07/09/2009 - Experts issue staff absence warning
Companies should prepare for staff absences in anticipation of the second wave of swine flu that is expected to occur later this year.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Business Continuity Institute said that firms should be prepared for a "significant" rise in staff absence rates.
Ben Willmott, senior public policy adviser, CIPD said: "There is a real danger that senior management teams ignore the threat to their business posed by a second and more serious wave of swine flu after seeing the first wave subside much more quickly than anticipated."
The report recommended that companies should plan for up to half of their staff falling sick and remaining off work for two to four weeks.
Warning about the difficulty in the event of school and childcare closures, Mr Willmott said "increased parent-worker absences could have a significant impact and increase employee absence rates in some areas well above the Government estimate of pandemic-related staff absences of 12%."
Research shows that business firms have largely been unaffected by swine flu until now, and therefore, may not plan to deal with a pandemic.
However, the Business Department appealed to all businesses: "We urge all businesses that have not yet developed or reviewed their contingency plans to do so now."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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