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Coronavirus: Our Advice to Employers

The threat of catching coronavirus in the UK is still low, however with new cases and risk areas making the news on a daily basis, its good practice to be prepared. In case the coronavirus spreads more widely in the UK, employers should consider some simple steps to protect the health and safety of staff.

1. Encourage Basic Hygiene

This is something that usually goes without saying, however a polite reminder about hygiene can make a huge difference. Provide staff with hand sanitiser and tissues and encourage their use. Publicize simple hygiene rules like how to wash your hands properly to ensure everyone’s efforts are effective.

2. Ensure Effective Communication

Keep employees up to date on an actions being taken to reduce the risks of exposure, this way they can be a lot more involved. In addition to this, now would be a great time to ensure everyone’s contact numbers and emergency contact details are up to date.

3. Make Sure Management are Ready

Train managers on recognising the symptoms of coronavirus and advise them as to what they should do if they are concerned about a member of their team.  Make sure they are all up to date on HR processes along the lines of sickness reporting and sick pay so that they can keep people informed.

4. Business Travel

If there is business travel planned, it is worth evaluating if it is actually necessary at this point in time. Travel to affected areas should be postponed with immediate effect unless it is truly essential to your organisation.

5. Next Steps

Its worth considering what should be done if things become more serious in the UK. Will you be providing protective facemasks? Should the business temporarily close? If opting for the latter, great advice can be found on www.acas.org.uk.