Each year in the U.S., seasonal flu kills approximately 36,000 people. The 2009 H1N1 influenza (also known as the swine flu) outbreak has demonstrated how rapidly a new strain of flu can emerge and spread around the world. And as we approach the 2009 flu season, many people have begun to ask me about the H1N1 virus and my thoughts on its potential to become a full-blown epidemic. “Are people worried?” they ask. “How can I make sure my employees are healthy?” “Will this keep people out of stores?” “What are businesses doing to prepare?”
Sometimes the fear of the unknown is the most disconcerting. And of course retailers, like our customers, are concerned. None of us know who the flu will affect or how bad it will become, so we take every threat very seriously. Since any virus has the potential to become more serious than others before, this is nothing to push on the back burner.
With that said, if past historical disasters and challenges are any indication of future behavior, I am not too worried. The initial outbreak last spring gave our country an early warning and time to react and to prepare. Retailers are a resilient, responsive and prepared industry.
Most retailers I talk to have made or are making plans to protect employees, customers and the bottom line. (There are some great resources out there that can guide retailers’ preparedness.) Be sure that your plan addresses absenteeism, what to do if the outbreak becomes more severe, and how to avoid supply chain disruptions.
Follow the Centers for Disease Control guidelines and stay informed. Check out recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security that include tips on how to write a business continuity plan, steps for keeping employees healthy, frequently asked questions about H1N1 and a list of additional resources that employers can access online.
In advance of flu season, consider taking these tactical steps to prevent the spread of flu and illness in your stores:
- Encourage employees to get vaccinated, either on their own or through a company-sponsored program. The seasonal flu shot is now available and the H1N1 shot should be available in early October.
- Remind employees to wash their hands many times throughout the day. The CDC recommends reciting the “happy birthday” song twice while washing.
- Keep hand sanitizers near the cash registers, in the break room and bathrooms. You might even want to consider handing out pocket-sized hand sanitizer bottles for associates to sanitize their hands throughout the day.
- When you have a plan, communicate it to employees at all levels so they know they should do if they feel sick or are running a fever.