Human Capital Side of
Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Preparedness
Types of Disasters
Man-made Disasters (i.e. terrorism)
Natural Disasters (i.e. hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes) Biological Disasters (i.e. Pandemic Flu)****
Types of Preparedness and Response
Crisis operations or business continuity plan Crisis communication plan
Planning for Disasters
Terrorism – Preparation minimal
Weather Occurrences – Preparation possible Pandemic Flu – Preparation defined
Pandemic Flu
Many planning activities in preparing for a Pandemic can also be used in case of other disasters
There is more warning available for Pandemic Flu outbreak allowing for greater adaptation of plans based on real versus perceived threat ConsiderationsConsiderations
– Are you global? Where are your employees? – Do your employees travel internationally?
D d tili ff h i ? If h ?
What is a Pandemic Flu?
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak.
An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness, and then spreads easily person-to-person
worldwide.
A worldwide influenza pandemic could have a major effect on the global economy; including travel, trade, tourism, food, consumption and eventually, investment and financial markets. y
Your Organization
Who are your people? – Employees
M b
– Members – Clients
Where are they located?Where are they located? – Work addresses
– Home addresses
M ti l ti dd
– Meeting location addresses
How do you communicate with them? – Home/work/cell phoneHome/work/cell phone
– Home/work email address – VPN/Intranet/IM
C d bl iki
Your Employees
What does your employee population look like? – Exempt vs. non-exempt C i i b d? à Commission based? – Contractors – Consultants – Temps
Have you defined your responsibilities and relationship to them in case of a pandemic or other disaster?
of a pandemic or other disaster?
– Will you immunize your employees? Which ones?
– Do you provide survival tools (i.e. masks, anti-bacterial/anti-septic
i t )?
wipes, etc.)?
How do your employees communicate with you that they are sick? Not coming to work? g
Your Members
Does your business serve members rather than customers? – Non-profits and associations
R li i i ti
– Religious organizations – Civic organizations
What kind of services do you provide your members?What kind of services do you provide your members? – Training and education?
– Toolkits, templates, and services?
C f d ti ?
– Conferences and meetings?
What is your response plan if you are serving members off-site such as at a conference?
– Hotel – Airline
Rental Car – Rental Car
Who are your clients?
Have you defined your client type and prioritized your response accordingly? Individuals – Individuals – Corporations – Hospitals – Government entities – Education
Do you have clients that are also vendors? Do you have clients that are also vendors?
– How do you prioritize that level of service?
– Do you know your vendors’ disaster response plans?
Where are your employees located?
Home addresses
– Do you have a process/policy in place to confirm current addresses on file?
– If an employee is working remotely, is this the address they work remotely from?
– Are there alternate addresses you should be aware of (in case of emergency)?
Work addresses
– Do your employees work at sites other than the corporate office such as client y p y p sites?
– Do you have more than one office an employee may be working from?
– Do you know where your employees are working every day?
Client addresses
– Do you know all the client sites an employee may be working from?
– Do your employees know emergency evacuation and disaster response protocol for
– Do your employees know emergency evacuation and disaster response protocol for your client sites?
Meeting locations
Do you hold off site meetings (conferences training etc )?
How do you communicate?
/ f f ?
Do you have a policy/process for updating contact information on a regular basis?
Home phone
– How many of your employees no longer use a home phone and just use a cell y y y g j phone? Have they updated that contact information?
Cell phone
– Do you reimburse or pay for cell phone? Who is the vendor?Do you reimburse or pay for cell phone? Who is the vendor?
– Is text messaging capability turned on? (Don’t take this for granted.)
Work phone
D l ’ k b f ll th tt h th k? O d
– Does an employee’s work number follow them no matter where they work? Or do they have different numbers dependent on their location?
– Do you know your employees’ personal email information?
Emergency Contact Information
– Do you have home, work, and cell phone information for emergency contacts?y , , p g y
Communication – in and out
Telecom vendor – Who are they?
Wh t i l l f i ?
– What is your level of service?
– Does one vendor provide phone and internet?
Who do your employees’ rely on for personal communications?Who do your employees rely on for personal communications? – What is their level of service?
– Do you reimburse for some of these fees?
Sh ld l ’ l l f i b i d?
Crisis Communications – HR and Communications in Harmony
Crisis communications begin before a crisis
Identify target stakeholders
Effective communication, tailored to audience
Identify approval paths and guidelines for rapid release of information
Identify crisis response team, roles and responsibilities, planning and training
Train leaders in crisis communications
Rehearse and plan
Rehearse and plan
Do you have more than one type of crisis plan?
– Have you tailored communication?
– Do your employees know your crisis plan(s)?
Employee engagement and buy-in
– Have you provided your employees with personal disaster/communications y p y p y p plans?
Planning for a Pandemic
Human Capital Plan – Communication – Travel – Work-place Policies Crisis Communications – Internal à Employees à Managers – External à Community à Vendors à ClientsClients
Business Recovery/Continuity of Operations – Vendors
C t t – Contractors
Your disaster plans
Crisis operations/business continuity – Who is your leadership team?
H ft i th l i d?
– How often is the plan reviewed?
– Has your plan been tested and drilled? – What is HR’s role?
Crisis communication
– Who do you communicate to and with?
H d i t ?
– How do you communicate? Business recovery plan
– How many and which staff are left?How many and which staff are left? – Training for continuity and recovery – How do you re-staff?
References Global Monitoring: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html US Monitoring: US Monitoring: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/federal/fedresponsestages.html
Workplace Planning Checklist:
http://www pandemicflu gov/plan/workplaceplanning/travelchecklist html http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/travelchecklist.html
Vaccine Information: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/vaccine/index.html
OSHA Guidelines for Workplace Preparedness:OSHA Guidelines for Workplace Preparedness:
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html
SHRM overview of HR issues related to Pandemic Flu:
http://www shrm org/hrmagazine/articles/0506/0506cover asp http://www.shrm.org/hrmagazine/articles/0506/0506cover.asp
Disaster Resources
Content Leader Information Danielle Dorling Senior Associate Mercer [email protected] 404-442-3175
