What exactly is Coronavirus?
First identified in Wuhan City in China, COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus with an incubation period of 2-14 days. Symptoms are likely to include a cough, breathing difficulties and fever.Generally these symptoms will be much worse in older people or those with weakened immune systems.
Besides your worst nightmare of your employees getting ill, there's more to worry about too - the impact on clients you may have, the revenue coming in, business rates you may have to still pay despite no one working ... the list goes on.
So what can we, as business owners, do to defend our companies at this worrying time when a single sneeze or cough could mean a whole office out of action?
Employees
It's a good idea to let sick employees work from or stay at home.Those with symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are fever-free.
People who have returned from Hubei Province, including Wuhan, Iran, Daegu or Cheongdo in the Republic of Korea, and any area within Italy under containment measures in the last 14 days should avoid attending work. They should call NHS 111 for advice and self-isolate.
Good communication
One of the most important things to do is talk to your staff. Many will be concerned about their health and how they can continue working as more things get shut down.Set up a whatsapp group or similar platform to let staff voice any concerns. You can also use the outlet to post, for example, videos about the importance of hand santisation. Keep sharing the latest information about the virus and your company’s procedures.
Have an outbreak policy in place
It's now becoming quite clear - with the panic-buying of toilet rolls - that the public and companies haven't planned for a crisis of this scale. But many businesses are now finding out that they do need one.Plans should cover things like tools people may need to work remotely - do they have the technology they need to perform thie roles? You could include advice on insurance coverage for business closures or trip cancellations, how to get extra finances in the event of clients cancelling contracts and alternatives for supply chains.
Appoint a person to watch the supply chain
Assign someone who can keep in contact withh any suppliers or vendors, on a daily basis. They should look out for things like disruptions with deliveries or shipping.Check for alternative sources of materials in the event of supply chain interruption. Monitor shipping methods and delivery routes to make sure shipments aren't affected.
Keep in touch with the bank
If everything closed down for a fortnight due to the virus, would you have enough funds to survive?
Will automatic payments or withdrawals still go through? Will payments still go out on time?
You'll need to make sure you can still pay your employees.