Financial Services Firms Simulate Flu Pandemic

jcatcw writes "The U.S. Government is co-sponsoring a three-week exercise that will simulate the impact of a flu pandemic on financial services firms, including their ability to support telecommuters. The exercise is expected to be the largest in U.S. history and will involve more than 1,800 firms. From the article: 'The program will follow a compressed time frame that simulates the impact of a 12-week pandemic wave. Participants will be given information on how many absentee employees they can expect. Companies won't know exactly how hard they will be hit with sick-calls from employees until this data is made available ... In addition, participating firms won't be able to pick and choose the level of workforce reductions they get hit by.'"

How useful is that?

[Mr.Fork]

Why not simulate the impact of Paris Hilton going naked down the street with the words "Google RULES" painted onto her butt cheeks? I'm sure that will have a definate impact on their stock.

Simulation we REALLY need to run

[StefanJ]

We need to see how companies can hold up during a zombie infestation.

"Awww, man, it's just a little bite. Let me finish this backup and . ." BLAMMM!

Re:The real question

[Orange Crush]

Is Slashdot ready for all these additional telecommuters?

Goofing off on Slashdot at work vs. goofing off on slashdot at home through while pretending to work via the VPN connection shouldn't affect traffic levels.

Re:Did a test like this years ago

[MyLongNickName]

One color meant go home - you were unavailable for work.

I'd keep a pocket full of different colored marbles just in case a test like this came up again...

Employee: "Interesting, Mr. Smith, MyLongNickName has drawn a green marble 13 times in a row! What are the odds"
Mr. Smith: "Very Interesting. We've only had 7 disaster recovery tests."

Re:Did a test like this years ago

[MyLongNickName]

And I'd also keep a spare closing tag just in case I run out...

Wha?

[Spy der Mann]

We need to see how companies can hold up during a zombie infestation.

But, don't we already have zombies in the Customer Support lines?

My company did something better

[Anonymous Coward]

In our disaster recovery test, employees who drew a blue marble went home, while those who drew the white ones stayed and worked. In addition, we got to sacrifice whoever drew one black marble which made those of us who had to stay and work a little less jealous of those sent home.

Flu

[ccs.gott]

See, I used to simulate the flu all the time... I have found that it was quite useful, until my parents caught on.

Re:What Pandemic?

[corbettw]

Score one for fat people, wooo!!!! We're gonna ride this famine out!

No, you'll just help us fit people last a bit longer. ;)

Re:Telecommute? Maybe... Maybe Not

[WindBourne]

The idea is to test all of this now. The telecommute will work fine if several things are in place:

• A way to access their work, securely. VPN, ssh, https are in places in a number of areas.
• A way to talk. VOIP and/or PSTN work wonders combined with IM and email.
• A willingness to accept it by all.

It is the last one that will be difficult for employees AND managers. A number of ppl like to separate their work from home. They will have to learn to set aside one room for work.

As to the power grid, I am not too worried about it. The plants will have to work to keep their employees separated by distance, as well as consider how to keep them separate from the general populace. As to the powerload, I think that it will actually be just a bit more, not hugely more. The reason is that there will be less driving. In addition, the offices will have to run their fans constantly, but will AC and even light far less (and most large office buildings run AC during the day even in the winter due to computer and human heat).

One issue that I can see is the current trend in offices is to do smaller and small binnies. That means that everybody is closer. When something starts, the companies will have to be willing to move quickly to telecommuting. If not, they could lose a SIGNIFICANT chunk of their office workers in a very short time. Here at Verizon, they are cramming ppl into 1/4 of the space that we had back in the late 80's.

The Stand

[Copperfield]

I'm not worried. I'm certain that I am immune to Captain Trips. Which city I end up going to, is another matter entirely.

Re:How useful is that?

[mazarin5]

As an FYI,
I have read that Tamiflu is excreted essentially unchanged in your urine.
If it comes down to life and death keep that in mind.
--
She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.

I can't help but to have a single mental image drawn from both your message and your sig.

Eww.