Three Early Lessons From Italy’s Pandemic Lockdown

Public and private organizations that are moving to a virtual workforce must tackle some important risks and considerations ― and do so now, before a government-mandated lockdown forces them to. Pay special attention to the needs of frontline workers and other employees with physical jobs. Many manufacturing employees in Italy went on strike in protest against few, if any, efforts to protect their health and safety while on the job. Supply chains are under pressure as a result of the pandemic, from a shortage of breathing masks to a lack of ventilators. Plan for the impact of suppliers in affected regions that are unable to perform, and introduce flexibility to third-party requirements where possible.