We have pulled the following list of tips which might help minimise disruption for your business. With an every changing situation, although currently it’s very unlikely that businesses will need to close their workplace, but we believe you should have a plan ready in case you need to action this.
Have you got a Business Continuity plan – and if yes have you tested it.
- Create a team to devise and oversee the plan; with the situation changing almost daily they need to be empowered to make some tough decisions.
- Assess the risks across the business, especially to your revenue streams.
- Prepare and plan for different scenarios.
- Check your business insurance and supplier contracts. Can you claim for losses incurred by business interruption? Or can you reduce your direct supplier costs?
- Update your employee’s emergency contact details.
- Review your key suppliers and have an alternative ready.
- Think about your key customers, make sure they know you have a business continuity plan.
Keep everyone Informed and show them you care
- Each member of your staff is different, with different responsibilities away from work, show them you care and consult with them. Be clear that you don’t expect your employees to come into work if they are ill or need to self-isolate.
- Have a clear and transparent sick pay policy, and listen to any staff concerns.
- Check which employees have children or elderly caring responsibilities. Can they work from home, or can you cover their roles? You need to maintain your business operations after all.
- Promote regular hand washing for employees and visitors, with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Encourage social distancing i.e. stop shaking hands; check working space distances.
- Put all your staff into different categories. i.e.
- Staff who perform business critical time sensitive functions which must be undertaken on site
- Staff who perform business critical time sensitive functions which can be done from home etc…
Plan to work short and/or home working
- Get your Senior Managers to look at how they can carry on with a limited workforce, focus on the business-critical tasks, and use this period to cross train employees just in case.
- Identify which roles can be performed from home; consider what you need to arm your staff with to help them prepare for this (laptops/printers).
- Can home workers access the company systems, and are the IT security issues?
- Run a test. Can everyone communicate easily? Is additional training needed to use new technology/systems?
The situation is obviously changing daily and some of the information covered above may change. It might be worth checking on the links below which may also help.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus
Campbell & Fletcher Recruitment work across the United Kingdom sourcing the highest equality talent in the banking and financial services industries.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus
Campbell & Fletcher Recruitment work across the United Kingdom sourcing the highest equality talent in the banking and financial services industries.
