices so that the risk of large numbers of people undertaking a business critical role being infected at the same time is reduced.”
Additionally, it won’t just be a question of sick employees being absent. Parents may also need to take time off to look after their children if they are affected. This could push up the absence figures, possibly leading to longer periods of absence if infection in the family isn’t concurrent.
As well as planning for absence, employers may also be able to reduce the risk of spreading the infection throughout the workforce by considering alternative ways of working. “Instead of having meetings you might want to minimise travel and have telephone conferences instead,” Bullock explains. “And think about letting employees work from home. The more time they spend travelling on public transport, the greater the risk of picking up the virus.”
But while employers might want to adopt a full battle plan to combat the virus, it’s also important they consider the psychological impact swine flu might have on employees. Mandy Rutter, clinical manager at Axa Icas, says that anxiety and stress are on the increase as people are bombarded with news on the virus threat. “Parents are concerned about their children and employees are anxious about the financial and wellbeing risks of catching the virus. This is having a significant impact on employees’ performance at work,” she explains.
A number of steps can be put in place to take some of this pressure off employees. “Plans are essential,” says Rutter. “Employers need to have processes in place to support managers in the shift from managing objectives, targets and finances to monitoring illness and huge levels of anxiety in their team.” She also recommends having clear trigger points in place for managers who are dealing with sick employees. These will enable them to feel more confident about taking decisions such as sending them home as well as ensuring employees feel they are treated the same.
It’s also essential to speak to employees about their fears. “Managers need to ask employees about their family commitments and get an understanding of their support network at home. Think about the anxiety and concern parents might be having and also find out whether employees are worried about work closures and the impact it could have on finances,” Rutter says.
Additionally, with many employees feeling anxious about the virus and the ways in which it might affect them, access to an employee assistance programme can be particularly helpful. This can provide support and information to help prevent their anxieties escalating.
So while the medical advice may be to stay at home and wait until you feel better, for employers, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to minimise the disruption swine flu could have on their business.
Health advice for employers
The Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health have worked with the healthcare sector and other related parties such as the police and fire service to develop guidance for employers to help them deal with swine flu in the workplace.
This recommends that employees that show signs of the flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Line Service for an assessment. If this indicates they are suffering from swine flu they should inform their employer or occupational health department and then stay at home until they are fully recovered.
Additionally, the guidance looks at the steps employers can take to reduce the spread of the swine flu virus at work. This is split into three areas – environmental, organisational and individual – and includes the following advice:
Environmental
• Prominently display signs to remind employees of the signs and symptoms of flu and measures to be adopted.
• Clean surfaces frequently and consider improving access to hand hygiene facilities.
• Minimise the amount of soft furnishings and other objects that are difficult to clean.
Organisational
• Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of flu and the importance of self-isolation.
• Promote a culture where employees with symptoms feel they can stay at home until they are well.
• Consider alternatives to direct meetings and visits, for instance telephone or video conferencing.
Individual
• Encourage proper hand hygiene.
• Minimise interactions with people.
• Consider asking individuals with symptoms to wear a face mask.
More information on the guidance can be found on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk.
With swine flu still in its early stages, predictions on the number of people who will be affected vary enormously.
But while no one yet knows how serious this flu pandemic will be, businesses are expecting to see their operations disrupted as employees are forced to take time off to recover. And although private medical insurance does not cover primary swine flu treatment, advisers are expecting clients to turn to them for advice. Not only will complications potentially lead to claims, but employers also want to know how to use psychological techniques to best manage a scenario that could lead to panic.
The NHS is basing its plans on figures ranging from 11,000 deaths in the UK, which is slightly higher than the number of deaths from normal flu each year, to an upper estimate of 65,000.
Staying at home is the fundamental piece of advice from the experts. Wherever you are based in the UK, the NHS’s primary advice is to stay at home, with this supported by advice to contact a GP or, in England, the National Pandemic Flu Service.
With those infected with a serious bout of swine flu taking around a week to recover, employers are already seeing an increase in the level of absence. For instance, by mid-July, one in 217 people on absence management company FirstCare’s live database were off work with coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms – three times the normal rate expected for this time of year.
This represents an increase of 300 per cent in this type of absence in just three weeks. “We are seeing a much higher incidence of absence as a result of these types of symptoms than we would normally at this time of year,” says Nadira Bullock, head of sales and marketing at FirstCare. “We’re also seeing different reactions to it. For instance, in the private sector we’re seeing some employers telling staff to stay at home if they’ve come into contact with the virus, even if they haven’t developed symptoms themselves. This will help reduce the spread of the virus but clearly this isn’t practical in all situations.”
With swine flu likely to affect many businesses, employers are looking at how they can be more prepared. Medical insurance is unlikely to play much of a role in the plans as Dudley Lusted, head of corporate healthcare development at Axa PPP healthcare, explains: “We’ve seen a steady stream of traffic to the information we’ve posted on our website about swine flu but we haven’t seen any claims relating to it. This isn’t surprising as UK policies do not cover the cost of primary care services and the vast majority of cases are being treated within this setting.”
Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are also out of bounds for medical insurance policies. As these are out-patient drugs they’re not covered and, indeed, in many cases if someone has the symptoms of swine flu, anti-viral drugs will be available free through the NHS.
Where medical insurance may have a part to play is where complications occur. Ronjit Bose, head of product development at Standard Life Healthcare, explains: “Swine flu isn’t out of scope so if an employee needs treatment for a complication that arose as a result of the virus then this could be covered on their medical insurance.” An example of this could be where an employee develops a respiratory problem that necessitates an in-patient stay.
But while there is a possibility that the insurers will see more claims as a result of these complications, Bose doesn’t believe this will be the case. “The vast majority of people are only likely to suffer minor symptoms. We are watching closely but there are no implications that it will have any bearing on future premiums,” he adds.
Although medical insurance may only have a limited role when it comes to looking after those who become infected by the virus, the industry is actively promoting business continuity planning to employers to help them deal with the higher levels of absence. “We’ve had a lot of requests from clients for information about dealing with swine flu,” says Jamie Barnes, client services director at Enrich. “It’s important for employers to have a plan in place so they can deal with any cases of swine flu. This should focus on preventing the spread of the virus, explaining to employees about the importance of washing their hands, recognising the symptoms of swine flu and stressing the importance of taking time off to recover.”
A common sense approach to planning for absence is also important. Lusted says that employers should be encouraged to plan for a range of scenarios. “How an organisation will be affected on a week-by-week basis will depend on how the workforce is distributed. If most people are in a single factory or office the impact will be greater as a higher proportion of people are likely to be infected at the same time,” he says. “It’s also worth considering the relocation of business critical people into different offices so that the risk of large numbers of people undertaking a business critical role being infected at the same time is reduced.”
Additionally, it won’t just be a question of sick employees being absent. Parents may also need to take time off to look after their children if they are affected. This could push up the absence figures, possibly leading to longer periods of absence if infection in the family isn’t concurrent.
As well as planning for absence, employers may also be able to reduce the risk of spreading the infection throughout the workforce by considering alternative ways of working. “Instead of having meetings you might want to minimise travel and have telephone conferences instead,” Bullock explains. “And think about letting employees work from home. The more time they spend travelling on public transport, the greater the risk of picking up the virus.”
But while employers might want to adopt a full battle plan to combat the virus, it’s also important they consider the psychological impact swine flu might have on employees. Mandy Rutter, clinical manager at Axa Icas, says that anxiety and stress are on the increase as people are bombarded with news on the virus threat. “Parents are concerned about their children and employees are anxious about the financial and wellbeing risks of catching the virus. This is having a significant impact on employees’ performance at work,” she explains.
A number of steps can be put in place to take some of this pressure off employees. “Plans are essential,” says Rutter. “Employers need to have processes in place to support managers in the shift from managing objectives, targets and finances to monitoring illness and huge levels of anxiety in their team.” She also recommends having clear trigger points in place for managers who are dealing with sick employees. These will enable them to feel more confident about taking decisions such as sending them home as well as ensuring employees feel they are treated the same.
It’s also essential to speak to employees about their fears. “Managers need to ask employees about their family commitments and get an understanding of their support network at home. Think about the anxiety and concern parents might be having and also find out whether employees are worried about work closures and the impact it could have on finances,” Rutter says.
Additionally, with many employees feeling anxious about the virus and the ways in which it might affect them, access to an employee assistance programme can be particularly helpful. This can provide support and information to help prevent their anxieties escalating.
So while the medical advice may be to stay at home and wait until you feel better, for employers, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to minimise the disruption swine flu could have on their business.
Health advice for employers
The Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health have worked with the healthcare sector and other related parties such as the police and fire service to develop guidance for employers to help them deal with swine flu in the workplace.
This recommends that employees that show signs of the flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Line Service for an assessment. If this indicates they are suffering from swine flu they should inform their employer or occupational health department and then stay at home until they are fully recovered.
Additionally, the guidance looks at the steps employers can take to reduce the spread of the swine flu virus at work. This is split into three areas – environmental, organisational and individual – and includes the following advice:
Environmental
• Prominently display signs to remind employees of the signs and symptoms of flu and measures to be adopted.
• Clean surfaces frequently and consider improving access to hand hygiene facilities.
• Minimise the amount of soft furnishings and other objects that are difficult to clean.
Organisational
• Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of flu and the importance of self-isolation.
• Promote a culture where employees with symptoms feel they can stay at home until they are well.
• Consider alternatives to direct meetings and visits, for instance telephone or video conferencing.
Individual
• Encourage proper hand hygiene.
• Minimise interactions with people.
• Consider asking individuals with symptoms to wear a face mask.
More information on the guidance can be found on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk.
