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Davies Ndumiso Sibanda

THE threat of the Corona Virus is real and calls for organisations to ensure they do proper preparation as if the virus gets to Zimbabwe. Some measures could result in a lockdown that could last for months with workers not going to work.

Contingency planning for the Corona Virus requires pushing together of hands as the plan in the first place focuses on keeping the virus away but in the event one is caught in the web, there is a need to have a comprehensive survival plan.

Many employers and workers are sitting ducks as they are unable to say what they would do if the virus arrives at their workplace. The first challenge is that they will not be able to tell that the virus has arrived until it’s too late as we do not have the capacity to detect it.

In the event there is a lockdown of the whole town or section of town, many organisations have no plan of what they will do to keep the business going. The Italian experience is one that shows how bad things can be. There is a need for organisations to put in place credible contingency plans. There is likely to be panic in many organisations if someone from the workplace dies from the disease as the process of handling mortal remains is not a simple one and all who had been in contract with the person will have to be quarantined.

Nobody knows where they will be quarantined. There is talk of self-quarantine in developed countries and I am not sure whether it will work in Zimbabwe. A friend asked what would happen if the whole management team or a key section of the organization is isolated. There is even a bigger question as whether doctors and nurses will be available to nurse these people or it will be a case of self-nursing.

If it’s going to be self-nursing, questions arise as to who will train all employees on self-care given that corona virus is a scary disease, which is not fully understood and as things stands has no treatment.

Many contingency plans have provided for working from home as an option, however, it also has its own challenges that need to be addressed, these include, personal discipline, cost of chairs, desks, laptops, Wi-Fi, solar panels and many others. Working from home also requires good coordination of work and not all the work can be done from home.

There is also the challenge that even if one might be able to work and produce, input suppliers and customers might not be able to play their part due to matters beyond their control. However, it is better to plan than doing nothing as during the planning stage one can insulate the organization against considerable risk.

Absenteeism is a cost and as such organisations should have plans to handle Corona Virus related absenteeism as its effects dwarf the labour legislation. Given the magnitude of the problem and the fact that the workers will not be voluntarily absent and they may not be sick and the absenteeism might be forced on individual employers by government.

The whole planning process is complex as it involves so many things such as handling of visitors, service providers, business travel, food handling, hygiene matters and many others. In conclusion, organisations should urgently look on contingency plans if they are to at least mitigate the cost of the corona virus if it is to reach them.

Davies Ndumiso Sibanda can be contacted on:

email: [email protected]