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The main thing to do is not to panic or cause a panic.

The Coronavirus outbreak is having a major impact on businesses and by all accounts, is set to be a major challenge for enterprise throughout the rest of the financial year. At present, there is no advice to ban large groupings or change working patterns however employees with even slight symptoms or a consistent cough should contact 111 for advice and discuss with their manager.

As a result of this it would be beneficial to companies to prepare the information technology and infrastructure needed to support multiple employees working from home. Many companies have already taken steps and instructed employees to work remotely where possible.

Avoid Staff Isolation

To avoid isolation and make sure you are considering the practicalities of remote working we recommend you consider your home working policy, how you will communicate with staff, how you maintain the sense of team and how employees can continue to maintain contact with their colleagues.

Some ideas are:

• Daily team huddle: start each morning with a catch-up with your team, either by a conference call or video. Ensure the meetings have a set start and finish time, allow a different team member to host each time so everyone is involved.
• Embrace video calling: this can replicate the in-person conversations you would normally have in the office and keeps the connections within your team.
• Keep 121 and team meeting times: maintain a sense of structure and framework.
• Stay focused: review your goals and KPIs as you usually would. It’s important to keep focus on day to day activities. Don’t forget about professional development topics and company values too. Encourage people to share any “need to know” or challenges so others can help where possible.
• Virtual drop-in hours: you can set up a virtual office through video conferencing platforms which will allow people to drop in and out and have live conversations with you.  If video conferencing isn’t available, then ensure employees are aware of other methods of communication.
• Schedule team time: remote workers need time to bond with their colleagues. To replace the chat, they would have in the office you can host a standing time each day or week for staff to blow off steam. Encourage them to text and chat about what’s happening throughout the day on a team feed and celebrate wins.
• Dress the part: remind staff it is business as usual and that they should be ready to jump on any last-minute video calls.
• Share Calendars: remind staff to keep managers/team up to date with their availability, even if it’s to step away to grab lunch.
• Have a professional, clear working space: to be productive it’s best to have a clear, dedicated are to work. Take data protection and GDPR into and ensure data is stored and destroyed as per policy. Respect family needs and be mindful not to allow work to encroach on family time.
• End of day ritual: The commute home offers a transition from a work to a home mindset. If already home, it’s helpful to have a specific activity to signal the end of the workday. This could be to go for a walk with the dog, play with the kids, or cook a meal.
• Keep a work life balance: staff still need to take a break from their screens to recharge. When working remotely it can be easy to plough on, help staff to set boundaries between work and home.
• Look after energy levels: it is a scientific fact that stress and tiredness suppress immune systems and make us more vulnerable to colds and viruses. So, in addition to physical common-sense strategies such as exercising, sleep and eating a balanced diet encourage your staff to remain calm and stay connected

Other Resources to check daily

It is a difficult situation which we are in. Following government guidelines will be beneficial as it changes daily.

The Government is providing updates on their website, view here.

The World Health Organisation has also published advice, view here.

Contact us if you require further information.

Personal hygiene is important because it helps prevent and control diseases. This includes hygiene of all kinds, such as, facial, body and dental cleanliness.

It’s a difficult topic—personal hygiene. Whether an employee is refusing to wash their hands, or a persistent odorous habit, starting a conversation is tough. But it can be essential.

Sometimes these issues can just be off-putting. But other times, they’re a serious health & safety concern. So, to help avoid the awkwardness and reduce the risk of bacteria being spread around the office, we’ve put together a few top tips. Print off this blog and display it around the workplace.

Resources
The main resources on the helpline are:

The FCO for travel advice:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

NHS Choices

https://www.nhs.uk/

WHO World Health Organisation

https://www.who.int/

Read past blogs regarding the virus.

Contact us if you require further information.

Infogram correct as of 2pm 5/3/2020

At the moment, the number of cases in the UK is minimal. But we’ve been warned to expect further cases. And with no sign of a vaccine just yet, it makes sense for employers to take precautions.

Coronavirus advice for employers

Employers across the country have questions in relation to the Coronavirus. Here are some of the more common ones, with answers helpfully provided:

Q: Should I be sending employees home?

A: It depends on the circumstances. There’s no need to fly into a blind panic and send everyone home just yet. But, if a member of staff has returned from one of the affected areas, you can reasonably ask them to stay at home. Particularly if they’re displaying symptoms.

There are certain regions you need to be concerned about:

Hubei province in China:
Any employee returning from this region should automatically self-isolate, even if they’re not showing symptoms. So, if you know an employee has been here and they turn up to work—send them home.

Iran, lockdown areas in northern Italy, or special care zones in South Korea:
Employees should automatically self-isolate if they’ve returned from these areas after 19th Feb. Same advice as above.

Other parts of mainland China or South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, or Thailand:
If an employee has been in one of these regions and returned since 19th February, they should be fine to come into work. Provided they aren’t showing symptoms. If they do start to show them, even if they’re mild, you should send them home.

Other parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, or Vietnam:
Same advice as above. They’re fine to come into work so long as they’re not displaying symptoms, but if they do, send them home.

Q: What do I do if someone refuses to come into work?

A: Some people are legitimately concerned about their health. If there’s a heightened risk of catching the virus in your workplace, some employees may refuse to come in. If they do you should listen to their concerns and offer reassurance.

You should consider offering a temporary flexible working arrangement, including homeworking if possible. Or, you could allow them to take some time off as holiday or unpaid leave.

Forcing an employee to come into work against their will is likely to get messy fast, so try to be as considerate and flexible as possible.

Q: Do I have to pay employees who are self-isolating?

A: The other issue that comes with self-isolating is pay. UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock has advised that employees who are told to self-isolate are entitled to sick leave but not necessarily sick pay. Acas has re-affirmed this, pointing out that there’s no legal obligation to pay.

However, Acas have also outlined that it’s good practice to pay employees if they’re self-isolating.

So what should you do? Generally, the consensus is to pay employees if they’re self-isolating.

If you send an employee home despite them not showing symptoms, you’re not following government guidance. Therefore, you should pay the employee in full to avoid any potential risks. If the employee is self-isolating based on government guidance then it’s good practice to provide sick pay through usual procedures at least, if not full pay.

Q: Do I have to pay employees who have Coronavirus?

A: If an employee is legitimately sick with the virus, then they qualify for at least statutory sick pay (SSP). If their contract states that they are provided more, then they will receive that.

Q: What should I do if Coronavirus becomes more widespread?

A: Acas has also provided guidance for what you should do if the virus spreads more widely across the UK. You should:

• Ensure staff details are up to date
• Ensure emergency contact details are up to date
• Refresh managers on policies & procedures, in particular those relating to sickness absense
• Implement NHS advice on hygiene in the workplace, including hand-washing guidance and the provision of soap and water
• Provide hand sanitisers and tissues to staff an encourage usage of them.
• It’s also worth considering whether you might need to close your workplace. This includes considering whether home working is possible, and maintaining communication with staff.

Keep your eye on the news and keep up to date with the resources online.

Resources
The main resources on the helpline are:

The FCO for travel advice:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

NHS Choices

https://www.nhs.uk/

WHO World Health Organisation

https://www.who.int/

Read past blogs regarding the virus.

What are the symptoms?

The infection starts with a fever, followed by a dry cough. After a week, it leads to shortness of breath and some people require hospital treatment. If you have any of these symptoms it does not mean that you have coronavirus. Most people (about 80%) who contract the disease recover without needing special treatment.

If you have any of the above symptoms, isolate yourself and dial 111, they will provide you with further instructions. Please then contact your manager.

Please be aware it may also be possible to become infected by touching a contaminated surface or object and then touching your nose or mouth, so good hygiene practices can really help.

Handwashing

This is one of the most recommended and effective defences. Health professionals recommend humming ‘Happy Birthday’ as this is the suggested length of time for washing our hands!

Meeting and greeting!

Some of you may have already been to meetings, where people aren’t shaking hands and, purely as a precautionary measure, we’d recommend you do the same, if it feels appropriate and are comfortable to do so.  Clients and colleagues will understand if you give them a friendly wave instead!

Travel and holidays

Be aware if anyone is going on holiday to a high-risk country. Check the Government advice pages to make sure that the travel does not pose any health risk.

Contact us if you require further information.

Myths around the risks of coronavirus in the UK are doing the rounds. We put the facts straight.

Face masks aren’t that useful.

You might be starting to see people wearing them in the UK, but there is limited evidence that they work. That’s because they are generally too loose, don’t cover the eyes and can’t be worn for long periods. Face masks need to be changed frequently (because they get sweaty), if they are to offer any real protection. To protect yourself, the World Health Organization (WHO) says it’s more important to:

cover your mouth and nose while sneezing, with a tissue or your elbow
put the tissue straight into a closed bin
wash your hands afterwards, and then frequently, with soap or sanitiser
keep your distance from people who are coughing and sneezing (at least one metre)

Don’t bother:

• eating garlic
• gargling mouthwash
• rinsing your nose with saline
• using sesame oil under the nose

You can’t catch the virus from animals

There is no evidence that your pet dog or cat can be infected with the new coronavirus, according to the WHO. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t regularly wash your hands with soap and water after touching them. Even cuddly pets can carry bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella – and these are bugs that can pass between pets and humans.

The new (and as yet unnamed) coronavirus is thought to have originated in a live animal market in Wuhan, China – with the source likely to be wildlife. The virus could have gone unnoticed in animals before jumping to humans, which is how many viruses start. eg. avian flu, Ebola, Sars. But that doesn’t mean animals in general are dangerous or spreaders.

Coronavirus: How worried should we be?

The new virus is part of the coronavirus family, which includes the common cold, Sars and Mers. It is seldom a ‘killer’. Most people will have mild symptoms (cough, high temperature) and will recover, the UK’s top doctor says.

However, the virus is making some people seriously ill (pneumonia, breathing problems) and killing a small number (severe lung issues) in China.

Remember that flu, which circulates every winter, kills people too – an average of 600 people die from complications of flu in the UK every year. Scientists still don’t know exactly how the new virus is spread. Tiny droplets from coughs and breathing are most likely. Getting a flu vaccine at the moment is still advised by UK health officials.

But there is no cure

There are no specific medicines or vaccines for the new virus, and antibiotics don’t work either (they fight off bacteria). Treatment options do exist but most people get better on their own. Scientists are working hard to develop a vaccine, but this will have to be tested in trials first, so it could be some time before it’s ready. Older people and those with other health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are most vulnerable to the new virus. Although anyone of any age can get it, only a small proportion of people are dying from it.

Contact 111 or your local GP if you have concerns.