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Coronavirus: what contingency plans are you putting in place?

Steve Bridger

We've had a discussion thread already touching on the Coronavirus (COVID-19), but things have moved on a bit and we'd like to ask members to use this space to share initiatives and plans around managing the coronavirus threat in your organisation.

Please refer to the CIPD factsheet for current guidance and also the latest information on the GOV.uk website.

The CIPD has been asked to speak on national news channels* about what businesses can be doing to manage issues affecting employees, such as flexible working, A+B teams coming into work, school closures, business travel etc.

*If you are happy to speak to the media, who are looking for real examples of businesses taking action, please let us know as we do sometimes get asked to recommend companies who could be featured. To reassure you, this is a closed thread and no-one can see it except CIPD staff and CIPD members. 

We’re well placed to help if you have any questions... and we’re interested to hear what actions you’re taking in your own organisations.

Please share below. Thanks.

UPDATE: 10th March 2020

Parents

  • HI all,

    We are near Brighton, so on the edge of the UK 'epicentre'. We already have a Major Incident Procedure which covers things like a contact cascade, what jobs can be done elsewhere and by whom, and so on. I've reviewed this and think that, for us, it will cover a worse-case scenario. We don't have staff working abroad so should Coronavirus hit us, it is unlikely to be an instant, all-consuming hit in the way something like a fire would be, but rather a dropping off in staffing and in that way it will be no different from a normal bad flu or novovirus year for example.

    I spent yesterday trawling through ACAS, CIPD, and Gov.uk sites and gathered together all the info there into one A3 poster for our staff, which I'll update as necessary. It starts with one sentence: "At present, be aware of it, but don't be worried by it". I do feel that there is a degree of panic forming that isn't needed at the moment, driven by the need for juicy headlines. My favourite today is that '...even the Queen is taking precautions', under a picture of her pinning a CBE onto Wendy Craig's lapel whilst wearing gloves. Two things, firstly when was the last time you saw the Queen without gloves on, and secondly she's a 93 year old woman who mixes with a lot of people every day so it's only sensible to take precautions - I'd expect my mum to.

    Outside of the CIPD, the info I've found most useful is:

    Attached is my poster. Feel free to use and adapt as necessary if you think it will be of any help.

Reply

  • HI all,

    We are near Brighton, so on the edge of the UK 'epicentre'. We already have a Major Incident Procedure which covers things like a contact cascade, what jobs can be done elsewhere and by whom, and so on. I've reviewed this and think that, for us, it will cover a worse-case scenario. We don't have staff working abroad so should Coronavirus hit us, it is unlikely to be an instant, all-consuming hit in the way something like a fire would be, but rather a dropping off in staffing and in that way it will be no different from a normal bad flu or novovirus year for example.

    I spent yesterday trawling through ACAS, CIPD, and Gov.uk sites and gathered together all the info there into one A3 poster for our staff, which I'll update as necessary. It starts with one sentence: "At present, be aware of it, but don't be worried by it". I do feel that there is a degree of panic forming that isn't needed at the moment, driven by the need for juicy headlines. My favourite today is that '...even the Queen is taking precautions', under a picture of her pinning a CBE onto Wendy Craig's lapel whilst wearing gloves. Two things, firstly when was the last time you saw the Queen without gloves on, and secondly she's a 93 year old woman who mixes with a lot of people every day so it's only sensible to take precautions - I'd expect my mum to.

    Outside of the CIPD, the info I've found most useful is:

    Attached is my poster. Feel free to use and adapt as necessary if you think it will be of any help.

Children