Merge pull request #8 from Ascalonic/master

Strategies and measures to be taken by the employers

work/reducing-the-risk-to-the-team.md

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+---
+description: How can you reduce the risk to team productivity in the midst of an outbreak
+---
+
+# Reducing the risk to your team
+
+#### Prevention
+
+Employers should take all practicable steps to mitigate risk and protect workers at all times from workplace hazards.
+
+There are a number of actions employers can take to minimize the risk of spreading of infectious diseases in the workplace:
+
+* Encourage workers to follow the basic personal actions to stop the spread of infectious diseases
+* Provide appropriate protection to staff who, by the nature of their work, may be required to have contact with people who are sick
+* Regular cleaning of the workplace environment will minimize the spread of infection by reducing workers' contact with contaminated surfaces. Where possible, use disposable cloths to clean surfaces. Reusable cloths should be cleaned, disinfected and then dried after use.
+* Enclosed spaces can increase the spread of infectious diseases. Employers should ensure air conditioning systems are well maintained. It is advisable that air conditioning systems do not re-circulate air and are vented to the outside as much as possible.
+* Consider work-from-home option for employees. For those who have special compliance to follow \(such as HIPAA\), may setup a private VPN for the employees.
+
+#### Contingency
+
+* Assess how the business could be disrupted by coronavirus;
+* Evaluate existing contracts with suppliers, customers, and other parties and consider force majeure provisions;
+* Consider temporary closure of office, work from home policies and/or possible leave for employees; and
+* Institute contingency travel plans.
+
+#### Team allocation
+
+Companies like IBS have employed strategies similar to below to reduce the risk of productivity drop in case of an outbreak:
+
+* Re-Organize the team so that employees who have higher risk of contracting the infection are not placed with those who have lower risk. 
+* If Work from home cannot be allotted to all the employees, make sure around half of the employees in a team have work from home facility, so that in case of an outbreak, the entire team is not affected. 
+* Keep the team size to a minimum to reduce the spread.
+
+## Source :  [https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/environmental-health/infectious-disease-prevention-and-control/workplace-infectious-disease-prevention](https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/environmental-health/infectious-disease-prevention-and-control/workplace-infectious-disease-prevention)