A Practical Tool for Business Continuity During a Flu Pandemic

1
A Practical Tool for Business Continuity During
a Flu Pandemic

• Uwe Reischl, PhD, MD
• College of Health Sciences
• Newell Gough, PhD, MBA
• College of Business and Economics

Boise State University Boise, Idaho
2
Question

• Does your organization have a comprehensive
  disaster preparedness plan in place?
• A. Yes
• B. No
• If yes, does your plan address business
  continuity and recovery of your health
  department or organization?
• A. Yes
• B. No

3
Question

• How many pages does your preparednessplan have?
• A. 1020 pages
• B. 2040 pages
• C. 40 pages
• D. Dont know

4
Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation you will

• Understand the logic and framework of the
  business continuity planning tool
• Recognize the potential applications of the tool
  to pandemic preparedness planning
• Visualize the impact of absenteeism on an
  organization
• Appreciate the power of simplicity in disaster
  preparedness plans

5
Overview

• Project background
• Design requirements
• Key components of tool
• Steps for using tool
• Example
• Conclusions

6
Background

• Health Department funded project
• Multidisciplinary approach
• Local businesses participated in effort

7
Requirements

• Simple
• Flexible
• Transparent
• Participatory
• Inexpensive

8
Tool Components

• Graphic description of organization
• Company functions
• Specific tasks
• Critical tasks
• Audit of employees
• Employee skills and qualifications
• Task assignments
• Staffing requirements
• Current staffing situation
• Minimum staffing required

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Graphical Description
Imperial Motors Service Department
High priority
Departmental Functions
Specific Tasks
Personnel
Current Staff
Min.Req.
Priority Category
1
A
Scheduling
2
1
Admin. Services
1
1
B
Customer Services Van
C
Billing Records
2
1
2
A
Purchasing
2
1
Parts
B
Disbursing
1
1
C
Inventory Control
1
1
A
Fluids and Filters
7
3
3
B
Points and Plugs
4
2
C
Mechanical
1
Radiators and AC
4
A
Exhaust System
4
1
B
2
1
Tires, Rims, Alignment
C
Brakes, Pads, Rotors
3
1
10
Employee Qualifications and Task Assignments
Imperial Motors Employee Qualifications
Additional Cross Training
Employee Code Number
Employee Initials
Employee Qualification
4
EH
1A, 1C, 2A
2B, 2C
JG
1A, 1B, 1C, 2A
2B, 2C
5
JGO
6
2B, 2C
1A, 1B, 1C
CS
3A, 3C, 3D, 3F
2B, 2C
7
3A, 3B, 3C, 3F
8
MM
1B ,2B, 2C
JR
3A, 3C, 3D
3A, 3C, 3D
9
JM
3A, 3C, 3E
1B, 2B, 2C
10
CT
3A, 3C, 3E
1B, 2B, 2C
11
1B, 2B, 2C
12
3A, 3B, 3D
RM
MQ
2B, 2C
3A, 3B, 3D, 3F
13
11
Lets Play the Game!

• Example
• Newells Car Dealership Service Department

12
The Game

• Steps
• Define basic organizational functions.
• Specify tasks associated with each function.
• Determine number of employees needed for each
  task.
• Match each task with specific employees.
• Simulate random absenteeism.
• Identify tasks with inadequate staffing.
• Incorporate redundancy where needed.

13
Service Department Function One
Imperial Motors Service Department
Departmental Functions
Specific Tasks
Personnel
Current Staff
Min.Req.
Priority Category
1
A
Scheduling
2
1
Admin. Services
1
1
B
Customer Services Van
C
Billing Records
2
1
High priority
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Service Department Function Two
Imperial Motors Service Department
Departmental Functions
Specific Tasks
Personnel
Current Staff
Min.Req.
Priority Category
2
A
Purchasing
2
1
Parts
B
Disbursing
1
1
C
Inventory Control
1
1
High priority
15
Service Department Function Three
Imperial Motors Service Department
Departmental Functions
Specific Tasks
Personnel
Current Staff
Min.Req.
Priority Category
A
Fluids and Filters
7
3
3
B
Points and Plugs
4
2
C
Mechanical
1
Radiators and AC
4
A
Exhaust System
4
1
B
2
1
Tires, Rims, Alignment
C
Brakes, Pads, Rotors
3
1
High priority
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Roll the Dice!

• Roll the dice to simulate random absenteeism
  (10, 20, 30, 40, and so on).
• Keep rolling the dice until desired absenteeism
  rate is reached.
• Dice numbers represent individual employees ()
  who are count as ill as a result of bird flu.
• For example, if you have 10 employees
• 10 1 employee absent
• 20 2 employees absent
• 30 3 employees absent
• 40 4 employees absent

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Affected Employees at 40 Absenteeism
Imperial Motors Employee Qualifications
Additional Cross Training
Employee Code Number
Employee Initials
Employee Qualification
4
EH
1A, 1C, 2A
2B, 2C
JG
1A, 1B, 1C, 2A
2B, 2C
5
Employees 6 9 11 4
JGO
6
2B, 2C
1A, 1B, 1C
CS
3A, 3C, 3D, 3F
2B, 2C
7
3A, 3B, 3C, 3F
8
MM
1B ,2B, 2C
JR
3A, 3C, 3D
3A, 3C, 3D
9
JM
3A, 3C, 3E
1B, 2B, 2C
10
CT
3A, 3C, 3E
1B, 2B, 2C
11
1B, 2B, 2C
12
3A, 3B, 3D
RM
MQ
2B, 2C
3A, 3B, 3D, 3F
13
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Absenteeism Impact Reduction in Staffing
Imperial Motors Service Department
High priority
Departmental Functions
Specific Tasks
Personnel
Current Staff
Min.Req.
1
A
Scheduling
2-1
1
Admin. Services
1
1
B
Customer Services Van
C
Billing Records
2-1
1
2
A
Purchasing
2-1
1
Parts
B
Disbursing
1-0
1
C
Inventory Control
1-0
1
A
Fluids and Filters
7-5
3
3
B
Points and Plugs
4
2
C
Mechanical
1
Radiators and AC
4-2
A
Exhaust System
4-3
1
B
2-1
1
Tires, Rims, Alignment
C
Brakes, Pads, Rotors
3
1
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Applications

• Cardboard models are OK.
• Employees can participate using chips.
• Game doesnt take long to play.
• Its fun!

20
Limitations

• In a small/medium sized organization
• Input from all employees is easy
• Summary of employee tasks is simple
• Rolling dice is practical (1 4 dice needed)
• In a large organization
• Input from all employees is difficult
• Summary of employee tasks is complex
• Rolling dice is difficult (too many dice needed)

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Conclusions

• Tool is practical (easy, cheap, quick, and fun).
• Tool can be used in many different scenarios.
• Tool can foster organizational teamwork.
• Preparedness can be demonstrated graphically.
• Preparedness plan requires only few pages.

22
Summary

• Project background
• Design requirements
• Key components of tool
• Steps for using tool
• Example
• Conclusions

23
Question

• Do you think this tool would be useful for a
  health department to plan its business
  continuity?
• If yes, how? If not, what other tool might be
  used?

A. Yes B. No
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Resources

• US Government
• http//www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html
• CDC
• http//www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/
  index.html
• WHO
• http//www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/
  
• Canadian Government
• http//www.safecanada.ca/pandemic/index_e.asp

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• Thank you!