Coronavirus: keep calm and carry on?

The Coronavirus disease was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation in January 2020. As the virus continues to spread, it poses a threat to organisations and their employees.

Whilst it has not been declared a pandemic yet, it is thought that the Coronavirus will be the next pandemic the world will have to face. For me, this represents a learning experience, as I have never worked in an HR role during a pandemic. Swine flu was the last pandemic, which affected the UK in July 2009 which was before I had started my first HR role.

I have therefore found myself asking the question; What is the role of HR during this period?

Take an Interest

An effective HR team should be central to all employees matters and this definitely includes supporting your employees through a global public health emergency. In this instance, it is important to take the time to try to understand basic information about the virus and its symptoms.

Whether you like it or not, employees will be coming to see Human Resources for information or guidance as the virus continues to spread. You will earn yourself a lot of credibility and respect by taking the time to understand what is happening. You will also be able to offer sound guidance and information which will be well appreciated.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released this short video to create awareness and provide information about the health emergency caused by Coronavirus which I found extremely helpful.

Be Informed

Secondly, the role of HR is to give information and therefore it's vitally important to keep up to date with government and public health advice. But to be clear it is not our place to be medical experts/advisors. Employers should simply be kept up to date with the situation as it develops and this can be done using the following official and expert medical sources;

Respond Quickly

The health and safety of employees are of paramount importance to organisations and therefore it is important to react quickly during this global emergency.

My company (Omnicell) has created Pandemic Response Teams, which I believe is a great idea. I have volunteered to help coordinate our office needs and deal with inquires as to the impact of the virus evolves.

While the risk is currently still moderate in the UK, we need to take steps to ensure the employees are safeguarded and that precautions are taken to avoid catching or spreading the virus.

Actively Communicate

Communication should be the key to how businesses deal with the outbreak, whether or not they are currently impacted. Waiting to respond until something has happened is not an option. Dangerous rumors and fear can spread as quickly as a virus.

I believe you cannot wait for a crisis to develop before you start responding as you will have lost credibility. It is important to figure out the answers to questions you know you will face.

For me; a clear message that should be communicated to employees should include;

1. Reassurance that the business is mindful of the situation

2. Explanation of precautions (remote working, office hygiene, training, work travel restrictions, etc.)

3. Provide office guidance (WHO, GOV.uk, NHS)

4. Provide a central point of contact to field queries.

Find the Balance

You could argue that at this relatively early stage, it is likely to be fear-driven behaviour that is the biggest problem to businesses, rather than the illness itself.

For example, we have already experienced an increase in requests to work from home, more employees taking “precautionary” sick days, and staff asking management difficult questions about how they propose to manage the risks.

It is for the business to find the right balance to minimise disruption but ultimately for me, the priority is to ensure we act with caution and make sure that staff are protected from a health and safety perspective. It is important to take a common-sense approach.

Whatever the outcome of the outbreak, we need a sense of calm, community and support among colleagues!