Coronavirus: what contingency plans are you putting in place?

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 Reply Children
  • We are a manufacturing environment so we have a similar split to you and similar concerns regarding the fairness.

    We have taken the view we will ensure those with underlying health conditions take priority as they are most at risk and therefore they will be allowed to work from home if possible. For those who have health issues but can't work from home, we will move them to a less densely occupied part of the building to reduce their interaction with people and also provide them with the means to be able to sanitise their own work areas. For the remainder we are looking at operating a rotational basis i.e. 1 week working in the office, 1 week working from hom to limit numbers in the office. However we do have a number of office staff that will not be able to work from home regardless due to system requirements.

    For the shop floor we are advising social distancing wherever possible and for those who do have to work in close proximity we are encouraging increased hygiene measures to prevent contamination.

    If we do start to see shop floor impacted we will have to look at reducing shifts, offering holidays, unpaid leave or banking of hours.
  • A Facebook contact’s ( who believe it or not has a  PhD in English) contingency plan to a weeks hopefully precautionary self isolation in Utrecht Netherlands is to try to defuse the situation a bit, in the time honoured Limerick tradition. Here’s the first for your possible delectation:


    It was a strange day when Miley Cyrus
    Was diagnosed with Coronavirus
    She shaved off her hair
    And made everyone wear
    Face masks made out of papyrus
    .
    In the face of viral disaster
    The people panic bought pasta
    The news and the state
    Kept telling people to wait -
    Basta! But the pasta went faster
    .
    They panic-bought toilet roll every day
    Stocks of the stuff piled all and every way
    But if you want a clean ***
    And to avoid nation-wide farce
    Why not just use a bidet?

  • Yes!! Do people not shower? I love this