The WHO has just confirmed that the Covid-19 outbreak is already a pandemic and that there are more than 120,000 infected worldwide. The progress of positive cases, and the number of deaths, has been rapid, and every day there are new numbers, which are accompanied by maps fed by data from health organizations. In Portugal it was only confirmed last week, but there are already close to 60 infected people, and thousands in quarantine.
Several events and conferences have been postponed, schools and universities are closing, public bodies are reporting limitations on access to services and many companies are triggering contingency and business continuity plans, following the example of what happens at the international level . Little by little the measures taken by the main companies are known, but today SAPO TEK made a round by some of the technological companies in Portugal and shares information about the measures that each one is taking.
Altice Portugal
Altice announced yesterday that it is intensifying its contingency plan with the implementation of a teleworking regime for pregnant women and cancer patients.
"Altice Portugal, as the first private company to activate a Contingency and Prevention Plan in the context of the current public health panorama, and in close and permanent dialogue with the General Health Directorate (DGS) and other entities, now intensifies its Plan with new measures aimed at preserving and defending the interests of employees ", says the company.
Among the measures is the immediate dismissal of attendance under teleworking to employees belonging to groups considered to be most vulnerable due to low immunity (active oncologists, chronic patients already identified) and pregnant employees. Isolation rooms were also created in buildings where justified, to be activated if necessary.
Public events of the company, such as Disruption for Brands by SAPO and SAPO Awards, were postponed, and the participation of the Altice Portugal Management Team in public initiatives and external meetings was reduced to what is absolutely essential.
In terms of information measures, the dissemination of "clarifying information to support the identification of symptoms related to COVID-19, as well as information on prevention measures and other practices defined by DGS – General Directorate of Health ".
Altitude Software
"At Altitude Software, in order to minimize the impact of Coronavrus COVID-19 and protect our employees, the Contingency Plan was implemented on March 6, 2020", explains Miguel Noronha, Executive Vice President of Altitude Software for Portugal , PALOP, North America and the United Kingdom.
This plan includes the cancellation of all business trips, mandatory remote work for 2 weeks for all Employees returning from critical countries; increase the level of work at a distance and prevent entire departments from sharing the same physical space, reduce to a minimum the face-to-face meetings between employees, customers and suppliers, increasing the use of videoconferencing and all other available tools; cancellation of all external events, including training.
"In accordance with the recommendations of the Health Directorates, all Altitude offices are, at the moment, mostly in teleworking mode (except in strictly necessary cases).
Claranet
"Claranet has had a business continuity plan for several years, which it tests regularly. The essential part of this plan is to guarantee the continuity of our operations and our service provision, in the event of incidents or events of a greater strength, which hamper access by several or all employees to the offices we have in Portugal or in other countries ", says Antnio Miguel Ferreira, Managing Director of Claranet Portugal and responsible for the group's operations in Ibria and Latin America.
Regarding the infrastructures in Datacenters, they are, by design, resilient and remotely manageable. "Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, we will trigger the business continuity plan in the coming days, asking our employees to work remotely, from their homes, to ensure that we have all the conditions to do so over an extended period of time, if necessary ".
The company is a provider of Workplace solutions, which allow remote work and is using these solutions in our own operation, and to support customers in implementing video-conferencing, communications and collaborative tele-work systems, as well as ensuring the availability of portable computers (laptops) and identity management platforms to all customers who request them.
Cisco
We are closely monitoring the situation of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and taking appropriate measures. We will continue to review our guidelines based on the authorities' warnings. Cisco has a consolidated process to coordinate our efforts during epidemic situations, and we have implemented sound measures to protect our customers, partners and employees. We are actively working to respond to the needs of remote workers during this unprecedented time, as well as providing resources to authorities and hospitals in impacted areas. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.
The company expanded its offer of free security services to support companies, which have more and more employees working remotely.
Hertz Portugal
Official source statement from Hertz PortugalHertz is taking preventive measures to protect its customers and employees, complying with all procedures that the Government and health organizations advise, with a view to reducing contamination and the risk of virus transmission. In this sense, these measures include compliance with extra vehicle hygiene procedures and the provision of antiseptic gel and wipes in the spaces of stores, offices and workshops. In addition, office employees will start working from home, in alternate groups and rotating schedules of 2 weeks, while shift work will be implemented in the workshops. Hertz confirms the continuity of its activity and guarantees the constant review of its procedures in order to act quickly and appropriately to this situation, ensuring the well-being of its customers and employees.
Infos
In a proactive attitude, with the purpose of ensuring the normal activity and business continuity of its clients, INFOS management is governed by the principles of social awareness and prudence and in line with the recommendations of the Government and the General Directorate of Health, decided to privilege, whenever possible, remote work sessions instead of face-to-face work sessions.
IBM
IBM is complying with the guidelines of local health authorities and the recommendations of the World Health Organization
Quidgest
Tecnolgica explains that as an employer it has a duty to ensure the safety and health of its employees, visitors, and other interested parties, including those who provide services in its facilities and assumes its position based on the recommendations of the DGS. "In view of the current situation and taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological framework of COVID-19, it elaborated a Contingency Plan with the objective of anticipating and managing the impact of an eventual situation of infection". The objective is to minimize health risks for its employees, visitors, service providers and other interested parties; minimize the risk of your facilities becoming a transmission node; ensure that plans are defined for your employees who are suspicious cases, are quarantined, infected or want to leave on vacation or leave; ensure that the necessary contingency measures are in place between stakeholders to ensure operational continuity.
"On this date, the preventive measures of this plan have already been activated and the necessary measures are ensured, including the remote work of our employees.", he says in response to SAPO TEK
Noesis
"Noesis has been following the case very closely, being attentive to all developments and information conveyed by official bodies #, says Alexandre Rosa, CEO of Noesis.
"Since the beginning of the outbreak, we have started a series of measures, namely, establishing regular communication with all employees on a practically daily basis, communicating care to be taken, updates and dissemination of new DGS communications. We have posted relevant information on preventive care. in all our offices, we reinforce the daily cleaning and hygiene of our different facilities, among others ", he adds.
With the evolution of the outbreak in recent days, these delays were reinforced and a contingency plan was implemented, which is already underway. This plan provides for the suspension of internal events and employees' meetings, cancellation of external events organized by Noesis or with the participation of our employees, suspension of all face-to-face training and promotion of interviews and other recruitment initiatives remotely.
"We are also working with the different Directorates, Units and Teams, in identifying situations where it is possible to reduce face-to-face work and promote remote work. We already have some employees in this regime. We are also monitoring all trips made by our employees (be it professional or personal regime) in order to signal any potential cases "
The procedure to be followed in case of detection of a suspected contagious situation is defined, with identification of isolation rooms, actions to be taken, responsible elements in the different offices and the entire flow of contact with health entities. "From another perspective, thinking about our consultants who are allocated and providing service to our customers, we are, of course, following the rules of the companies where they are located and in direct contact with all our customers, for a concerted and effective response.
SPRING Software
The technology company has about 300 employees spread over several geographies but mostly in Portugal it has already put in place several contingency measures. Two-thirds of employees in Portugal are working on ahome office,rotating work model.
PHC Software
Lus Antunes, Human Resources Director of PHC Software explains that the company has a structured action plan, made according to the guidelines of the responsible institutions and which provides for several scenarios. It was built based on risk reduction, with indications of appropriate behaviors, in the preparation of offices, and also in the possibility, if necessary, of activating mandatory remote work ".
Remote work is already provided for in PHC and has its own methodology and rules. Many workers already used it.
Randstad
The company is turning to digital to ensure interviews, one of the preventive measures to avoid contagion and to ensure the approximately 11,000 monthly interviews conducted by 350 consultants across the country. "The solution is called VIDA and allows Randstad to conduct all interviews with candidates over a real-time video link, ensuring full compliance with the GDPR"
Vodafone Portugal
Vodafone Portugal replied that it has a business continuity plan in place to ensure that, regardless of the circumstances, it manages to maintain the service. Since the beginning of March, there are Vodafone Employees performing their professional activity from home and in case of worsening of the situation, the work regime in exceptional mobility, which covers a greater number of employees, simultaneously, for a longer time, will be activated
"In the case of Covid_19, Vodafone Portugal activated a specific prevention plan, integrated in the business continuity plan, whose main objective is to protect employees, suppliers, partners and customers, and ensure that the Company continues to deliver an excellent service", refers. The measures that are part of the prevention plan include strengthening hygiene and cleaning in all Vodafone Portugal buildings and raising employee awareness.
"Vodafone has also decided to postpone internal events that require the concentration of a large number of people in the same space. All face-to-face meetings with partners and suppliers are being reduced to a minimum, giving preference to the use of video conferencing. External events with participation of Vodafone have also been postponed. "
All non-urgent business trips abroad have been postponed. "Employees must also inform the Company about personal trips already scheduled or planned, and it is recommended that risky destinations be avoided".
With regard to critical functions, Vodafone carried out a risk assessment, in which people who perform activities essential to the continuity of the business were identified.
And at the international level, what is being done?
With the increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, Google announced, on March 10, that all US employees should work from home, if their role allows it. information provided by a spokesperson for Google in the international press, the measure also applies to European officials.
The decision comes after having made the same recommendation to company employees in Seattle, one of the focuses of infection in the United States, and to also restrict visits to their offices in the city. Even in the same week, Amazon and Facebook closed some of the its Seattleaps offices are aware that several employees are against COVID-19. Both companies recently extended the recommendation for remote work to employees in So Francisco.
Amazon has now extended the prevention measure to teams in New York, New Jersey and also in Madrid and the entire Italian region until the end of March. At the Axios website, a company spokesman clarified that the company led by Jeff Bezos will continue payable to all employees, including those who have to continue to perform duties as usual.
Microsoft workers from Seattle, San Francisco, New York and New Jersey will be working from home until March 25. The company confirmed to the international press that it has already made the same recommendation to employees worldwide, depending on the state of the region in which they are located.
Apple, one of the technological companies that has been suffering strongly from the effects of COVID-19 on its stock exchange listing and facing difficulties in the production of equipment is also betting on the safety of employees. Tim Cook, CEO of the apple company, advised office workers around the world to work from home until March 13.
Outside of the recommendations, Twitter employees in Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea have already been forced to perform their duties at home. The social network was one of the first companies to recommend remote work to all employees in a publication on its website.
It is also recalled that in January, companies operating on Chinese soil, such as Apple, Amazon, Google and Airbnb, took drastic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to restrict their employees' travel to China, as well as your return, limiting visits to those that are strictly necessary.
