Issue Archive: May/June 2009

Schooled by Swine: Lessons Learned from H1N1

     By now anyone who reads Continuity Insights already knows the particulars of the swine flu outbreak and its subsequent spread. In fact, this issue went to press in late May, and any attempt to bring you the latest news would be woefully out of date now that you’ve got the magazine in your hands.

     But it didn’t feel quite right to ignore H1N1, especially since it made mainstream media headlines smack in the middle of the 2009 Continuity Insights Management Conference, which was held April 27-29 in Phoenix, AZ (see page 22 for complete conference coverage). At the conference, news of H1N1 spread, like, well, the flu. Attendees were energized, special sessions were added, scheduled sessions were updated, a DHS official was brought in to give everyone the low down. Swine flu was, and continues to be, big news.

     So, how best to cover the hottest BCP story of 2009? We figured you’d probably want to know what was learned from the response, at least those lessons that are evident so far (consider this article part one of our coverage). But BCP practitioners are typically reticent when it comes to talking to the press about what went wrong—even when the press is Continuity Insights. Lucky for you, we were able to score a seat at a meeting of the NJ Enterprise Resiliency Roundtable (NJERR), a group comprised of about two dozen BCP professionals working for the largest employers in the Garden State (see page 13 for more on NJERR). We sat in on their discussion of what worked and what didn’t with regard to swine flu response and pandemic plans. Here’s what they had to say.

Where and When

The assumptions were that a pandemic would begin in Asia, be a life-threatening illness, travel relatively slowly, and give U.S.-based organizations at least a three-week lead time. Most pandemic plans were built around those assumptions. But H1N1 started in Mexico and was in New York City in the blink of an eye. Additionally, the illness wasn’t anywhere near as severe or widespread as expected.

     The first lesson learned was to challenge your assumptions. Just because SARS started in Asia doesn’t mean the next bug will be born there. A potential pandemic can originate and take root anywhere. It also may not be a life-or-death scenario. While any flu is a health risk, H1N1 has been relatively mild thus far. That changes planning priorities and perspectives.

     It is also important to realize the H1N1 is far from over. Influenza viruses are unpredictable and can mutate rapidly and radically. No one knows what H1N1 will look like once the fall U.S. flu season hits. NJERR members with international operations are keeping a close eye on offices in the Southern hemisphere, where the flu season has just begun. They are monitoring the nature of the virus and the way pandemic plans are unfolding.

WHO Says

     When asked how many organizations had pandemic response plans closely tied to the World Health Organization (WHO) phases, nearly every NJERR member raised a hand. Asked if they would continue to look to WHO to trigger plans, the answer was a resounding no.

     Rather than being the indicator, WHO phases are now seen as just one indicator. Most NJERR member organizations will be using home-grown algorithms that take into account factors including location of initial outbreak, how widespread the virus is, whether there is a vaccine, and how serious the resulting illness is.

     Plans were too rigid, most agreed. In one example, the organization’s pandemic plan called for them to ship supplies to all corporate locations at WHO phase five. But there really was no need, and that action item was scrapped in favor of a more measured response.

     Speaking of shipping, many plans that included shipping supplies to Mexico didn’t make it past customs. Several organizations said they repackaged shipments, sending multiple smaller packages and changing labels to read air filters in- stead of masks. And even then, not all shipments got to their destinations. It is possible, however, to pre-declare packages with customs. This can help but still isn’t foolproof.

Policy? Perhaps

     Organizations also had a chance to examine a number of policies that relate to pandemic plans. Travel and work-from-home policies topped that list. The immediate lesson learned was that linkages between business continuity and HR need to be deeper and stronger.

     Travel policies were especially up in the air. While the Center for Disease Control (CDC) did not impose travel restrictions, many businesses did, and they found the issue more complex than they had imagined.

     There is no black-and-white, yes-or-no, solution to travel. Variables must be considered. Will the travelling employees be in close contact with the local population? Is the trip essential to a key initiative or project? Is the particular employee at increased risk (a pregnant woman, an asthma sufferer)? Does the destination country or region have adequate medical facilities? How quickly could the employee be returned home?

     Organizations also found that they needed to be more flexible with work-from-home scenarios. As schools nation-wide continued to close, working parents had to juggle child care and job responsibilities. For many, the real disruption was caused by school closures, not sick employees. One NJERR member said it became a “work anywhere” situation.

Communication, Validation

     Communication was another hot issue at the NJERR meeting. Several members acknowledged that it was almost impossible to manage the crisis globally with one message. That seems obvious, but so does the corporate desire to be consistent in communication and response. Business continuity professionals found themselves between a rock and a hard place. And those with tested plans and mature crisis communication strategies met with the most success.

     To communicate with employees, most organizations had a telephone hotline or internal web site populated with FAQs and updates. Blast phone messages and e-mails also were used. A key takeaway was that multiple channels of communication worked most effectively. And one company learned not to rely on the corporate Intranet home page, as only about 15 percent of employees visit it daily.

     An organization that had done a full-scale pandemic exercise last year found itself well-prepared overall, with communication and signage in multiple languages printed and ready to go. But when the message changed rapidly, the materials couldn’t keep pace. They had planned for printing and distribution resources but found that what they really needed was the ability to translate on the fly.

     With mainstream media on overdrive, BC professionals found that they needed to communicate quickly and often to maintain credibility and to ensure that employees and executives weren’t looking for information elsewhere and becoming misinformed.

     Keeping executives up to speed presented its own challenges. Several NJERR members suggested delivering a standardized form of communication to executives at regular intervals. That way, the BCP group is the trusted source for news and executives are trained to look for and expect updates.

     Others touted the “need to be on top of the situation,” saying that it is critical for continuity planners to “have the answers before you are asked” and “bring issues to management before they come to you.” One organization spoke of having briefings on management’s desks on Sunday night, suspecting the media frenzy would begin Monday morning.

     In general, NJERR members felt that while their plans needed to be tweaked and made more flexible, the response validated the work they had done on pandemic and put business continuity back in the spotlight. CI

NJERR: What Happens in Jersey Stays in Jersey

Don’t look for it online, there’s no web site. And there’s no member directory. The meetings aren’t publicized; heck, there aren’t even any minutes. The NJ Enterprise Resiliency Roundtable (NJERR) is the Garden State’s secret society of all things business continuity.

     Members are sworn to secrecy and join by invitation only—sort of a resiliency high rollers club. The group is limited to 20 member organizations, all of which must have a primary location, or major location housing at least 1,000 employees, in New Jersey. The current line-up represents more than 200,000 employees in New Jersey and more than double that around the world.

     But for all its exclusivity and secrecy, NJERR is a pretty down to earth group. The value, say the members, comes from a vendor-free forum in which to share success stories, challenges, and ideas. Their open discussions are lively, topical, and timely. And they know that nothing they say will leave the room, because what happens in Jersey, stays in Jersey.

     Interested in forming a similar group in your state or region? Contact Continuity Insights Editor Buffy Rojas at buffy@continuityinsights.com or (610) 792-4802. You may need to learn a secret handshake or wear a blind-fold, but she can get you in touch with an NJERR representative who’ll tell you more about how the group is structured, how it operates, and how you might benefit from following in its footsteps. Just watch where you step.

Share Your Story

We will continue our coverage of lessons learned from H1N1 in upcoming issues. If you have insights to share, contact Editor Buffy Rojas at buffy@continuityinsights.com or (610) 792-4802. And don’t worry, we won’t use your name in print unless you tell us it’s okay with you to do so.