We're still in the inferno phase of what's been an especially hot summer in most parts of the country, but with back-to-school ads dominating the insert section of the Sunday newspaper, autumn can't be that far away.
With the approach of fall comes new warnings about the serious threat - "an explosion," as one scientist termed it - posed by the H1N1 ("swine flu") virus. It's more than likely that employers can count on plenty of workers calling in sick during Q3 and Q4 if (or when, as some experts predict) the flu begins to make the rounds (Stein, 2009).
One strategy in planning for this possibility is looking to alternative work options to ensure continuity in the event of an outbreak. Having employees work remotely certainly makes much more sense than risking the rampant spread of a virus that could quickly level an office. With this in mind, it's quite possible that organizations that have been slow to embrace (or have outright resisted) flexible work arrangements in the past may find themselves, by necessity, finally taking the leap.
