Only those residents of the UK with their heads firmly in the sand would not have noticed the recent news regarding swine flu.

Nobody of course knows how wide or severe the pandemic will become, however employers may be wise to begin to start planning now on how to respond to a potential swine flu pandemic and the effect on their organisation. This is clearly new territory for the Government and all employers, however internal strategies are being encouraged so that employers (and the economy as a whole) are prepared if matters deteriorate.

Employers could for example begin to think through plans to allow them to run on skeleton staff levels. Rough estimates of between 25% and 75% of employees being off work (costing the British economy around £1.5 billion per day) are now being mooted as possible, if worst case, scenarios.

Businesses should think ahead therefore about how to cope. Absence levels are certainly expected to rise in the coming months and the impact will be felt not only from those suffering from flu but also those avoiding work due to the risk of catching it from other employees and/or, for example, parents not being able to attend work due to closures of schools and nurseries etc. Inevitably, less trustworthy employees may also use the situation to bank some extra days off work.

As well as the emergency planning suggested above, employers could therefore also consider what steps they could take via temporary policies to assist the business and those employees who might be affected. There could for example be requirements on employees to inform the business if they have symptoms or have been exposed to others with symptoms. More stringent reminders on hygiene could be issued. Employers may also determine in what circumstances they can require employees to stay away from the office and consider what review/return to work procedures could be put in place and what medical evidence should be required. Special protections for vulnerable employees might also be considered.

You should also monitor the news and Government websites in the coming months, as it may be that the Government introduces further guidelines and/or compulsory measures for employers, as well as providing information to assist.