Category Archives: COVID-19

Business Advice, Furlough, HR News

XpertHR helps employers understand the extended furlough scheme with new guidance and webinar

Following the recent Government announcement of the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until 31 March 2021, XpertHR has published updated guidance and resources to help employers navigate the extended scheme.

The Government will cover 80% of furloughed employees’ pay for the hours they do not work, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. Employers will be responsible for paying the employer national insurance contributions (NICs) and auto-enrolment pension contributions.

The scheme will be reviewed in January 2021 to decide if economic circumstances are such that employers can contribute more from 1 February 2021.The ability to flexibly furlough employees will continue, so employees will be able to work part time – with employers paying employees in full for the hours they work.

Employers need to be aware too that the Job Retention Bonus of £1,000 has been withdrawn. The bonus would have been payable to employers in February 2021 for employees who had been furloughed but remained employed until 31 January 2021.

XpertHR ran a free webinar in November with employment lawyer, Darren Newman on the ‘Extended furlough and other workforce protection measures’ which employers can listen to for help reviewing their business models and understanding the steps they need to take to protect their workforce.

Darren guides employers through the extended scheme and other options, such as short-time working. He also discussed some of the employee relations challenges employers may be tackling, including managing employees who are required to self-isolate.

Jeya Thiruchelvam, Managing Editor at XpertHR says, “With England in lockdown and some restrictions likely throughout the winter, the extension of the furlough scheme is welcome news for employers. However, the last minute nature of the extension meant that by the time it was announced many employers had already spent considerable time planning how to transition employees from furlough to redundancy, or back to work, or onto the Job Support Scheme, in anticipation of the furlough scheme closing on 31 October 2020. Employers are currently struggling to stay on top of government guidance on the extended furlough scheme, which has been amended multiple times already. All our resources on the extended scheme reflect the latest guidance and can be relied on by employers to help them navigate the scheme.

XpertHR has over 150 COVID-19 resources which cover legal compliance and practical measures for HR managers. Its latest resources include model letters to help employers comply with the extended scheme rules as well as employment law:

Letter putting employee on flexible furlough following extension of scheme until March 2021

There are updated resources on shielding measures too. Although compulsory shielding has not been reintroduced in England, in the light of the increased number of COVID-19 cases and the latest lockdown the Government has “strongly advised” clinically extremely vulnerable employees to work from home, and if they cannot work from home they “should not attend work for this period of restrictions”.

Resources include advice on statutory sick pay and coronavirus, obligations an employer has to employee who lives with someone who is at high risk and the special measures employers have a duty to take to protect employees who are most at risk if they are exposed to coronavirus.

XpertHR also carries out regular surveys that give insight into how businesses are managing during the pandemic. The latest survey looks at the redundancy risk that still prevails for many, and how organisations’ plan for the return to workplaces.

For more information on XpertHR visit: www.xperthr.co.uk

COVID 19 Business Stories, COVID-19, News

COVID-19 Journeys: Screenworks Transforms To Rebound From Lockdown Losses And Generates New Growth

Duncan Gilmour, managing director at Screenworks explains his Covid-19 journey and the focus ahead

Screenworks is one of the longest established garment embroidery, screen, digital and direct to garment print service providers. Based in Haverhill in Suffolk, the company has been delivering the best in promotional products since 1991 and has a processing capability of 6.5m items per year. Supporting a whole range of sectors, Screenworks produces everything from printed t-shirts for music events, to branded uniforms and embroidered caps and clothing for major sporting events.

 

Covid-19 response and pivot

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the promotional merchandise industry, with sporting, music and corporate event cancellations across the board.

As a report from Sourcing City[1] highlights: Nervousness entered the market in February, and it will come as no surprise to anyone that enquiries ‘dropped off a cliff’ as soon as the national lockdown kicked in Mid-March 2020. (16.03.2020). Indeed, an immediate impact was felt with a significant decline in industry enquiries for the remainder of March. In April things got dramatically worse with enquiries dropping to 22.6% of the equivalent month in 2019.

At the onset of lockdown, Screenworks massively pared down operations, and furloughed just under three quarters of its workforce – 48 members of staff. It was at this stage that Duncan Gilmour (managing director), and his management team undertook a huge business pivot. Duncan explains:

“Screenworks is a family business, set up by my father in 1976. We are so proud of what we have achieved and our growth to date. Over the last few years, we have been steadily investing and working to become leaders in developing sustainable practices and processes in our sector. For example, we are looking at the use of new to market technical materials and have been consistently investing in equipment to support a more sustainable manufacturing process. It has been a difficult period and we have kept on as many people as we can.

“The printing and promotional product sector has become a forgotten victim of the pandemic. Whilst everyone talks about how travel and hospitality (amongst others) have been impacted, our industry heavily relies on the workflow from promotional events and activities. If these stop then so too does our production line. Even before lockdown, we noticed a knock-on effect in our supply chain as global manufacturing slowed down, but when lockdown came, our sector was facing a real struggle.

“We knew we had to think on our feet, and to come up with something that would not only help to make up the lost sales, but which would also support the future growth of the business and be in line with our goals, working practices and ethics.”

As such, Duncan and his team opted not to take the standard approach of reselling disposable PPE, but instead looked to create a new product that would support the ongoing fight against Covid-19. In June, following a period of comprehensive research and development, Screenworks launched the UK’s first-to-market antiviral facemasks and snoods through a new brand – Bumpaa™.

 

Bumpaa, in partnership with Polygiene, share in worldwide first for ViralOff antiviral treatment achieving a pass for ISO test on Covid19

Since the new products launched, the company has seen weeks with sales in excess of 100,000 units, and more than 1 million of orders placed within the first three months alone. The Bumpaa brand has continued to grow and expand its offering to include an antiviral glove range. 30 per cent of the original workforce are now back at work, supporting the Bumpaa growth, across office and factory floor.

In October 2020, the company reported its biggest month – in terms of sales volumes – since 2019.

The fabric masks are manufactured in the UK and packed at the Screenworks facility in Suffolk. They are manufactured using a technical fabric, which is treated with an anti-viral treatment – ViralOff, a technology which effectively reduces viruses and bacteria on the product by over 99 per cent in two hours*. ViralOff has now become the first commercial textile treatment in the world to pass the ISO method* test on the Covid-19 virus[2], with the Screenworks mask also obtaining this certification.

The treatment is designed to protect the textiles from harbouring viruses or bacteria. It does not interfere with the skin’s natural bacterial flora and lasts for the product’s lifetime. When a mask or snood is safely removed, if any virus or bacteria is present on the surface, 99 per cent will be safely deactivated within a maximum of two hours. For best performance and sustainability, the products should be washed less, only when needed3.

 

The Future

“When lockdown started, we didn’t know what the outcome might be for the future of our business,” adds Duncan.

“Moving forward we are still facing real challenges to keep going through uncertain times. The events and promotions industries are flat and may not return to normal business until Spring 2021 – meaning our day-to-day production lines are not as busy. There are so many unknowns that mean we are already having to scale back before growth. However, when the events industry does return, we will be ready. We have maintained our client contacts and plan to re-hire.

“We are determined to create a strong, positive plan for the future and Covid-19 has shown myself and my team that we can adapt to anything. Our business model has always focused on the trade, but with the new Bumpaa brand we have seen a shift to include selling to end users, either directly, or through resellers. We have learnt through the pandemic that it is crucial to be diverse in both our product offering and the markets we are selling into and this will be a big part of the strategy as we move into 2021.

“The opportunities are endless – when it comes to markets and products. I am so excited by the new phase that Screenworks is now entering. Covid-19 has turned so many businesses on their heads. Being flexible, agile and reactive seem to be the key attributes we all need to adopt.”

Duncan continues: “Putting aside the commercial and financial effects of the pandemic, the human impact has been the hardest to manage. Screenworks is and has always been a business made by its people and the impact of lockdown and the pandemic has been huge.

“The pandemic has delivered some of the toughest days in my 20-year career. We have tried our best to keep the team together, communicating as frequently as we can and I hope I can look back in the years to come and say we did the best we could under very difficult circumstances.”

 

COVID-19, Healthcare News, News

New Data Confirms No-Touch Thermometers Miss Five Out of Six Fevers

First Study Comparing Accuracy of No-Touch Devices to Temporal Artery Thermometers has Serious Implications; Thermometer “Guns” Can Create False Sense of Security in Mass COVID-19 Screenings and at Home

As COVID-19 continues to set new records nationwide, the importance of understanding the difference in accuracy between temporal artery thermometers (TAT) and non-contact devices – now used widely for public temperature screenings – is of paramount importance. Non-contact thermometers are proven to be ineffective in measuring actual body temperature, while the accuracy of the TemporalScanner is supported by more than 80 peer-reviewed published clinical studies. This has serious ramifications for family health and public safety.

A new study in the American Journal of Infection Control is the first to compare the accuracy of no-touch thermometers to temporal artery thermometers. Australian researchers conducted a prospective observational study on a sample of 265 non-infectious patients at two hospitals. When body temperatures read below 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit, the thermometers showed similar results, but as temperatures rose above that, non-contact scanners’ accuracy decreased. Temperatures were farther apart as they rose. The non-contact scanners missed five out of every six fevers detected by Exergen temporal artery thermometers.

According to the authors, “This is the first study to compare the accuracy of non-contact infrared thermometers (NCIT) to TAT in adult patients. Although mass fever screening is currently underway using NCIT, these results indicate that the NCIT may not be the most accurate device for fever mass screening during a pandemic.”

“During this escalating and unpredictable pandemic, there is one constant in helping to ensure public safety: the ability to accurately screen for fever,” said Francesco Pompei, Ph.D., CEO of Exergen Corporation. “Non-contact thermometers are proven to be inaccurate in measuring core body temperature, yet they’ve been used extensively from the start of the pandemic, giving a false sense of security. In public settings, they are large ‘theater,” and as such their use should be seriously questioned. Only thermometers with extensive clinical studies, such as the Exergen Temporal Scanner, can be trusted for accuracy during these threatening times of COVID.”

 

COVID-19, News, PPE

Bumpaa™ Face Masks Gain ISO Certification For SARS-COV-2

Screenworks, is proud to announce its Bumpaa™ face masks have passed the ISO method1 test on the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Covid-19).

Since the garment screen print, embroidery and digital print service provider launched its face coverings the company has witnessed huge demand from both its trade clients and also across the sporting, events and hospitality industries.

The customisable Bumpaa face coverings are manufactured in the UK using a technical fabric, which is treated with an antiviral treatment – ViralOff®  ViralOff technology effectively reduces viruses and bacteria on the product by over 99 per cent over two hours1. Having recently become the first commercial textile treatment in the world to pass the ISO method1 test on the Covid-19 virus, the Bumpaa face masks were directly tested immediately after, and are now also ISO method certified against SARS-Cov-2.

The treatment is designed to protect the mask fabric from harbouring viruses or bacteria. It does not interfere with the skin’s natural bacterial flora and lasts for the product’s lifetime. When the face covering is safely removed, if any virus or bacteria is present on the surface, 99 per cent will be safely deactivated within a maximum of two hours1. The masks do not require regular washing. For best performance and sustainability, the products should be washed less, only when needed2.

Duncan Gilmour, managing director at Screenworks, said: “We were very excited to launch our face coverings to help meet huge demand earlier in the year, and this presents another major breakthrough. We truly believe the Bumpaa™ face coverings can play a vital role, providing some reassurance and support during the difficult and uncertain times that lie ahead. This recent news means all Bumpaa clients can now be assured that if their product comes into contact with Covid-19, the ViralOff treatment will deactivate the virus; just let the product rest for two hours, and the product is good to go again.

“Antiviral is becoming the norm as people know that they need to do as much as possible to protect themselves and those around them. As the Coronavirus continues to overshadow all our lives, more and more of us are becoming aware of the need to wash and sanitise frequently. Additional washing will have an environmental impact, so we are pleased to be behind a product which does not require frequent washing, and which can be safely reused, thus reducing disposable mask waste.

“The face coverings can be customised and produced very quickly, as the fabric is milled and treated with the ViralOff® treatment, decorated and packed in the UK, all in as little as three days.”

Further details can be found at http://bumpaa-protect.com/.

COVID-19, Employee Benefits, Exercise, News, Remote Working

Boss Crowned ‘Joe Wicks of Bolton ’ for Lockdown Daily Staff Workouts

With Greater Manchester placed in tier three Covid restrictions, followed by National lockdown, one boss is going the extra mile to ensure his staff keep sharp, fit and focused through winter.

Phil Foster, CEO of Bolton-based Love Energy Savings, has pulled on his shorts and laced up his trainers to lead his team in daily video workouts live from his garage.

The half hour sessions, which have been running since the first lockdown in March, are experiencing a surge in popularity now that people are once again reluctant to return to their gyms and experiencing tighter restrictions on social mixing in Tier 3.

And with the almost 300 team mates at Love Energy Savings working from home for the foreseeable future, the 8am Instagram workouts with the boss internally dubbed ‘the Joe Wicks of Bolton’ ensure colleagues have something to look forward to on a daily basis.

Phil, 47, says: “I wanted to give my team something to focus on through lockdown outside of work to keep them active, focused and strong and whilst still ensuring we all felt part of the same family. I’ve always kept fit, but never been a fan of this kind of HIIT workout before. However, when the pandemic forced us all out of our office it was time for us all to do something different.

“I’ve grown to love it and seen the benefits it has for the health and the mental wellbeing of everyone.

“These are not all gym bunnies who are joining the session, people all have different reasons for taking part – some want to stay fit, lose weight or just see their team mates.

“It’s great for me to see so many people and their families – my wife and son get involved each day, too.

“With new restrictions meaning the prospect of a long winter at home, there is going to be a real de-motivation for a lot of people. It’s so important for your happiness as well as your fitness to have something to look forward to each day and provide a distraction from what’s going on in the world.”

At the same time as keeping its staff in tip top condition – throughout lockdown Love Energy Savings has been providing a shot in the arm for the nation’s small businesses – who have been facing significant pressures – by driving down their energy bills by an average of £875 a year.

Holly Pepper, who works in IT, says: “The workouts are structured well, covering cardio, glutes, abs, shoulders, everything! I feel so fresh, motivated and happy afterwards. I’m pretty sure I’m more productive too. Aside from the exercise aspect, it is another reminder of how great a place this is to work. The fact that our CEO has thought to do this for us, and done it every day even on his holidays, encourages you to do it too.”

Holly’s colleague Ben Birch, who works in Operations, adds: “I’ve not missed one class. While we are at home it just keeps you focused – keeps the mind and body active.

“Also body wise I’m feeling in the best shape I’ve been in in five years – I’ve lost over a stone – and can feel muscle gain. It’s completely changed my mentality and become part of day-to-day life.”

People worker Laura Higson adds: “I’ve never actually worked my muscles before, previously I would go to the gym on a cross trainer for 30 minutes and that’s about it.

“This came at a perfect time for me, the gyms closed down due to Covid-19 and I had all my baby weight to lose. Without the sessions from Phil, I wouldn’t have the motivation to work out five days a week. Now I’m back working, I can’t always make the live sessions however I still complete my work out later on in the day. Altogether I’ve lost three stones. This is from eating a healthy diet, working out daily and going for regular runs. I feel so much healthier.

“I really appreciate Phil taking time out of his daily schedule to do the live work outs for such a long amount of time.”

 

COVID-19, Food & Drink, News

Covid-19: towards online solutions for food safety

Written by QADEX Founder and Managing Director Stephen Whyte

During Coronavirus lockdown, Food Safety software solutions business QADEX saw a profound and positive change in its interaction with customers, highlighting the move towards a digital future for the food safety industry, post-Covid-19.

The onset of Covid-19 was a terrible time for some elements of the food industry. Foodservice was particularly hard hit, and some businesses that had been profitable – and long-standing QADEX customers for many years – were driven into administration, as their products were no longer viable. In addition, many business opportunities that were about to come to fruition were placed on hold.

As the UK went into lockdown on 16th March, QADEX – based in Sileby, near Loughborough – was in a very fortunate position as its managed service, accessed and supported via an online portal, enabled remote working for its team.

At QADEX, robust business continuity plans were already in place and had been tested… and Covid-19 was the ultimate test. Many of our colleagues moved to work from home and were still able to deliver the level of service our customers expected.

Home baking highlighted a change in customer service interaction

While the biggest change was having colleagues working from home, from a customer delivery perspective, little actually changed, and our customers still spoke to largely the same Account Managers (replaces customer service contacts). During the lockdown period there was a noticeable shift in attitude from our customer’s customers – the end consumer. One of the services QADEX offers is an outsourced Consumer Careline for our customers to manage their consumer complaints. Our Careline Team noted a dramatic upturn in ‘goodwill’, and the number of positive comments received about our customer’s products increased notably.

Calls to the Careline were less and less complaints about product and more and more about how good the product was. Calls to one Customer Careline were actually often centred around home baking successes. Being in lockdown and stuck at home, people turned to baking – with a big emphasis on banana bread – which became a feature on social media.

One of our Careline team said: “We received numerous calls from people who were starting out baking for the very first time, wanting some recipes or tips, to people who were experienced bakers getting in touch to let us know about a new sweet treat they’d made. One that sticks in my mind is a lady who emailed to let us know she had been baking ‘Lockdown Slices’ for herself and her husband. She signed the email off as her alias: ‘The Lockdown Slice Baker’. Rather than getting in touch about a product she was unhappy with, we instead chatted about how we were both getting along during lockdown.”

The benefits of online solutions

During lockdown, our customers began to recognise additional benefits from using our online software solutions as information remained available to everyone, anywhere, and always, whether they were working from the office or from home.

We ran four webinars post lockdown and took the opportunity to survey the participants. The majority of those polled said that they had worked from home for some or all of lockdown. The top-line conclusion was that when it came to data access, QADEX users were less affected when having to work remotely than their non-QADEX using peers.

Almost all of those surveyed said that they believed working practices would change, post Covid-19, with most saying that home-working was feasible for members of a food safety team. We are delighted that the constant development of our software solutions enables efficient – and therefore safe – remote, home working. Existing QADEX customers voiced the ease at which their food safety teams could reach and work with key data sets, allowing an almost ‘business as usual’ approach whether team members were working from home or the office.

The Coronavirus pandemic and the changes it has brought to working methods may be very long-lasting. I wonder if there will ever be a requirement to have all members of staff working from the office. For the foreseeable future, at least, we will be operating a hybrid model, with colleagues working from home or from the office – as long as social distancing in the office can be maintained. The biggest learning is how to try to recreate the fun vibe of being in the office when people are working from home.

Aiming for ‘one version of the truth’

As we head into learning a ’new normal’, QADEX can recommend specific areas of focus for the future of food safety – the most obvious being to at least begin the digital transformation journey. When selecting partners, it is essential that they offer a solution that is proven, low cost, reliable and delivers tangible ROI. The move away from paper can’t begin soon enough. With digitised data you can use Application Program Interfaces (APIs) to connect systems, so there is just one version of the truth. Blending data across systems enables the creation of dynamic dashboards which then give you instant visual identification of where issues exist across a business. Data analytics enable the detection of patterns and risks not easily identified manually.

Too often, pocket knowledge or information bias can blind decision makers to the risk that exists within their business. Electronic systems, such as QADEX will analyse actual data and return absolute results, based upon configured variables removing individual opinions.

Covid-19 has had a profound effect on the food industry and its working methods. Positively, it has accelerated the move to digital platforms such as QADEX which support and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of food safety teams whether working from the office or home.

COVID-19, News, Recruitment News

How is COVID Changing Recruitment?

COVID has changed a lot of things around the world, including recruitment. Recruitment has seen a lot of significant changes all around the world. The companies have to look for different options if they want to recruit the right employees.

Big and small companies worldwide have found new ways to find recruits for their companies. Everyone is in a very critical situation right now economically but also mentally. Many people have lost their jobs due to COVID, while some companies have also recruited employees.

The lockdown has affected everyone everywhere. When we talk about recruitment, companies have adopted new ways to recruit employees. Still, people don’t prefer to go to the companies for interviews due to the fear of infection.

The panic is still there, but a company needs employees, and there are people who need jobs. So to make everything work, there are various ways through which companies can recruit employees.

  1. Everything is online
  2. Companies can recruit afar
  3. Focus on internal candidates
  4. Using technology at its best

Everything Is Online

In this situation of COVID, everybody fears a little while going outside for anything. In this case, what you can do is handle everything online. It means you can put out an ad about the openings in your company.

You can mention there that the interviews will be taken online on video calls, or it can also be a telephonic interview. This way, the candidate will get convinced to apply for the job.

Companies Can Recruit Afar

The companies located in remote areas were facing problems with recruiting someone who lives far away or in any other city. But now, due to COVID, all the work is done online. These companies can recruit employees from distant areas too, which are not close.

So the company can also look for candidates who stay afar because all the company needs are some hardworking employees.

Focus On Internal Candidates

In a big company, many employees are working day and night to get promotions. In the situation of COVID, when recruitment is becoming difficult, the company can look for its own employees. The company can recruit employees from one department to the required department. It is called internal recruitment and requires focusing on expert human resources recruitment in order to build a sustainable internal recruitment model. It is beneficial to the company as the candidate is already familiar with the company and knows its important rules.

Using Technology at Its Best

In this era of technology, you can almost run a company with just a mobile phone. There are many tools available for recruitment like the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). If you apply to a big company, then there are high chances that your resume may be filtered in ATS.

ATS is a system in which the resumes of the candidates are stored. Many companies use this system to filter the resumes that they are receiving. If you are a reputed company, you will obviously receive resumes from thousands of candidates.

Now what this system does is filter the candidates according to your requirements and list the suitable ones. This way, time is also saved.

Conclusion

In these times of COVID, when we have to support each other, the companies can opt for any options to reach out to the candidates. It will be better for the company as well as the candidate.

COVID-19, News

Survey reveals impact of Covid-19 on contingent workforce management

The Coronavirus pandemic has led to a complete overhaul of contingent workforce management solutions as HR and procurement teams begin to better collaborate to support the ‘better normal’ workplace. That’s according to global leader in talent acquisition and managed workforce solutions, Guidant Global.

A more joined-up approach to contingent workforces

In its survey of HR and Procurement professionals, Guidant Global found that 37% of respondents had completely reviewed how their business manages its external talent in light of Covid-19, with 26% implementing a more joined up approach to managing their contingent workforce. While this move to greater collaboration is a step in the right direction for what has long been a siloed talent strategy, the results indicated that there is still some room for improvement, with 21% revealing that different divisions had managed their own change.

Budgets and competition biggest challenges

The study – carried out during the recent CWS Summit: North America and the SIG Global Executive Summit – also revealed that budgets and competition for top contingent talent are the biggest challenges facing HR and procurement teams, cited by 47% of respondents.

Given the above challenges, it’s perhaps no surprise that Contingent RPO is high on the priority list for the immediate future, with 58% of participants indicating plans to explore this sourcing route within the next two years. Encouragingly, though, total talent acquisition (TTA) is the biggest focus for HR and procurement as an all-encompassing approach to workforce management creeps up the agenda. While just 21% currently have TTA strategies in place, 72% indicated that they will be exploring this within the next two years.

Simon Blockley, CEO of Guidant Global commented on the results:

“It’s common knowledge that Covid-19 has been a catalyst for new and better contingent workforce solutions. As flexibility becomes the norm for businesses in light of the pandemic and global lockdowns, firms have begun to recognise just how valuable external workforces can be. And with a growing need to streamline costs, transparency of contingent spend has understandably been a focus for both HR and Procurement teams. What is particularly promising from our survey, though, is the move towards a more joined up approach, not just between the divisions that are responsible for the contingent and permanent workforce, but the entire business. The fact that so many respondents are exploring a total talent acquisition approach suggests that the pandemic has pushed businesses towards developing a truly future-proof talent strategy.”

COVID-19, COVID-19 Tests, News

Independent SAGE sets out guidelines for lockdown exit strategy

Independent SAGE as today set out its guidelines for an exit strategy from lockdown and called for urgent reform of the UK Government’s Test & Trace system.  They acknowledged that new cases will need to come down to 5,000 a day so that Test & Trace can cope but say the system will need “urgent reform” if it is to work and enable the UK to “avoid continual lockdowns.”

Today’s briefing was also attended by special guest, Caroline Lucas MP.

The group showed that  1,217,214 contacts have been reached by SERCO Test & Trace since May at an approximate cost of £10,000 per head so far, based on the government’s commitment to spend £12bn on Test & Trace run by the private sector.  The system has been widely criticised and has proved less effective and more expensive than Wales’ track and trace which is run by the public sector.

The panel of expert scientists, chaired by former Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King, renewed their calls  for Test & Trace to be replaced with a system overseen by NHS and again called for increased support for individuals who need to self-isolate.

Professor Anthony Costello of University College London, said:

“Failure to reform and improve the performance of the Find, Test, Trace & Isolate system, will mean earlier and more frequent circuit breakers and lockdowns.”

The panel were able to share some positive news – the latest data shows the number of cases is stagnating and hospital admissions slowing, although hospitals in some regions, such as Liverpool, have reached higher occupancy than in first wave.

The group also set out new recommendations for universities.

In a statement earlier this week, Independent SAGE said:

“Universities’ strategic responses to COVID-19 have been constrained by the requirements of the marketized nature of the sector imposed by UK government. Thus, in-person teaching has been maintained in part because of potential negative financial consequences. The issue of online delivery has become divisive (e.g., the University and College Union has argued consistently for online programme delivery) which has detracted from the wider ramifications of maintaining in-person contact which we outline below.

There has been much discussion about ‘fee refunds’ for dissatisfied students in cases where institutions are not providing Competition and Markets Authority-protected obligations to in-person delivery promised in prospectuses. However, Office for Students guidance states that “During the exceptional circumstances caused by the pandemic, we do not intend to take regulatory action … where we consider that reasonable efforts have not been made to protect the interests of students” and “The approach we are taking during the pandemic does not reflect the approach we would normally take to compliance with our regulatory framework … about providers not delivering courses as advertised.”

We urge UUK and Vice-Chancellors to work collaboratively to take the UK government’s recommendation to “move to increased levels of online learning” as a mandate to accept consistent scientific advice to move teaching online, with lab- and practice-based components exempt. This will unlock all other strategies, including enabling student choice for their own well-being. The government must make financial provision for universities to make decisions that are consistent with its own advice.

In today’s briefing, the group called for:

  • an immediate move to online teaching
  • students to be allowed to return home to continue their studies at any point during term to avoid large-scale movement in December
  • enable testing (or two weeks’ self-isolation, where testing capacity not sufficient) for those returning home and, ideally, when they reach home

 

About Independent SAGE:

Independent SAGE is a group of scientists who are working together to provide independent scientific advice to the UK government and public on how to minimise deaths and support Britain’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Sir David King, the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government, chairs the group and oversees its reports.

 

 

COVID-19, Leadership, News, News for HRDs, Software News

New report finds 82% of UK workers confident in the leadership of their company to bounce back from a crisis

Advanced’s Annual Trends Survey shows leaders are stepping up in a crisis – but they are playing catch up in supporting workers’ wellbeing

A new report from Advanced has revealed that 82% of workers in the UK are confident in the leadership of their company to bounce back from a crisis.

This is according to the software and services provider’s fifth Annual Trends Survey for 2020-21, with over 1,000 senior business decision makers having their say on the technology trends and their impact on UK organisations, now and in the future.

“Our research shows a shift in leadership style emerging as a direct result of Covid-19 which, overall, has been positive for organisations and their workforces,” comments Gordon Wilson, CEO at Advanced. “Leaders are now perceived as more human than ever before by employees. As role models, it’s critical for CEOs and managing directors to set the right tone and apply high levels of emotional intelligence within their workforce. What’s more, collaborative technology tools have enabled leaders to become more accessible and, as a result, staff have seen a more communicative and more empathetic approach which, as workers continue to work remotely and in isolation, is critical.”

The survey also shows 43% of respondents believe the most important attribute of a business leader today is to show strong leadership in a crisis, while 41% say it’s to have a clear vision and strategy amid economic uncertainty – both a reflection of Covid-19’s impact. Business leaders are now prioritising recovery to stay afloat and minimise redundancies, with the rest of the workforce looking up to leaders for direction and reassurance.

However, the focus on business survival could be to the detriment of employee wellbeing. Only 25% say the most important attribute for a business leader is to support the wellbeing of their people. It’s a sobering statistic given the pandemic’s effects on people’s mental health and the significant rise in levels of loneliness and isolation, stress and depression.

The charity Mind has revealed the scale of the impact of the pandemic on people with mental health problems, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged that substantial investment is needed to avert a mental health crisis. Advanced’s report suggests that, while business leaders have done well to instil greater levels of confidence across the workforce during this turbulent time, they clearly must do more to prioritise the wellbeing of their workforce and demonstrate they have a duty of care to all staff.

Gordon adds: “It’s not surprising, given the scale of the pandemic, that many business leaders are now playing catch up in introducing wellbeing initiatives to support their employees who, quite simply, have seen their lives change dramatically. It’s therefore encouraging to see that 38% of business decision makers will prioritise staff wellbeing over the next 12 months. While this figure is still low – arguably because organisations are focused on survival right now – leaders are now recognising the need to ensure employees have emotional support and a healthy work-life balance.

“Leadership teams can better support their workforce’s wellbeing through a mental health and wellbeing programme, which is fundamental to any responsible employer. As a standard benefit of employment, organisations should provide advice and support around mental health as well as financial matters and personal matters. What’s more, organisations should have engagement champions to ensure people stay engaged. Technology can help here, as it can be used to establish effective communications, enable colleagues to easily keep in touch, and ensure there are processes in place to support wellbeing.”

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, says: “With trust in business now more crucial than ever, it’s great to see most employees saying they feel confident their company’s leadership can bounce back from a crisis. The spirit of support, empathy and collaboration which have emerged during this period are invaluable to firms and individuals alike.

“The isolation, anxiety and financial hardship caused by Covid-19 have been a blow for so many. Employee wellbeing has long been a top priority for business, so workplace leaders will do everything they can to continue showing up for their staff. Providing mental health services and encouraging a healthy work-life balance are just a couple of ways every firm can step up to the plate.”

To read the Annual Trends Survey for 2020-21, visit https://www.oneadvanced.com/trends/.