Singapore urges firms to prepare for Omicron’s disruption to the workplace

Businesses, especially those providing essential services, should ensure robust business continuity plans like split-team arrangements.
By: | January 25, 2022
Topics: Compliance | Health and Wellness | News | Singapore

As more workers are likely to be hit with the Omicron variant, businesses should implement continuity plans and stick strictly to safe management measures, said Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH). 

The ministry issued the warning on the back of sharp rises in COVID-19 cases that tested positive for the Omicron variant. With Omicron more transmissible than the Delta variant, Singapore should prepare for further surges in the weeks ahead, MOH said. 

“Even if workers who are infected have mild or no symptoms, health protocols will require them to be isolated. As the number of infections could potentially be very large, [the] absenteeism rate can go up very sharply,” MOH added. 

READ: Singapore warns against legislating WFH arrangements

Businesses, especially those providing essential services, should ensure robust business continuity plans like split-team arrangements, to prepare for the possibility that employees would test positive. 

Companies should also ensure that workers who are working on-site do not participate in social gatherings, and take their meals individually, MOH said.