Covid-19 – the latest HR and employment law priorities

​As I write my article this month it’s the end of week six of lockdown for my family.  I’m amazed to have survived this long!  On a professional note, it seems the dialogue I’m having with clients is shifting.  Companies are talking more and more about the eventual return to work so I’m sharing here my hints and tips on what you need to consider.
The 3 most common ways organisations have been operating are:

• Business not trading at all (all staff furloughed)
• Business trading on a limited basis (some staff furloughed, some working from home or in company premises) or where only ‘essential’ workers are currently in work
• Business trading fully but all staff working from home.

Whichever category fits your business, there will be some common issues to address:

• Social distancing requirements and Health & Safety obligations
• Communicating to staff how you are going to fulfill health, wellbeing and safety concerns
• Review the physical workspace - can staff maintain a 2m distance? What about meetings, interviews and other interactions? What about communal areas such as canteens or kitchens?
• How does social distancing affect your recruitment and resourcing?
• Could you ‘cohort’ teams?  i.e. keep teams small and separate, or stagger working hours
• Do you need to organise a deep clean?
• What will your ongoing cleaning arrangements be?
• Is PPE, gloves, masks or anti-viral hand gel required – and how do you brief and train staff on their use?
• Will you look to carry out testing for C-19?
• Encourage remote meeting facilities and video-conferencing wherever possible to minimise the need for staff travel and/or use of public transport

An employer’s first duty to employees is their health & safety.  However, the Coronavirus pandemic has caused not just physical but psychological health issues.  Many will be anxious about the ongoing health crisis and fear of infection, as well social isolation due to the lockdown. People will have experienced challenging domestic situations and they will most likely have financial difficulties too.  Some may have been ill themselves, or suffered bereavement.
Returning to the workplace will require a big adjustment for all of us.  Some may take longer than others to adjust.  If you’re concerned about how best to support employees, take a look at some of the fantastic free resources that are available online, the toolkits from Mind are particularly useful.

And of course, if you need more detailed advice specific to your organisation, I’d be delighted to help.
In the meantime, I hope this finds you well and I wish continued good health to you and yours.

Ruth George - HR Consultant
ruth@ruthgeorge.com; 07899 920075
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This is not legal advice and is provided for general information only. © Ruth George HR Consulting.