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Employers must prepare for latest employee wellness threat – Ebola

There appears to be no end in sight for the Ebola outbreak. The latest tally – performed over the weekend - brings the total number of confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Ebola to 8 399, says CNN journalists Faith Karimi and Ashley Fantz. Ebola is spreading at a phenomenal speed, making it essential that employers prepare their workforces – even though the closest cases have only been reported in the DRC - for the epidemic by putting the following employee wellness plans into action...

1. Encourage good hygiene

Promoting good hygienic habits among your employees will help to prevent germs spreading and breeding in the business environment.

Any new employee wellness initiatives must include detailed information on approved hygienic practices and educational material on the Ebola virus, such as its symptoms and characteristics.

Good hygiene will help to fend off Ebola because the virus spreads through the transmission of blood and other bodily fluids. Employees should be aware that Ebola symptoms include:

• Headaches,
• Severe fever, and
• Muscle or stomach pain.

2. Conduct employee cross-training

According to HR analysis website and news portal HRM Online, employers should make provisions for any future cross-training that may be needed for employees to teach them how to manage other employees' work tasks in the case of employee absenteeism. In addition, you might want to review employee leave policies, giving attention to flexible work solutions including staggered hours and telecommuting.

3. Introduce employee wellness procedures

Employers need to ensure that the correct employee wellness procedures are in place so that business continues unaffected. Contact a health practitioner and find what you can do to prevent this pandemic from having negative effects on your business.

Lastly, it's important to establish correct procedure for reporting absences.

"There should also be backups for these contact points. Make sure contacts know where to find answers with regard to the firm's health plan," concludes HRM Online.

Frew Murdoch is the assistant editor of HR Pulse. She has a BA degree in communications and English and a passion for HR technology. Christine Botha, co-author of 'Ethics in HR Management: A guide for HR professionals and line managers', had this to say: "I stumbled across your review of our Ethics Guide published 28 June 2012 and wish to thank you for the positive and complimentary comments made – this was a lovely surprise and most rewarding. I will certainly pass this on to all co-authors of the Guide."