The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Firms corral staff to duck swine flu

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Wednesday, Aug 12, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Firms corral staff to duck swine flu

Deepa Kurup

Staff issued advisories on precautionary steps

Companies in Bangalore have not hit the panic button yet
‘Dos and don’ts’ lists spring up on company notice boards

BANGALORE: Information Technology companies in Bangalore sat up and took notice when swine flu-related deaths and panic in Pune hit the headlines. For Pune and Bangalore have one thing in common: a sizeable presence of IT/BPO firms.

In Bangalore, companies have not hit the panic button yet. HR departments in companies, particularly those with branches in Pune, have issued advisories on precautionary measures and recommended restricted travel. However, officials say they have not received any health directive or government circular on this.

The Bangalore-arm of a Pune-based BPO said they had even enquired with industry bodies. “We have taken steps at our level. Internationally, advisories are issued to companies.”

Over the past few days, posters and “do and don’t do” lists have sprung up on company notice boards and intranet portals. While most official communications revolve around awareness and providing useful information, some relate to travel and health check-ups. Earlier, companies had sent emails restricting travel to countries where swine flu has reached pandemic levels, and advised those returning from foreign trips to “cool off” for at least a week, or work from home.

Leading IT major Infosys has been hosting mailers and discussions on the company intranet. “All travel to Pune, unless categorised as ‘essential business trip’ has been cancelled,” an Infosys spokesperson said, adding that they were also educating their employees on symptoms and precautionary measures. Doctors are also available for consultation on each campus.

Cognizant Technology Solution, an IT firm, has set up a toll-free number, staffed and supported by doctors, to support employees and their family members. “We have conducted screening sessions and education on the A(H1N1) virus, and are maintaining a section on the intranet for queries,” a spokesperson said. Also, we have are checking with customer teams for local updates before undertaking or deferring travel to affected destinations.

At Wipro Technologies, constant travel advisories, personal hygiene and precautionary measures along with information on emergency assistance, are being issued to employees. Laxman Badiga, CIO of Wipro, said its employees in “affected countries are reported to be safe”.

Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd, a BPO firm, has come up with a Health Awareness Plan to deal with this developing situation.

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