In the three months since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first made headlines, nearly 80,000 cases have been reported worldwide. While the majority of the outbreak has been contained in mainland China, the disease is spreading to other countries. The United States has recently confirmed cases, as well.

The spread of COVID-19 can be minimized with basic hygiene such as proper handwashing habits, but that is only the first line of defense. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is predicting that the U.S. will see larger outbreaks, and recommends that schools and workplaces create proactive plans.

Preventative measures include encouraging sick employees to stay home, educating employees regarding respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene, and performing periodic environmental cleaning in the workplace.

With cases of COVID-19 on the rise, a more comprehensive workplace action plan is advised. Here’s what you need to do to prepare for an outbreak.

Start Planning Now

Don’t let an outbreak take you by surprise. If you don’t already have one, create a comprehensive action plan to protect your employees from catching or spreading COVID-19. First, monitor instances of the disease in your larger community. The CDC recommends contacting state and local health officials for accurate information. 

Absenteeism will be high in the event of an outbreak. If your organization has to stay open, anticipate functioning on a skeleton crew. Determine your essential functions so you can begin cross-training employees to handle them now. 

Collaborate with employees to develop a plan that works for everyone. Be sure to address questions regarding paid sick leave and other HR policies. Give your plan a few trial runs to anticipate further needs — and plan on being flexible. 

Establish Communication Protocol

An outbreak could occur with little or no warning, so don’t leave clear communication up to chance. Consider polling your employees to identify the most effective communication channels. Select a primary form of communication, but plan to use a combination of text message, email and phone call. 

An automated text message system or a communication app that uses push notifications can be helpful for communicating urgent messages. If possible, have employees confirm that they have received urgent messages. 

Whatever forms of communication you select, make sure employees know where to go for information. Do trial runs to make sure your technology works and your messages are being received.

Prepare for Remote Work

If an outbreak is severe, even healthy employees should be encouraged to stay at home to prevent the disease from spreading. If you don’t have remote work policies in place, begin looking now to see what operations employees could handle from home. 

Make sure your employees are equipped with everything they need to work from home (laptops, access to work software, etc.). Consider how remote work changes the workplace dynamic. Train managers and employees on effective remote communication. 

Again, prepare for changes with trial runs. You won’t know what problems lie ahead until you put your plan into action. Consider implementing remote work days now as part of the regular work week. If remote work becomes habitual, work will be less disrupted in the event of an outbreak.