Building a Pandemic Response Framework

American Express
OVERVIEW
American Express (AXP) developed a playbook to protect the safety and health of its employees
and to improve HR leadership in anticipation of recurring pandemic threats. The playbook
capitalizes on American Express’s existing crisis management framework to clearly define each HR
stakeholder’s role in responding to a pandemic. It contains guidance and policies to give HR
direction and discretion in leading the response and advocating employee health in all actions.

SCENARIO
Since 2000, three global disease outbreaks have occurred with diverging levels of intensity and
duration: the H1N1 “Swine Flu” pandemic; the H5N1 “Avian Flu” outbreak; and the SARS outbreak.
American Express realizes that traditional crisis management and business continuity plans do not
provide enough flexibility and support to HR practitioners to effectively protect employee health
under such diverse and protracted events.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS
1) HR Pandemic Response Cascade
2) Customized Threat Assessment and Escalation Criteria
3) Pandemic Response Protocol Matrix
4) HR Pandemic Policies

COMPANY SNAPSHOT

American Express
Industry: Financial Services
2008 Sales: $28.365 billion
Employees: 66,000

© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.

All Rights Reserved.
 Four shortcomings Crisis Management Plans Fall Short
in traditional crisis
management plans
create gaps in
employee health
protection.
Common Pitfall Solution

An HR pandemic response cascade removes ambiguity by

1. Over-Reliance on
clearly defining HR roles and improving flexibility, allowing
Standard Crisis
local HR to develop recommendations for action and receive
Management Plans
global guidance and approval.

A customized threat assessment and escalation criteria help

2. Lack of HR exercise discretion and judgment regarding the need to
Customized Risk react to a pandemic threat by critically assessing the
Assessment pandemic’s actual impact on local facilities and communities,
in addition to monitoring the global situation.

3. Incomplete and A pandemic response protocol matrix pre-defines responses to

Inconsistent Actions allow HR to rapidly address a range of health threats and
to Address Health reaffirm American Express’s advocacy of employee health by
Concerns promoting safety and productivity.

HR pandemic policies ground real time decision-making in a

4. Non-Existent or
documented objective framework, so HR is able to confidently
Inadequate HR
advise business leaders on specific issues, such as leave and
Pandemic Policies
repatriation.

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE
www.clc.executiveboard.com

© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.

All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 2
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 HR Pandemic Response Cascade
American Express
creates a framework
for immediate
action through clear
role definition.
Pandemic Responsibilities Cascade from Global to Local HR

• American Express uses Global Local

a cascading response
structure, which mirrors the
organization’s crisis
management framework.
• Improving on the flexibility of
a traditional plan, HR develops
recommendations for action
locally, with global guidance
and approval.
Guidance Execution
Global HR Pandemic Team
All major business units
Provides HR leadership and guidance at an enterprise have representatives on
level. Creates and cascades global directives and local crisis response
resources. teams, which make
time-sensitive critical
decisions, such as office
Business-Line HR Relationship Leader
closures.
Advises business leaders on pandemic-related
decisions. Ensures that employee wellness is aligned
to business needs.

International HR Market Leader

The Global Pandemic Leads pandemic preparedness response initiatives
Team keeps the across lines of business in a particular country or
operating committee region. Identifies and elevates country-specific issues.
of senior corporate
executives informed of HR Representative on Crisis Response Team
the company’s global
response. Recommends actions based on global directives and
local considerations. Ensures that local HR receives
timely and accurate information for decision-making.

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE
www.clc.executiveboard.com

© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.

All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 3
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 Custom criteria to
evaluate the local
pandemic impact on
facilities and
communities
improves response
capabilities.
• In addition to monitoring
the current World Health
Organization pandemic phase,
the company evaluates how
the pandemic is impacting local
operating conditions when
deciding on the need for action.
• HR practitioners exercise local
discretion and judgment in
evaluating the need to respond
to a threat to guard employee
health and mitigate any impact
on current operations.
From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE
www.clc.executiveboard.com
© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO
Customized Health Threat Assessment
and Escalation Criteria
Criteria for Independent Threat Validation
In assessing the need to act, American Express However, the company also seriously considers
gives the most weight to the pandemic’s direct how local communities near its operating locations
impact on employees and facilities. are reacting.
Impact on Workforce
Need for Action Impact on Local Community
and Facilities
Low
No confirmed cases within AXP No confirmed cases within local
facility community
Possible first confirmed case at Isolated confirmed cases within
AXP facility community
2–10 confirmed cases at AXP Increased number of confirmed
facility cases; (e.g. schools close down)
11–20 confirmed cases at AXP Cancellation of public gatherings and
facility (<30% of employee base) retail/service closures
Confirmed cases >30% of Non-essential infrastructure and
employee base in one location community-wide services shut down
High
4
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 Pandemic Response Protocol Matrix
American Express’s
predetermined
pandemic guidance
is built on employee
health advocacy.
Framework for Executing a Pandemic Plan

• Pre-defined response Awareness of global conditions is important, The matrix recommends actions for every key
guidelines allow HR to rapidly but local realities are more relevant for deciding HR stakeholder group and for operations outside
address a range of health each stakeholder's plan of action. of HR, to ensure cross-functional coordination.
threats and proactively advise
business leaders on
American Express Activity Stakeholders
precautionary measures. Crisis Team
Crisis Teams
& Business
(Ongoing
• Response actions reaffirm Current Pandemic Leaders HR Benefits HR Real Estate &
Monitoring & Safety HR
American Express’ advocacy Impact within AMEX
Response Plan
(Worksite
Services
& Health Employee
Communications
Facilities Technology
Facility Precautions Services Relations Management
of employee health by Coordination
& Travel
creating an employee Activities)
Restrictions)
experience that promotes
Prepare for potential
safety and productivity. impact on operations
Employee Health Advocacy Framework
No confirmed cases
at AXP Facilities American Express develops all response actions outlined in the matrix from an
Possible first case American Express develops all response actions outlined in the matrix from an
employee-centric point of view. By advocating employee health, the organization
confirmed employee-centric point of view. By advocating employee health, the organization
is able to reassure employees and maintain morale by anticipating employee
0-10 confirmed is able to reassure employees and maintain morale by anticipating employee
cases at AXP Facility concerns and keeping employees focused on their work. American Express
concerns and keeping employees focused on their work. American Express
0-20 confirmed builds the response matrix around the following goals:
cases at AXP Facility
builds the response matrix around the following goals:
(30% of employee 1. 24x7 access to relevant medical information for all employees
1. 24x7 access to relevant medical information for all employees
base) 2. Consistency of policies/practices
>30% confirmed 2. Consistency of policies/practices
3. Targeted support for HR leaders
cases in one 3. Targeted support for HR leaders
location; Employee
health at risk

Final approval for actions taken in the most severe

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE pandemic phases require approval from the Global
www.clc.executiveboard.com HR Pandemic Response Team.
© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 5
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 American Express HR Pandemic Policies
creates HR
pandemic policies
that enable globally
consistent, real
time, local
decision-making. American Express’s Four Major HR Pandemic Policies

• Objective criteria developed

in concert with medical Sick Leave/Absence/Work at Home Policy Personal Protective Equipment Policy
personnel help mitigate
enterprise risks. Principal Objectives: Principal Objective:
▪ Ensure that any potentially ill or exposed ▪ Provide guidance on the real and perceived
• The policies provide sufficient employee(s) remains at home. need for the use of face masks and
discretion to HR and business ▪ Provide consistency in the treatment of respirators by employees.
leaders to make judgment employee absence and time off based on most
calls within a pre-determined likely health scenarios, e.g., exposure or illness.
framework that adapts
to the current threat.

• All policy documentation is

closely held by HR and used Relocation Medical Threat Assessment
Relocationand
andRepatriation
RepatriationPolicy
on a need-to-know basis to
ensure that discretionary Objective:
Principal Objectives: Principal Objectives:
Objective:
advice is not abused. ▪ Defineexpatriate
Define expatriateemployee
employeecontact
contactprocedures,
procedures ▪ Give HR and linewith
leaders clear direction
To effectively deal various medical
advise business leaders on necessary
▪ Advise business leaders on necessary . on how pertaining
to assess employee health and
scenarios to employees’ health
preventative
preventativeactions
actionstototake
takebased
basedononthe
thetype
typeof wellness in in
various real-time medical
and wellness and out of the office. This
expatriate assignment,
of expatriate assignment.and communicate benefits scenarios.
includes addressing employee concerns
provided to employees as a result of living/working ▪about
Address employee
the health of theconcerns
workplace about
and any
working adjustments. workplace conditions and the health of
impact on coworkers.
coworkers.

HR works closely with the Chief Medical Officer, who is a

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL member of the global HR pandemic team, to devise objective
of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE health response parameters and how best to utilize company
www.clc.executiveboard.com medical resources to compliment and supplement local
© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company. resources for employees in high impact areas.
All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 6
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 HR personnel use Pandemic Response in Practice
the custom threat
criteria, protocol
matrix, and
pandemic policies to
react quickly and
effectively to threats. Real Situations Test the American Express Pandemic Playbook

At the Market Level [Europe]:

When H1N1 was first evolving into a global threat (WHO Phase 3/4), Spain emerged as a country with an
alarming increase in the rate of new H1N1 cases. AXP HR used the customized health threat criteria to
assess local community reaction, the size of the local employee population, and available health resources.
Given that AXP does not offer onsite medical support in Spain, HR consulted the Pandemic Response
Protocol Matrix and chose to engage an outside vendor to establish a dedicated medical hotline for these
employees.

At the Facility Level [Latin America]:

Early in the pandemic when the global threat level for H1N1 was at WHO Phase 4, Mexico was experiencing
the most severe and lethal H1N1 activity in the world. This triggered an intense local response in Mexico.
Consequently, AXP HR selected response actions from the protocol matrix that involved aggressively
leveraging both Pandemic Leave and Work at Home policies to keep all non-essential employees out of the
office.

At the Individual Employee Level [United States]:

The residential areas in New York City where AXP’s headquarters are located experienced significant H1N1
infections and many local schools were shut down. AXP HR proactively advised leaders about potential
employee concerns and educated them on how to accommodate employees who live in and commute
through heavily affected neighborhoods. They also discussed how to handle employees who express greater
susceptibility to infection, by using the Pandemic Response Protocol Matrix and the Medical Threat
Assessment.

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE
www.clc.executiveboard.com

© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.

All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 7
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.
 The playbook has Results
improved HR
leadership,
stakeholder
coordination,
and minimized
employee concerns. Positive Pandemic Playbook Feedback from All Parties Demonstrates Success

• Using the playbook,

HR practitioners are now
more confident in taking the
lead in advising business
leaders during pandemic
threats and making quicker
and more informed decisions.
• American Express has
improved stakeholder
coordination in addressing
health threats, thereby
increasing the efficiency and
speed of decision-making.
• Positive employee responses
to company actions indicate
increased awareness of
health and wellness benefits.
Confident and Decisive Improved Stakeholder
Unified Employee Experience
HR Leaders Coordination
“I now feel I have a toolkit of agreed “This is the most outstanding end "I think that HR and Health
upon principles that I can use with my to end program I've seen. A key Services have done a good job
business leaders to respond quickly to area that's often missed is with providing info on this [travel
any circumstance that may arise. connecting the dots outside of [HR] advisories and information that
Being clear on roles and but you've done that brilliantly. was not provided by a local health
responsibilities is key to navigating You've also included key partners authority.]”
through these situations, and having which is sometimes overlooked but
clear guidelines that I can draw upon often the difference between
is tremendously helpful. Thank you.” successful response and "needs -AXP Employee, New York, U.S.
improvement" knee-jerk reaction.”
-Vice President, Human Resources
-Vice President, Operational Risk

From the CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

of the HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICE
www.clc.executiveboard.com

© 2009 The Corporate Executive Board Company.

All Rights Reserved.
CLC4454309PRO 8
Source: American Express; Corporate Leadership Council research.