Abstract
In early November 2002 the medical community started to pick up a new strain of atypical pneumonia in the Asia region that was extremely aggressive and not responding to standard treatment. Events unfolded quickly and by March 17, 2003, there were 167 reported cases and four deaths attributed to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). On March 18, 219 cases were reported within Vietnam, Hong Kong Special Administration Region of China, and Singapore - the main areas where the illness had taken root. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an emergency travel advisory, because air travel had enabled the illness to escape its point of origin. ( Appendix A).
In this paper we discuss how a major oilfield services company responded to the SARS outbreak. Schlumberger had travel restrictions in place because of the war in Iraq - only essential business travel was allowed. SARS-affected countries were now included. Employees instinctively looked to their employers for protection against what some understood to be a deadly illness that was out of control. Schlumberger realized that an absolute travel ban was not necessary, or even rational, and that line management now had to determine what was essential business travel and what was not. Many meetings were conducted via videoconference and conference calls, resulting in actual cost savings in Q1 2003 versus Q1 2002. Controlling travel through an exemption request process enabled senior management to be fully involved in the approval process.
Providing the workforce with accurate and timely information on the illness, and what local governments were doing to prevent its spread in the community, was key to raising the comfort level. Educating employees on SARS and comparing it to other prevalent diseases and road traffic accidents helped to keep the situation in perspective.
