As people managers and HR leads, it is our mandate and responsibility to successfully rally our people behind the organization and lead them through crises successfully. The COVID-19 pandemic challenge is not excluded from this mandate.

Below are some recommendations to help us succeed on this mandate.   

• Follow public health agency advice on efficient ways to contain the virus
• Keep up to date with government advice and adapt business plans to reflect changes 
• Actively communicate these plans with your people, customers and suppliers
• Look at options for people to work remotely to prevent the spread of infection
• For customer facing organizations, consider using customer self-serve options such as telephone and online services to minimize face to face interaction
• Review your policies and procedures on health reporting, office and personal hygiene protective equipment, social distancing and working hours
• Consider providing additional training to your people working in critical areas, so others have the skills to fill in for absent colleagues

Source: CIPD

(https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/news-articles/coronavirus-supporting-people-global-public-health-emergency