From Sars to tsunamis, companies are used to preparing for business interruptions. The coronavirus outbreak is the test for which they have been planning for years.
Like any crisis, though, this one has new elements. They may yet bring about lasting changes in how companies manage their workers, and how those people work.
The template for short-term action is standard across large companies: reconsideration of business travel, up to and including total bans, and self-quarantine for people arriving from higher-risk zones; encouragement of remote working; regular communication of public health advice. Among more novel approaches, international banks in Japan are operating split teams to prevent intra-company contamination.