The Business Response to HIV/AIDS: Impact and lesson learned

This tool has been developed as a business-focused guide to workplace responses to HIV/AIDS. Particular
emphasis should be put on the diversity of responses and options to be considered, dependent on the business
type and size and the economic and socio-cultural context. The following sections set out for managers: the
guiding principles to be considered; the planning process; the policy options; and the assistance available.

PRINCIPLES
Guiding principles to be considered in developing a
workplace response to HIV/AIDS:
1. Promote non-discriminatory practices, where employees
are assessed on merit and ability to perform and are not
subject to personal discrimination and abuse. Disciplinary
procedures should apply where discrimination occurs.
2. No compulsory testing requirements for recruitment,
promotion or career development.
3. Ensure confidentiality of employees' HIV/AIDS status.
4. Treat HIV/AIDS as any other illness in terms of
employment and health policies and practices.
5. Ensure employment practices, at a minimum, comply
with national and international employment and
labour legislation and codes.
6. Offer prevention education to workforce (e.g. peereducation) and make accessible to all workforce.
7. Offer support services in conjunction with education
provision.
8. Involve people living with HIV/AIDS in the development
and appraisal of HIV/AIDS policies and programmes.
9. Adopt core management principles such as targeting,
performance and monitoring with clearly structured inputoutput models (i.e. impact analysis).
10. Incorporate other health, social and economic issues
(e.g. housing provision) for a more strategic and
responsive approach.
PLANNING
The basic elements of the planning process in responding to
HIV/AIDS in the workplace are threefold: identify the factors
that influence HIV/AIDS transmission in terms of
organisational structure/activities; examine existing workplace
practices and policies; establish the real and/or potential
impact of HIV/AIDS on the company and its workforce.

1. Factors that could influence HIV/AIDS transmission
It is important to clarify identifiable risks within the
workforce, requiring an analysis of workforce
demographics (e.g. age, sex), where certain risk groups
may by recognised and where priorities can be
established. Additionally, workplace practices and
demands, such as travel requirements (e.g. transport
sector) and the existence of migrant workers are known
to influence behaviour and thus levels of risk. Caution
must be applied when looking at targeting intervention
to avoid stigmatisation of any particular grouping.
2. Existing workplace practices and policies
The identification and categorisation of existing policies
and practices serve to highlight both good and bad
practice, specific needs, demands and overall
requirements. This is especially important for companies
such as multinational corporations where invariably their
local operating companies have a broad and differing
range of policies and practices. Differences may be a
result of cultural or context specific factors, but this does
not suggest that action should not be taken at the group
level, but rather the need to take these factors into
consideration.
3. Real and/or potential impact
Identifying the impact and costs on the company is
crucial for workforce, managerial and executive
commitment to subsequent policies. This is to ensure
long-term sustainable economic management of the
impact of HIV/AIDS (see business impact section of this
publication for a detailed analysis). Table 2 below depicts
some of the key potential impacts on productivity and
production costs that should be considered in assessing
individual companies impacts and actions.

TABLE 2 Company level impact of HIV/AIDS
PRODUCTIVITY COSTS
1. Declining productivity 1. Increasing costs
* Increasing absenteeism * Training and recruitment
* Increasing staff turnover * Insurance cover
* Loss of skills * Retirement funds
* Loss of tacit knowledge * Health & safety: medical assistance, testing & counselling
* Declining morale * Funeral costs
* Education & prevention
2. Declining reliability 2. Declining reinvestment
3. HIV/AIDS in community: Declining markets, productive labour pool and suppliers
DECLINING PROFITS

22 THE BUSINESS RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS: Impact and lessons learned