Dear SCS,

My inbox has been flooded with Coronavirus news in the past couple of weeks. However, all of these emails discuss housekeeping practices but don’t really give as much advice on how to handle the situation with employees. My team and I discussed hygiene and the importance of hand washing at our last staff meeting, but I’m unsure of what else I should be doing at this point. Do you have any suggestions for how to handle the Coronavirus situation when it comes to my staff?

Sincerely,
Germaphobic Gerry

Dear Gerry,

It’s great that you’ve been addressing the Coronavirus situation with your team. Continue to emphasize that the Club is taking action to prevent the spread of illness. In addition to all of the great things you have learned to communicate to your Members, there are things you should do for your team, too. This includes:

• If staff is using public transportation to commute to work, remind them to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and not to touch their face. This is especially important for these individuals as they may be in close proximity to infected individuals.
• Update employee contact information to ensure you have the most up-to-date phone numbers and emergency contacts for each employee, should an employee fall ill at work.
• Prepare for operational disruptions by cross-training your employees to ensure you’ll have coverage in all areas of the Club should a large number of employees call in sick.
• Review your existing HR policies relating to paid and unpaid leave. Some employees may be worried about the financial consequences of taking unpaid time off and may be hesitant to come forward if they are ill.
• Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or return to work. Medical facilities may be extremely busy and may not provide such documentation in a timely manner.
• Maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Be aware that more employees may need to stay home to care for sick children or other sick family members more than usual.
• Provide supplies such as hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap, etc. for employees as you do for Members.

If you haven’t done so already, please consider the following at your Club:

• Encourage frequent hand washing and ensure soap, disposable hand towels, and facial tissues are readily available in high traffic areas.
• Consider canceling high-touch activities at your Club such as card games.
• Avoid buffet service where Members self-serve. Have buffet attendants to assist with and provide food service to minimize cross-contamination, provided your staff is healthy.
• Increase the frequency of disinfecting high contact surfaces such as door knobs, elevator buttons, restroom fixtures, etc.

Above all, be sure to regularly check with the CDC for official updates and information.

In health,
Nevena Jevtic