What does social distancing mean in the workplace context?
Public health officials advise people to stay home when they are ill to avoid spreading the flu virus to their co-workers. Alternative working arrangements allowing people to work from home can effectively isolate people who are ill from healthy employees, and allow those who are caring for ill family members to continue to work. Distance technologies such as videoconferences, webinars, and teleconferences may also be viable social distancing alternatives to face-to-face meetings for people who are recovering from illness, and those who are caring for family members who are ill. Organizations should encourage a level of social distancing that is appropriate to the virulence and spread of the pandemic in the area or organization. Source: Adapted from Beck, Anthony. (2009). H1N1 Influenza: Preparing Your Organization for a Pandemic. Ottawa: Conference Board of Canada.
