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news/analysis
RETAILERS NOT WASHING
THEIR HANDS
ON SWINE FLU
LOSS PREVENTION MANAGERS
WHOSE REMIT INCLUDES RISK
MANAGEMENT HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN BUSINESS CONTINUITY
PLANNING LINKED TO THE POTENTIAL
SWINE FLU PANDEMIC
CONTINGENCIES include management and put in
planning for sick staff and place the two levels of risk to
reduced profits caused by the HR department. This
people staying at home to meant planning for up to
avoid unnecessary human 25% staff absence and in the
contact. worst case scenario, up to
One proactive retailer is 50%. Having a mature
Jaeger whose head of Risk workforce we also had to
Steve Hearn also looks after factor in that our staff may
loss prevention. be asked to look after
Jaeger has a mature younger dependents such as
workforce and an equally grandchildren as well as cope
mature emergency planning with normal seasonal
procedure that was put in absence” reached WHO level 6, all staff “I have had lots of
place almost five years ago “The plan is robust and we were alerted and provided comments from staff saying
when the fear was from the realised that even with 50% with information on basic that the advice has put their
possibility of avian or bird flu less staff in the business we hygiene. Tips on hand minds at rest and that is vital
hitting the UK. could still function as a washing and even how to to ensuring insofar as
“We look after business business, albeit not for an sneeze into a hankerchief as possible that we continue
continuity in the widest sense indefinite period.” well as hand wash on every with business as usual”, adds
and will be watching with “Recent impact analysis desk, have been provided to Hearn
interest the situation in identified those departments staff. In the event of a prolonged
Australia which is now in its that may struggle with “It may seem like common outbreak, Jaeger has put in
winter months, as that is prolonged absence and we sense, but there is more mis- place adequate distribution
when the risk of a larger have put additional resource information than accurate support at its warehouses for
outbreak is at its highest,” and focus into those areas. information in the popular online trading to help people
says Hearn who also sits on Additionally a review of our press and we want people to shop from home without
the Retail Loss Prevention central head office locations remain calm. We told people trade disruption “in addition
Fashion Forum. lead to an extensive role out of the helpline details and an information strategy is in
“When the situation of home working social distancing strategies – place that will keep our
reached level 5 that was the technologies which will allow how to avoid contact. customers informed as to our
time we re-visited our for nearly 90% of such staff Basically, if staff have reaction to the pandemic and
strategy to senior to work remotely. Effectively symptoms, we don’t want provide assurance of our
ensuring business as usual in them in the business as continued service.”
the event of infrastructure martyrs struggling in “It is all about planning
shut down or localised whatever they feel like. “ and calming the situation
quarantine. This clearly helps As a final resort, failure to down. All retailers must have
with our wider Business comply could result in a similar business continuity
Continuity Plans and denial disciplinary action, but Jaeger strategy in place to protect
of access strategy” does not envisage having to staff and customers alike.”
He said that when the alert take that step. RF
ISSUE 4 AUGUST 2009 • 07
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