Pandemic response: Developing a mission-critical inventory and cross-training programme

Abstract

This paper examines how companies’ pandemic response planning has evolved from the 2002 SARS epidemic through to the H1N1 pandemic that emerged in 2009. While many companies had undertaken general pandemic planning prior to the emergence of H1N1, most were compelled to take their planning to a much more detailed level as the likelihood of widespread absenteeism became apparent. The paper outlines the steps necessary for completing a mission-critical inventory, identifying interdependencies between business functions and developing an effective cross-training programme that minimises the likelihood of business disruption due to the absence of key personnel.