The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has introduced a COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for businesses.
According to a release sent out Tuesday, the Chamber said the goal is to help businesses be prepared for any human-resources or operational-related disruptions.
"As the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve, it is critical that businesses are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources to respond to protect public health and ensure the continued essential operations of their organizations," the Chamber said.
The toolkit notes that a pandemic can have several impacts on a business with remote work and staff absences being the biggest change.
"Businesses should consider the applicable legislation and their policies regarding paid and unpaid leave of absences and determine which absences would be covered and whether any changes need to be made on an interim basis during an outbreak. However, several companies have gone above and beyond legislative requirements to help support their employees, continue business operations, and safeguard public health."
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is also supporting the Ontario Medical Association's recommendation of employers not requesting sick notes.
If working from home is not an option, the chamber recommends that employers keep an adequate supply of hand sanitizer throughout the workplace and increasing cleaning operations. It is also recommending the cancellation of any work-related travel as well as consistently keeping employees up to date on mitigation measures.
Another key recommendation is preparing a thorough business plan. This includes deciding who will be in charge of reporting to staff and decision making as well as providing staff with a full list of contact numbers.
When things are back to normal, the chamber also recommends evaluating how the pandemic plan went and what lessons were learned.
You can read the full toolkit by clicking here.
