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In light of the influenza pandemic currently looming, the Belgian and European authorities have issued recommendations for preventing the spread of infection within companies in order to avoid a slowdown or total shutdown of business activities. One of the crucial suggestions is that companies promote teleworking and remote collaboration. One magazine decided to hold a videoconference with a number of Belgium and Luxembourg based companies to talk about the ways in which they are preparing to handle the next wave of the flu pandemic.

No one knows whether or when Belgium will be hit by a large-scale outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) – better known as Mexican swine flu. In any case, the business world needs to see to it that they take the necessary precautions. ICT is of vital importance for keeping companies functioning during a flu crisis. Figures on the potential impact of the flu pandemic vary widely. Depending on the extent of the epidemic, 30 to 70% of the active working population could be forced to stay home. This includes people who are themselves sick in bed, as well as parents who are caring for sick children at home, people who stay home because their partner is sick, etc. If schools are forced to close and there is no public  transport in the event of an outbreak, then the impact of the flu on staffing levels for companies will be even greater. The consequences are anyone’s guess. Short-staffed companies will see their turnover plunge, and the quality of the service provided will plummet, etc.

Crucial for business continuity

Collaborating remotely – e.g. by teleworking and videoconferencing – offers one possible solution for those healthy employees who are forced to stay at home during a pandemic. But naturally, working in this way will have an immediate impact on the ICT infrastructure, for the teleworker as well as the company. “These days, it goes without saying that ICT plays an important role in a company’s business continuity plan,” explains Jean-Marc Duyckaerts, Marketing Manager Corporate at Belgacom. “Think of a company like an amusement park merry-go-round. If one part breaks down, the whole thing stops turning. In a company, if the key staff are unable to work, the business shuts down. That is why it is necessary to identify these key positions within the company and find ways for these people to continue to work in the event of a flu epidemic (and the right ICT tools can make this possible). Finally, it is extremely important to know who is going to need access to which systems and which information, and by which channels.” That is why companies need to prepare now for the different potential scenarios and ensure that they have solid ICT infrastructure in place that can support their business (continuity plan).

“When the first news reports appeared indicating that the flu could develop into a pandemic, we immediately set up a committee,” explained Daniel Mathu, coordinator of the business continuity plan at RBC Dexia Investor Services Bank in Luxembourg. “We examined the potential impact on the business processes and developed a pandemic response plan based on this. This entails spreading our staff over different buildings and shifts, in order to limit contagion.” But although the flu virus only affects staff, it also offers an opportunity to boost several ICT measures. “And in this case, teleworking comes first, and the tools and infrastructure it requires.” RBC Dexia is assuming that potentially up to 30% of staff could be absent during a serious outbreak of the flu virus. This figure is comparable to the situation during summer holidays, when approximately one third of the staff is absent from the office. “That’s true,” said Christian Haux, Marketing & Sales Director at Telindus Luxembourg, “But you can plan summer vacations, in a staggered fashion. Whereas the flu could cause the entire team to fall ill at the same time! During the summer, the team members agree among themselves who’s going to take time off and when, precisely in order to ensure that the company can continue to function smoothly. That’s a big difference.”

No margin for error

For the Belgian Red Cross, business continuity forms a serious challenge. This organization is responsible for collecting donated blood, assisting people in emergencies and supporting  centers for asylum-seekers. “It is crucial that we be able to continue these activities,” pointed out Fabienne Damsin, communication director for the Belgian Red Cross, “Even though our employees will most likely come into extra contact with infected persons in the course of their jobs, there really is no room for error. We must continue to provide our services, flu crisis or not.” During an outbreak of the flu virus, the Red Cross expects to receive more calls to the call center, specifically from people with specific questions regarding about flu infection. “We have to be able to handle that. At the same time, we are making sure that all the key people can have easy and secure access to our ICT system – mobile as well – so that we can continue our activities remotely.”

In a company consultancy, staff absences instantly lead to loss of service to the client and, therefore, to a loss of turnover. “Most likely we are going to need to very rapidly provide temporary replacements for sick consultants working on site with our clients,” said Mark Thijs, COO at ICT service provider Quasus. “We will have to find ad hoc solutions for the most part. However, we are noticing that our clients are thinking about the potential impact of the flu virus. Various clients have already asked us how we are preparing ourselves.” Quasus distributed bottles of hand sanitizer to employees and clients in order to prevent the spread of flu as much as possible, should the need arise. “Prevention also forms a cornerstone of our business continuity plan,” noted Hocine Berrane, Director IT & Organization at Swiss Life in Luxembourg. “We are offering disinfectant soap everywhere, and paper towels for drying hands, etc.” In the area of IT, Swiss Life is focusing on teleworking, among other solutions. ‘We are exploring all possible options for teleworking given that a large portion of our staff lives across the border, in France or Belgium. However, the privacy laws in Luxembourg strictly protect our customers’ confidential data and this limits the access to our systems from abroad. And also, we need to respect the specific labor legislation in Luxembourg with regard to teleworking.” Fortunately, there are also other ways of collaborating remotely. By videoconferencing, for example. “That is something we are already using right now. In the case of a flu outbreak, it will simply increase.” Besides, videoconferencing is not only for conducting international meetings remotely. Daniel Mathu: “During a flu outbreak, we would also advise against holding internal meetings. Then video and teleconferencing would be the best solution.”

The flu also creates new opportunities

The efforts that companies are making today to prepare themselves for the potential impact of a flu pandemic  – including obtaining the appropriate bandwidth and security for their ICT infrastructure to allow teleworking – will also bear fruit in the longer/(or: long) term. “We are rolling out an accelerated Citrix,” explains Fabienne Damsin. “In this way, the threat of the flu could also be considered an opportunity. Maybe there won’t be a major flu crisis this winter, but the medical world seems to agree that some sort of serious outbreak here is likely in the next five years. So we definitely need to be prepared.” In any case, the pandemic changes the way that companies are looking at applications for teleworking. “Right now, hardly a single client would accept a consultant working for him remotely,” asserted Mark Thijs. “That is going to change under the pressure of the pandemic.” In that regard, the flu can effectively lead to an accelerated adoption of teleworking, although the preparation remains crucial here. “Compare it with the problem of the millennium bug,” said Christian Haux. “In the run-up to the year 2000 it was the machines that were the center of attention. Today it is the people. Back then, it turned out that nothing serious happened, precisely because we were so well prepared. That is the same situation we need to aim for with the flu.” In addition to the ICT aspect, the pandemic might even offer a commercial opportunity. Hocine Berrane: “As a company, when you’re able to contend with a flu outbreak without loss of turnover and above all impact on the service, this can strengthen customers’ confidence in you, and give you a competitive advantage.”