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 In a national survey of businesses that looks at their preparations for a possible widespread pandemic flu outbreak in the Fall, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that only one-third believe they could sustain their business without severe operational problems if half their workforce were absent for two weeks due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus. The survey is part of an ongoing series about the US response to the H1N1 pandemic flu outbreak undertaken by the Harvard Opinion Research Program at HSPH. The polling was done July 16-August 12, 2009.
Results included:
Likelihood and impact of serious outbreak
Just over half of businesses in the US (52 percent) believe there will be a more widespread and more severe outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in the fall. If such an outbreak does occur, 84 percent of firms are concerned that it will negatively affect their business.
Surviving absenteeism
One key reason that businesses may be concerned is that they have a limited ability to maintain operations successfully if a significant portion of their workforce is absent due to an outbreak of H1N1. Only a third of businesses believe they could avoid having severe operational problems for 2 weeks if 50 percent of their workforce were absent due to H1N1; less than a quarter (22 percent) of firms believe they could do so for a month. In general, more small businesses believe they would be able to avoid having severe operational problems with a reduced workforce as compared to large businesses. For example, small business are more likely than large businesses to say they could avoid having severe operational problems for 2 weeks if half their workforce were absent (40 percent vs. 27 percent), or to avoid having severe operational problems for a month if half their workforce were absent (27 percent vs. 18 percent).
Policies affecting employees in the event of an H1N1 outbreak
Leave Policies.
Currently, three-quarters (74 percent) of businesses offer paid sick leave for at least some employees. Fewer offer paid leave that would allow employees to take care of sick family members (35 percent) or to take time off to care for children if schools/daycares closed (21 percent). Small businesses are less likely than medium or large businesses to offer paid leave for taking care of sick family members (27 percent vs. 40 percent and 43 percent respectively).
About one in 10 businesses (12 percent) made changes to their employee policies after the spring outbreak of H1N1. However, few businesses that do not currently offer leave anticipate adding new leave policies in the wake of a more severe outbreak this fall. For example, only 6 percent of those who do not offer sick leave expect they will begin offering it if there is a serious outbreak. A minority of businesses currently offering leave to their employees believe they will enhance their existing leave policies by extending them to more employees or increasing the amount of time available if there were a serious outbreak. For example, 18 percent of firms offering sick leave expect they would increase the number of employees who have sick leave, and 29 percent expect they would extend the amount of sick time employees can take if there were a serious outbreak.
A note from the doctor
In a widespread outbreak, many people may have problems getting to see a physician due to the number of sick individuals. This may pose a challenge for workers whose employers have policies requiring a note for absences or for returning to work after an illness. Nearly half of businesses that offer sick leave (43 percent) currently require a doctor's note to take that leave. More than two-thirds of businesses that offer sick leave (69 percent) require a doctor's note to return to work after contagious illnesses. Small businesses that offer sick leave are less likely than large businesses that offer sick leave to require a doctor's note to stay home (33 percent vs. 50 percent) or return to work (60 percent vs. 75 percent). Few businesses report that they are likely to change their policies in the event of a serious outbreak. Only 10 percent of those that currently require a doctor's note to stay home and 10 percent of those that require a note to return to work after a contagious illness predict they will no longer do so in the event of a serious outbreak.
Strategies to slow the spread of the illness if the outbreak becomes more severe
One of the approaches to slowing the spread of the H1N1 virus if it becomes more severe is to encourage businesses to adopt strategies to limit contact between employees and between employees and customers. If these policies were recommended, many businesses would face serious problems in implementing them for long periods of time. Roughly half of businesses could make changes for at least 1-2 weeks before they ran into significant problems. For example, almost six in ten (59 percent) could stagger shifts in order to increase distances between people at the business site and on mass transit for at least 1-2 weeks; 42 percent could stagger shifts for more than 4 weeks. Fewer businesses could physically rearrange their workspace to reduce contact between employees (44 percent) or between employees and customers (42 percent) for at least 1-2 weeks. Only a quarter (26 percent) of businesses could keep up such a strategy for more than 4 weeks.
Getting information for planning
Businesses report being interested in learning more about how to support their business and employees in a serious outbreak. Interest is highest for information about keeping employees safe (77 percent), coping with a reduced workforce (59 percent) and planning for supply interruptions (59 percent).
Read a more detailed Word version of the results summary.
•Date: 11th Sept 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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