Shift to remote work wherever possible – The number one thing companies can do to protect employee health is to quickly shift as many roles as possible to allow people to work remotely from home. This helps adhere to social distancing guidelines and removes the health risks of working in a shared office environment during an outbreak. Companies need to ensure employees have the technology and resources required to work productively from home.

Increase sick leave benefits and pay – Companies should revise sick leave policies to encourage employees experiencing any flu-like symptoms to stay home without any penalties. Paid sick leave policies can be expanded to cover additional days beyond what is legally required. This reduces the incentive for people to come to work even when feeling slightly unwell. Additional emergency paid sick leave or paid family leave policies can also help those needing to care for sick family members.

Provide mental health support and resources – Times of crisis and uncertainty take a toll on mental wellbeing. Companies must proactively address this by offering no-cost virtual counseling sessions and encouraging employees to use Employee Assistance Programs. Resources on managing stress, anxiety and balancing work-life demands are important. Virtual town halls where leadership addresses questions and concerns can boost morale. Companies ensuring management checks in regularly on employee wellbeing is vital.

Supply necessary equipment and supplies – For roles that must be performed on-site, companies need to thoughtfully plan health and safety measures. This includes providing sufficient protective gear like masks, gloves and sanitizers as informed by CDC guidelines. Enhanced cleaning of facilities needs to occur, especially for high-touch surfaces. Ensuring adequate space and restrictions maintain recommended social distancing further protects on-site staff.

Increase internal communications – Frequent, transparent communication from leadership regarding business continuity plans and updates on the local outbreak situation is instrumental in reducing employee stress and uncertainty. As plans change rapidly during a crisis, over-communicating through multiple channels is important. Town halls, emails and workplace messaging apps allow timely dissemination of important notices and allow employees to ask questions anonymously. Sharing words of encouragement also boosts morale.

Implement virtual social and team events – Social distancing shouldn’t mean social isolation. Companies can organize virtual coffee meetups, book clubs, yoga or cooking classes to help employees connect with colleagues. Virtual team building games and activities preserve a sense of community and togetherness during periods of prolonged remote working. Along with social media groups, these virtual interactions are important to mental wellbeing.

Offer fitness and wellness classes – As more time is spent indoors during lockdowns or quarantines, companies offering free access to fitness classes, mindfulness sessions or nutrition workshops through their internal systems or third party apps helps staff maintain healthy habits and lifestyle balance. Group challenges keep motivation high when in-person activities are limited.

Survey employee needs and concerns regularly – Getting direct input from employees helps companies identify new problems arising from a prolonged crisis and tailor additional support accordingly. Anonymous pulse surveys every 2-4 weeks addressing work arrangements, work-life balance concerns and mental health allows adjustments to benefit plans and provides a feedback loop that helps boost morale and productivity. Town halls can also help surface new issues alongside soliciting suggestions.

Communicating that employee wellbeing remains a top priority provides reassurance during uncertain times and builds loyalty. Regular check-ins by managers and HR also help identify individuals needing extra support before problems escalate. With thoughtful, timely strategies, companies can greatly enhance their capacity to protect staff health across multiple dimensions during public health crises, limiting negative long term impacts.