SHRM Survey Findings: Business Operations During the Current Flu Season February 13, 2013

SHRM Survey Findings: Business Operations During the Current Flu Season

February 13, 2013

Key Findings

Business Operations During the Current Flu Season ©SHRM 2013 2

Is the current flu epidemic having a negative impact on organizations’ overall business operations? More than one-half (60%) of organizations indicated that the current flu epidemic is having “a moderate negative impact” on their overall business operations. This is a slight improvement from 2009, when 64% of organizations indicated experiencing “a moderate negative impact.” Only 4% indicated the epidemic is having a “large negative impact,” and another 36% indicated “no negative impact.”

Are organizations taking or planning to take actions to reduce the spread of the flu this season? Yes. Nearly three-quarters of organizations (72%) are taking steps to reduce the spread of the flu in the workplace, slightly fewer than in 2009.

How are organizations communicating with employees about reducing the spread of the flu this season? A majority of organizations are educating employees on flu prevention measures (85%), informing employees not to come to work if they have flu- or cold-like symptoms (82%), and developing an employee communication strategy related to the flu (68%).

What are organizations doing with respect to prevention to reduce the spread of the flu this season? Nearly all organizations (93%) indicated they are making hand sanitizer, other disinfectants, masks and other flu prevention tools readily available across the organization. A large majority of organizations indicated frequently disinfecting common areas in the office (82%) and offering free seasonal flu vaccines to employees (77%). Approximately, one-quarter of organizations (26%) are implementing an alternative to business travel, such as use of video or audio conferencing, and a few organizations are restricting non-essential employee business travel (9%).

How much of a negative impact do you think the flu epidemic will have on your organization’s overall business operations this upcoming flu season?

A large negative impact

A moderate negative impact

No negative impact

3%

64%

33%

4%

60%

36%

2012 2009n = 464

Note: 2009 data were collected in September of that year and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus.

n = 413


Is your organization doing or planning to do anything to reduce the spread of the flu in your workplace for this upcoming flu season?

No

Yes

18%

82%

28%

72%

2012 2009n = 444n =

459


Note: 2009 data were collected in September of that year and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus.

Already doing

Planning to do

Not doing/no plans

2013 2009 2013 2009 2013 2009

Educating employees on flu prevention measures (e.g., distributing information about the importance of hand washing, arranging for medical/health personnel to speak to employees)

85% 89% 8% 11% 7% *

Informing employees not to come to work if they have flu and cold-like symptoms 82% 74% 9% 23% 9% 3%

Developing an employee communication strategy related to the flu 68% 75% 10% 23% 22% 4%

Monitoring the flu situation by following the guidance from the CDC, WHO, etc. 60% 84% 14% 12% 26% 4%

Closing offices/units in affected regions in the U.S. and/or internationally 1% 1% 0% 15% 99% 84%

In regards to communication, what is your organization doing or planning to do to reduce the spread of the flu in your workplace for this upcoming flu season?

Note: 2013 (n = 197-307); 2009 (n = 236-335 ). Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. 2009 data were collected in September of that year and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus. An asterisk (*) indicates < 1%.


Already doing

Planning to do

Not doing/no plans

2013 2009 2013 2009 2013 2009

Making hand sanitizer, other disinfectants, masks and other flu prevention tools readily available across the organization (e.g., in bathrooms, pantries)

93% 84% 4% 12% 3% 4%

Frequently disinfecting common areas in the office, such as bathrooms, door handles, elevator buttons, cafeterias, pantries.

82% 73% 9% 16% 10% 11%

Offering free seasonal flu vaccines to employees 77% 59% 1% 9% 22% 32%

Sending employees who come to work with flu- and cold-like symptoms home 68% 40% 19% 50% 13% 10%

Note: 2013 (n = 197 – 307); 2009 (n = 135 – 337). Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. 2009 data were collected in September of that year and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus.

In regards to prevention and wellness, what is your organization doing or planning to do to reduce the spread of the flu in your workplace for this upcoming flu season?


In regards to prevention and wellness, what is your organization doing or planning to do to reduce the spread of the flu in your workplace for this upcoming flu season? (continued)

Already doing

Planning to do

Not doing/no plans

2013 2009 2013 2009 2013 2009

Setting up telecommuting options for employees or providing other measures to reduce mixing of employees at the workplace if there is a flu outbreak in your local area/region

32% 26% 8% 32% 60% 42%

Securing antiviral flu medication (e.g., Tamiflu) for employees (e.g., working with health care providers to ensure adequate medication supplies for employees)

31% 25% 2% 16% 67% 59%

Offering seasonal flu vaccines paid for by employees 25% 32% 1% 16% 74% 52%

7Business Operations During the Current Flu Season ©SHRM 2013

Note: 2013 (n = 197 – 307); 2009 (n = 135 – 337). Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. 2009 data were collected in September of that year and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus.

Already doing

Planning to do

Not doing/No plans

2013 2009 2013 2009 2013 2009

Implementing an alternative to business travel, such as use of video or audio conferencing 26% 27% 6% 9% 68% 64%

Restricting non-essential employee business travel in general 9% 21% 4% 7% 87% 72%

Limiting business visitors from affected regions 3% 10% 3% 7% 94% 83%

Restricting employee business travel to and from regions where the flu epidemic is confirmed

3% 21% 5% 13% 92% 66%

Curtailing product shipments to/from affected regions in the U.S. and internationally 1% 3% 1% 1% 98% 96%

Recalling expatriates in international locations when a high number of flu cases are confirmed in a particular country or region

1% 3% 1% 3% 99% 94%

In regards to travel, what is your organization doing or planning to do to reduce the spread of the flu in your workplace for this upcoming flu season?

Note: 2013 (n = 197 – 307); 2009 (n = 119 – 265). Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. 2009 data were collected in September and specifically referenced the H1N1 flu virus.


Demographics


Demographics: Organization Staff Size

1 to 99

100 to 499

500 to 2,499

2,500 to 24,999

25,000+

24%

38%

16%

17%

4%

Note. n = 434. Percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding.


Demographics: Organization Sector

Publicly owned for-profit

Privately owned for-profit

Nonprofit organization

Government agency

38%

37%

14%

11%

n = 391


Demographics: Organization Industry

Organization Industry Percentage

Manufacturing 22%

Health care and social assistance 15%

Finance and insurance 14%

Professional, scientific and technical services 13%

Government agencies 7%

Transportation and warehousing 7%

Education services 6%

Construction 4%

Wholesale trade 4%

Retail trade 4%

Information 3%

Note: n = 415. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple responses.


Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)

Organization Industry Percentage

Accommodation and food service 3%

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional and similar organizations 3%

Utilities 3%

Repair and maintenance 2%

Arts, entertainment and recreation 2%

Administrative and support and waste management and remediation service

2%

Mining 1%

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1%

Real estate and rental and leasing 1%

Personal and laundry services 0%

Other 6%

Note: n = 415. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple responses.


U.S.-based operations only 77%

Multinational operations 23%

Single-unit organization: An organization in which the location and the organization are one and the same

31%

Multi-unit organization: An organization that has more than one location 69%

Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices 48%

Each work location determines HR policies and practices 4%

A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices

47%

Is your organization a single-unit organization or a multi-unit organization?

For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by each work location or by both?

Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only, or does it operate multinationally?

n = 422

n = 432

Note: n = 308. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.

Corporate (companywide) 75%

Business unit/division 11%

Facility/location 14%

n = 308

What is the HR department/function for which you responded throughout this survey?

Demographics: Other


15


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• Response rate = 17%

• 467 HR professional respondents from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership

• Margin of error +/-4%

• Survey fielded January 17-25, 2013

Survey Methodology

Business Operations During the Current Flu Season ©SHRM 2013

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About SHRM Research

Project leader: Rob Boyd, survey research analyst, SHRM Research

Project contributors: Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SPHR, vice president, SHRM ResearchEvren Esen, manager, SHRM Research

Copy Editor: Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center


http://www.shrm.org/surveys

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Documents

SHRM Survey Findings: Business Operations During the Current Flu Season February 13, 2013