Information is a prescription that when properly administered can ease fears. With the possible pandemic of Swine Flu (H1N1) you may find a few employees nervous. And considering the media debate about avoiding public transportation, confined spaces and staying home with even the slightest symptom, who wouldn’t be? This is unknown territory for most of us, and with that comes new fears. So here are a few ways you can help remedy the tension at your company.

1. Send company-wide email alerts to communicate new updates made by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As the cliché goes – information is power. Take the lead to provide information to your employees and you will help bring comfort to your organization. You’ll find current and reliable information on the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/index.htm.

2. Set up an RSS feed for CDC updates.
As the communicator you should be aware of updates shortly after they are released to the public. You can ensure this by setting up an RSS feed. RSS means Really Simple Syndication. The CDC website has a “subscribe” button – this is your RSS feed – click it. By clicking that button you’ve helped the CDC syndicate new information. Follow the instructions to set up a news feed so these updates will automatically be routed to you as soon as they become available.

3. Post an FAQ section on your intranet.
Let your employees know what you expect during this potential pandemic. Is it okay to come to work if they just have a headache? At what point should they go home or stay home? What do you expect in terms of communicating with customers and clients during this time? Is it okay to NOT shake others’ hands? Ease co-worker’s nerves by letting them know how your company expects them to act during this time.

You’ll certainly think of other smart things to do, and they’ll likely be based on one key commitment – communicating information. Keep communication in the forefront, and you’ll be much more likely to maintain a relaxing environment.