Is your firm ready for the return of swine flu?

So how is your company preparing for the return of swine flu in the autumn? Think you've got it all sorted? Then follow this simple mathematics...

Just how are you still going to run a company if 10, 20, 30 per cent or more of your workforce is absent.It's no good thinking, 'oh almost no one is going to get swine flu here' as once you start to do the maths you see how big the problem gets.

• First, there are those who will have swine flu and will be off work for two weeks. Let's be optimistic and say it's only five percent of your 200 work force (10 people).
• Then there's the mums (strange how it's rarely the dads) who phone in because their child is sick and they need to stay at home. Let's say an optimistic 10 per cent (20 people).
• Then there are those who are feeling 'under the weather' but have been rightly advised not to go into work in case it is swine flu. That's another 10 per cent (20 people).
• There are a few more, say five percent (10 people) who have to stay at home because the school has shut and they have to care for their healthy child at home.
• Then there are a few more who are so freaked out by the news that they decide to stay away from work as a precaution, and a few more who have had a bad reaction to the swine flu vaccine (say another 10 people).

We're already up to nearly half your 200 workforce. And now consider that the van delivering your vital supplies doesn't turn up because the small family firm is all off work with swine flu.You can't ring up for freelancers or extra help because everyone has the same problem and suddenly freelancers are as rare as hen's teeth.

Still think you're prepared for swine flu's return?