['Infectious Diseases']
['COVID-19']
12/30/2024
Copyright 2025 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.
...
Employers take extraordinary steps to deal with a pandemic, trying to help prevent the spread of the disease, protect their employees, and continue business operations. Whatever role you play in these pandemic efforts, continually evaluating the actions your company takes during a pandemic will better prepare for a post-event analysis.
At some point, your company will likely hold a meeting to evaluate what was done well, what could have been done differently, and what plans need to be created to prepare for the next pandemic. This analysis should include individuals with a strong understanding of emergency response actions, which likely includes you.
An evaluation should also include individuals who were not actual decision-makers during the event; although that may not be possible, individuals can help evaluate the roles played by others. This may mean that others will be examining actions you took, so be prepared for constructive feedback. Analyzing your role as an ongoing process will help you prepare. In addition, you’ll likely provide feedback to others and should plan to do so diplomatically.
Questions to consider
The answers to any post-pandemic evaluation will differ with each company, but some of the questions that might be asked will likely include the following:
- Was the scope of the situation understood from the beginning, or did it continually develop? As new information became available, how quickly did the company respond?
- Was key information available? What steps were taken to evaluate the accuracy of available information? Was there a process for implementing decisions based on incomplete data?
- Were any delays caused by getting key decision-makers together? What actions were authorized to be taken by management below the executive level?
- How quickly were decisions communicated down all levels and throughout all locations? Was all key contact information available and current?
- Did the company look to existing plans or policies? Were they current and available to key individuals? Were revisions adopted and implemented as needed? What changes may be needed for greater flexibility (such as adding multiple response options based on severity)?
- Were available resources devoted in the most efficient manner? Was anything critical overlooked? What resources are needed (or can be gathered) to prepare for the next pandemic event?
- What alternative suppliers were considered, and what contingency plans were in place if the alternatives also became unavailable?
- Did the company seem to be taking a reactive approach, or was a long-term goal developed?
You cannot know the nature or severity of the next pandemic event, but you can be certain that another event will occur. Planning out what the company is prepared to do, and what resources are available and can be devoted, will help the organization get through the situation.
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Copyright 2025 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.