Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

AbsenceLatest NewsHR practiceWellbeingOccupational Health

Swine flu absence wake-up call for employers

by Helen Gilbert 7 Sep 2009
by Helen Gilbert 7 Sep 2009

Employers should brace themselves for swine flu staff absence rates of up to 50% for periods of between two and four weeks over the coming months, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned.


The recommendation comes as latest swine flu figures show a continuing fall in the number of people infected by the bug, with only 4,500 new cases in England in the week commencing 24 August.


However experts are still expecting a surge in cases as winter approaches, and the CIPD is urging UK businesses to consider a second wave of the outbreak in their contingency planning arrangements.


In joint guidance issued with the Business Continuity Institute, the HR body suggested employers provide cross-training of staff in critical areas so employees have the skills to fill in for absent colleagues.


They are also advised to consider remote working to prevent the spread of infection, and to increase customer self-service options such as telephone and online transactions.


The Risk and Business Continuity Management guidance also suggests keeping on top of government advice, following public health advice on efficient ways to contain the virus and providing a safe workplace by implementing rules on health reporting, office and personal hygiene, protective equipment, and working hours.


Ben Wilmott, CIPD senior public policy adviser, warned there was a “real danger” that senior management teams could ignore the threat to their business because the first wave of swine flu subsided more quickly than anticipated.


“Evidence shows that still only a minority of employers have an adequate contingency plan in place to deal with a flu pandemic, which is extremely worrying considering that staff absence levels could peak for some businesses at levels which will make business as usual extremely difficult,” he said.


“In the event of school and childcare closures, 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%.”


The CIPD report follows a swine flu guide published by Personnel Today at the peak of the outbreak in July.



Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


Helen Gilbert

previous post
First Bus strike ballot to be counted
next post
Unison considers scrapping its final salary pension scheme

You may also like

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, employment...

23 May 2025

Unions ponder strike action after public sector pay...

23 May 2025

Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress...

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

How neuroscience can unlock employee recognition

22 May 2025

UK universities fret over fall in international students

22 May 2025

HSBC employees warned of office attendance link to...

22 May 2025

The Law Society: Navigating the new world of...

22 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today