On September 10th, the NFL opened its 2020 season. While battling with the obvious concerns of COVID-19, these on-going games are still a reminder of regularity during these times. Though the NFL has put much effort into implementing new rules to abide by during this pandemic to keep all the players and staff safe, they still continue to be disrupted by COVID-19 related events. Even with consistent COVID testing, players are still testing positive, leading to facilities needing to shut down, practices cancelled, and delayed games. Just recently, the Patriots team had five active roster players test positive for COVID-19, resulting in their facilities getting shut down and practices cancelled till the Saturday before the game; minimal practice time is just one of the major factors that led them to their loss against the Broncos. Losing key members of the team due to the coronavirus has negatively impacted their season. It was already difficult enough to be unable to practice and play games with every player during a normal season, but with the added stress of the pandemic, there is a higher rate of absences.
According the New York Times, rules put into place by the NFL include:
- Daily COVID screenings and frequent testing
- Video system to monitor if players and staff are wearing proper PPE
- Financial penalties for teams whose members perform virus spreading activities
These precautions were created with the knowledge that players will still be testing positive due to the large amount of traveling teams do in order to compete against one another, as well as the large number of people involved in the NFL beyond the players and coaches. This will not be the last time a team has to adjust its plans and perform at a lower capacity, and organizations are most likely creating adjustment plans in the case that a key player tests positive and he, as well as his close contacts, are not able to play and practice.
We can apply the same principle to our businesses, as there are key players whose absence is felt if they are unable to work for a period. Sometimes life gets in the way and people experience:
- Sickness
- Personal / Family Emergencies
- Travel
There is no way to ensure that all employees are present every single day of the year, so it is important to plan ahead for when certain leaders or those who perform special functions become unavailable. Knowing what to do when you are missing members of your team is imperative to running a fluid and successful business. At Evan’s Brothers Consulting, we can ensure your company has the best practices and plans through our corporate risk assessments. Give us a call at 617-545-1500 and we can get you started.