OMD UK has been pressured to shutter its central London places of work for at the least the subsequent 48 hours over coronavirus fears.
An all-staff e-mail seen by The Drum revealed how staff from its Fitzrovia workplace have been requested to do business from home till additional discover.
The closure marks the primary main disruption the virus has prompted for the UK advert business. Till the tip of the week at the least, OMD’s purchasers — which embrace McDonald’s, Apple, Nissan and TikTok — will face some upheaval with workers working remotely.
In an announcement, Omnicom stated issues have been raised on Wednesday after an worker who had lately returned from Australia from a flight connection by way of Singapore started exhibiting “flu-like” signs.
“As a precautionary measure, and till definitive outcomes of the worker’s coronavirus check are confirmed, we’re asking OMG staff at our Fitzrovia places of work to right away do business from home,” it wrote.
“OMG UK staff have been knowledgeable that, while the danger of the check being constructive is minimal, each precaution is being taken to guard their well being and wellbeing,”
The all-staff e-mail (which included recommendation on what to do if individuals skilled any signs of the virus) learn:
“As a precautionary measure, staff at OMD UK might be working from dwelling throughout the subsequent 48 hours (till additional discover).
“For those who have been working or visiting OMD UK yesterday, we’d ask that you just do business from home throughout the subsequent 48 hours. For those who really feel unwell, please observe the recommendation beneath.
“Whereas the danger of anybody being examined constructive is minimal, we wish to take each precaution to guard your well being and wellbeing. Please inform your line supervisor if you want to do business from home.
“We are going to proceed to maintain you knowledgeable of any modifications to their recommendation”
OMD UK’s closure comes as a number of European international locations have introduced their first coronavirus circumstances, all apparently linked to a rising outbreak in Italy.
Austria, Croatia, Greece and Switzerland stated the circumstances concerned individuals who had been to Italy, as did Algeria in Africa. Within the UK, 13 circumstances have already been confirmed.
The virus has already prompted ad agency networks including WPP and InterPublic Group to limit workers journey to China, the place the outbreak started.
Author: ” — www.thedrum.com ”