Recent outbreaks of communicable diseases – measles, Ebola, COVID 19 and hantavirus, to name a few – underscore a hard truth: In addition to presenting a major public health issue, they can quickly become a business challenge for employers by driving spikes in absenteeism, disrupting operations and supply chains, increasing healthcare and safety expenditures and potentially create employee confusion and uncertainty. For multinational employers in particular, these outbreaks show up in very tangible ways: higher healthcare and public health response costs, spikes in absenteeism, presenteeism and lower productivity, and disruption in critical roles or locations. They also take a toll on employee health and well-being, from acute illness and long COVID–like conditions to burnout, anxiety and stress, especially for workers with direct occupational exposure or caregiving responsibilities at home.

To be sure, COVID‑19 reshaped expectations. Employees now look to their workplace for accurate information, navigation support and visible protection measures, and will likely continue to do so when the next communicable disease threat emerges.

Measles: A Case Study

Rising vaccine skepticism and confusion, delays in preventive care, health disparities and disruptions to public health infrastructure have revived measles in the past decade, both in the United States and around the globe. This is just one example of how a preventable, yet highly contagious disease now threatens populations – and workforces – worldwide.

The virus spreads easily through the air, can quickly infect large numbers of people and requires high rates of vaccination coverage to create herd immunity. Just one traveler can carry exposure across borders, and an under‑vaccinated community can keep it circulating. Even a single case can set off public health investigations, raise employee anxiety and disrupt operations in ways that come with real medical and productivity costs.

While measles is considered re-emerging in some countries, including the US, globally, measles remains endemic in many regions across Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.

A New Communicable Disease Landscape for Employers

The next pandemic is increasingly viewed as not “if” but “when,” according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and it may look very different from COVID‑19 in both how it spreads and who is most at risk. While the COVID‑19 pandemic gave organizations valuable experience in emergency governance, rapid communication, remote work and navigating public health guidance, those capabilities now need to be refreshed and broadened.

Moreover, different diseases highlight different pressure points for employers. While measles illustrates how gaps in vaccination coverage can quickly turn into clusters of cases, Ebola underscores the necessity of tight coordination with local experts in regions with already-stretched health systems. Even seasonal flu demonstrates that viruses can create absenteeism and productivity loss. This is why an effective preparedness approach must be adaptable, rather than built around a single pathogen.

Employers can leverage this complex environment to bolster the conversation about communicable disease planning. The frameworks created during COVID‑19, such as committees, protocols, data streams, communications channels and vendor relationships, may need to be realigned and updated, with input from those in human resources, benefits, risk management, facilities, operations and communications.

A structured review allows for codifying effective practices and retiring outdated approaches, while designing a playbook that can flex across multiple disease scenarios.

Factors Shaping Preparedness Plans

The most useful preparedness plans reflect the realities of operating across countries and regions with different health systems, benefit structures and outbreak patterns. Factors for consideration include:

• Variation in access. Vaccines, testing, treatment and preventive services are not covered the same way in every location, and national immunization schedules do not always align. Global employers often need to work through local brokers, health plans, clinic partners and public systems to gauge where coverage is strong, where gaps exist and where additional support may be needed.
• Geographically uneven disease risk. Some regions carry higher burdens of measles, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis or emerging infections, while others may face lower immediate risk but remain vulnerable because of travel patterns or lower trust in vaccination. Preparedness models require common global principles and leave room for local “tailoring.”
• Travel complexity. For employers with highly mobile workforces, preparedness extends beyond the worksite. Pre‑travel vaccination, destination‑specific health guidance, post‑travel protocols and clear pathways for employees who may have been exposed all become part of the operating model.
• Cross‑border coordination. Global employers need to align core messages while still allowing for local interpretation, translation and cultural context. They also need privacy‑respecting ways to review data from different regions so emerging trends can be spotted without creating unnecessary concern.
• Public health relationships. COVID‑19 underscored that employers cannot tackle these issues alone. Organizations with established relationships with public health agencies, clinical advisers and health partners often fared better in interpreting guidance, maintaining continuity, and supporting employees. Re‑engaging and extending those relationships is a crucial part of preparedness work.

A Note on Communication

Preparedness is more than benefits design or emergency plans; it is also about trust. In the event of a future communicable disease outbreak, employers will be expected to communicate quickly, clearly, and credibly.

Effective communication aligns with trusted public health sources, reflects local language and culture, and avoids stigmatizing people or communities associated with a particular disease. This is essential for conditions that can spark fear, misinformation, or social stigma.

Organizations that fare best will maintain trusted communication channels, be clear about where employees can find accurate information and tailor messages for a diverse global workforce.

Preparedness Now Part of Best Practices

Preparedness for the next outbreak is now part of best business practices. By integrating flexible planning, drawing on lessons from past experiences and strengthening public health partnerships, among other strategic approaches, organizations can better safeguard their workforce and maintain operational continuity in an uncertain public health environment.