Swine flu prompts teleworking rethink

Sunday, 5 February 2012

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By Alice Kok | 4 May 2009

The threat of a pandemic are prompting governments to evaluate the role of teleworking to keep essential services up-and-running.

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Those that aren’t prepared to have staff work offsite may find operations at a standstill if the swine flu threat were to escalate to the point of widespread absenteeism or building closures, said Chuck Wilsker, president and CEO of The Telework Coalition in Washington, DC.

So far, most organisations that are inquiring about tele-work to address swine flu concerns are curious, but not overreacting, Wilsker says. “I’m seeing interest and concern, not panic. But people are asking if tele-work is something that can be used to offset this.”

Research firm Gartner said the recent outbreaks of swine flu highlight the need for organisations to have in place pandemic plans that address workforce absenteeism rates of 40 per cent or higher.

“The good news is that today’s workforce is very mobile, and many organisations are in a position to enable tele-work, even if they haven’t formalised their tele-work policies,” said Cindy Auten, General Manager of Telework Exchange, a public-private partnership focused on promoting telework.

“Many organisations already have the infrastructure and capabilities in place, it’s just a matter of outlining guidelines for employees and making sure they’re ready to work in their environment.”