Sickness policies | Businesses must refine their crisis responses to surges in illness

In the midst of the latest COVID-19 surge and a concurrent spike in flu cases, businesses across the nation find themselves grappling with an unsettling sense of déjà vu.

As the JN.1 variant takes center stage, echoing the challenges of the Omicron wave, it’s crucial for HR practitioners to re-evaluate and refine their crisis responses.

According to data from the CDC, hospitalisations due to the coronavirus have been rising steadily for nine weeks straight. As of Friday, "high" or "very high" levels of respiratory illness activity were seen in 35 states, in addition to New York City and the District of Columbia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This ongoing health crisis, long after the initial wave of COVID, underscores the critical need for businesses to prioritize employee health, reinvigorate pandemic-era policies, and implement strategies that go well beyond the conventional playbook.