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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
  • I would be interested to know how manufacturing companies are dealing with shop floor staff who cannot practically work from home and would also welcome views on roles that are required to undertake maintenance/service work on customer sites (mostly hospitals).
  • in reply to Miranda King
    Hi Miranda, I have the same question. In terms of our ideas at the moment we are looking at what are the bare minimum staffing numbers, can we apply split or skeleton shifts to limit exposure/contact. What are the critical areas that need 'hands on deck'.
    With this in mind it has brought up the question: is it fair to send some staff home (office based) that can work from home. But require our teams on the machines to be at work simply because they cannot work from home.
  • in reply to Natasha Hudson
    Hi Natasha and Miranda, In a similar situation where working from home is not feasible for operational roles which requires 43% of our workforce to be on site and agreeably the notion of is it fair to have the 57% working from home has certainly been in the talks and what we are doing if following the government guidance (www.gov.uk/.../guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-covid-19 for employers to ensure fairness for all.
  • in reply to Denise
    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.
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  • in reply to Denise
    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.
Children
  • in reply to Nicki

    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?

  • in reply to David
    Yes!! Do people not shower? I love this