Segment 2: Area hospitals are crowded with people reporting breathing difficulties, and public health officials are encouraging people all over the city to “shelter in place” as a precaution. Headquarters is currently upwind of the explosion. The company needs to decide what to tell its employees to do but isn’t sure whether it has the legal right to tell people not to leave. People are speculating that terrorists caused the explosion.

Segment 3: The company tells employees not to leave the building, but many do anyway, saying that they don’t trust what they’re hearing and that they need to get home and take care of their families. The security guards at the front door also want to know what to tell people on the street who want to take shelter in the company’s lobby. The cafeteria reports that it has already sold out of lunches.

Segment 4: The immediate danger passes, and authorities say the explosion was an accident. Several employees have been hospitalized, and others are upset that the company cafeteria did not have more supplies on hand.

Scenario #6: A pandemic flu hits

This scenario is based on a suggestion by Joe Flach, VP of Eagle Rock Alliance, a business continuity consulting firm in West Orange, N.J.

Segment 1: A pandemic flu starts sickening and killing people in Hong Kong, where the company does not have any operations. The medical community fears that the disease will spread to other continents and says that anyone who has been to Hong Kong in the past three weeks could be a carrier. As a precautionary measure, the company considers asking employees who have traveled to Hong Kong within the past three weeks not return to work until they see a doctor. The company also considers having security at the front door ask every visitor whether he or she has been to Hong Kong in the past three weeks.

Segment 2: A few people in the region are diagnosed with the disease, and the absentee rate at schools rises. Employees start calling in sick, but it’s not clear whether they are ill or afraid of going out in public. Enough people are absent that the company struggles to keep systems up, take orders, and pay bills.

Segment 3: The disease spreads, and absentee rates shoot up to almost 50%. Some employees are sick or caring for sick family members. Employees are asking the company to provide hand sanitizer and masks, even though the medical community says those precautions may not be effective. Critical functions are not getting done. Managers consider shutting offices and asking everyone to work from home until the danger passes. 

Segment 4: The disease has peaked, but many employees are still leery of returning to work.

We hope these scenarios give you some ideas for developing your own with your employees. Enjoy the process, and good luck!

Editor’s note: This article, originally published in 2006, has been updated to reflect recent trends. 

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