Corporate Pandemic Planning

• Why have a Pandemic Plan?
• Business Continuity Planning
• Defining Essential Business Elements
• Duty of Care for Staff
• Staff who Travel
• Staff who Work at Home
• Psychological Issues
• Useful Checklists

Psychological aspects

When developing a pandemic plan it is important to include strategies and actions to address psychological issues which could have negative effects on the workplace.

Experience has shown that in times of crisis people make judgments about the quality of support they and others receive from an organisation.

Where appropriate support is provided, an organisation has a better chance of recovering from a crisis. If not, the result could be a cycle of low morale, poor performance, loss of productivity and rising absenteeism.

Individuals respond differently to crises

In the event of a threatened or real pandemic (or any crisis) an organisation’s main mental health challenge is to maintain staff moral and minimise stress and panic.

Key to this is understanding that individual staff will respond differently to crisis situations.

Staff may have a wide range of reactions to the perceived threat of a pandemic-from casual disinterest to panic. Should a pandemic occur, many staff will experience only mild distress while some other staff may develop mental health difficulties, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.

Blanket media coverage of avian influenza can cause great shifts in the general public’s level of concern-particularly if human casualties are reported. This is compounded when topics include medical or scientific aspects, areas that often lead to public misconception and misunderstanding.

Management of the ‘worried well’ is a common situation when serious health events are reported widely in the media.

What should businesses be doing now?

Giving staff clear and easy access to accurate information is important, including a clear explanation of the company’s pandemic response. This is the best way to avoid the panic and fear associated with an unknown future threat.

Many companies would already have plans in place to manage crises. These should be reviewed, and, if necessary, updated to make sure they are appropriate in the event of a pandemic. If your organisation has yet to develop such a response, now would be a good time to do so.

From a mental health perspective, some points to consider when developing or reviewing a pandemic response plan are:

• Some staff worry more than others-strategies need to cater for different levels of staff concern and response.
• Individual fears will range from fear of personal illness or death, to fear and concern for family and workmates.
• Uncertainty and lack of information can tap into and magnify fears-in the post September 11 environment in the USA many people stayed away from work and there was a rush on buying gas masks, food and water supplies and petrol.
• Maintaining a steady flow of factual, practical information can significantly reduce stress and panic.
• The role of leaders becomes more critical in a crisis situation-strong leadership can provide reassurance and guidance.

Managing during a pandemic

Managing the fear associated with an actual pandemic is more difficult and complex-although the principles of strong leadership and ensuring everyone has access to correct, accurate, simple information remain critical.

In a crisis situation people need immediate access to practical and social support.

Seminars, general presentations of preparedness, and the ability of staff to ask questions is an important feature of maintaining corporate psychological health. Specific counselling services may need to be introduced if not already available.

Providing factual information can also help ‘normalise’ people’s reactions. Information can help people understand that feelings of worry and distress are perfectly normal and that things will get better.

Informal peer support is also important. Staff should be encouraged to look out for and support colleagues who may be distressed, for example by encouraging them to access resources such as counselling.

Psychological support, post-pandemic

While many people will bounce back after a crisis and successfully ‘get on with life’, some staff may experience ongoing difficulties. Therefore, in the weeks following a pandemic it will be important to monitor staff to identify any at risk individuals.

Some of the signs to look for could include:

• ongoing distress or depression
• high levels of tension and stress
• hyperactivity
• disengagement with work and colleagues
• unusual absenteeism

While many of these responses would be considered ‘normal’ during a crisis they should subside once a crisis is over. Staff who continue to have difficulties in the weeks following a crisis should be offered help and support. This is best provided in the form of individual counselling and treatment, rather than group debriefings.

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