Category Archives: COVID-19

COVID-19, Employment Law, News, Redundancy

Employers advised about ‘pandemic effect’ of tribunal risk after redundancies

• Tribunals can take place three months after redundancies are complete
• Increasing numbers of tribunal claims according to the Ministry of Justice
• Risk potentially increases in poor job market says experts

According to the Ministry of Justice, single employment tribunal claims have risen by 18% during the pandemic (April to June 2020) compared to the same period last year. Figures also show the outstanding tribunal caseload is higher than the previous peak in 2009/2010. An expert from Renovo, the UK’s leading specialist provider of outplacement support, says that the ‘pandemic effect’ on the job market has a double whammy for employers – not only having to make roles redundant in the first place, but a potential risk of increased tribunals if former employees aren’t able to find a new role.

Chris Parker, Managing Director of Renovo, explained:

“A claim to an employment tribunal must usually be made within 3 months less 1 day of being made redundant. However, a very sad impact of the pandemic is that is even fewer job opportunities are available for departing employees to replace their income. This means those that are made redundant who can’t find new roles may focus their frustration on their previous employer, especially if the end of their employment wasn’t handled sensitively.

“Simply put, it has never been so important for employers to manage redundancies extremely carefully to protect their operational and reputational risks now and in the future. We’d recommend giving departing employees the opportunity to focus on practical next steps, so they feel supported. Not only is this a positive step for an employer brand, it also means they are less likely to seek redress against the organisation if they feel they’ve been looked after.”

Renovo recommends employers:

1. Clearly and Consistently Communicate. It is critical to build a clear and simple message to help explain the rationale for the changes and ensure that all stakeholders are delivering the message consistently.

2. Know their Audience. It can be easy to overlook the fact that redundancy will affect each individual in very different ways. Try to look beyond the basic information you will have such length of service, age, salary and benefits to more personal details such as relationship status, number of dependents or health and financial issues. The greater your knowledge of the audience the more likely it will be to build trust and anticipate potential issues.

3. Get the timing right. There is no such thing as a good time to announce a redundancy consultation, but there is certainly a bad time. Careful consideration on timing can help limit the risk of the organisation appearing insensitive and avoid any long-term damage to the employer brand.

4. Hold follow up Meetings. Don’t underestimate the value of the follow up meetings during consultation as a means to help people come to terms with the potential impact of the situation.

5. Rehearse. Regardless of whether it’s a group or individual consultation, it is important to carefully plan what to say. Prepare a script and practice delivery – rehearsals will help to become comfortable and confident with the message which is what the affected employees need.

6. Consider the Environment. This is a very difficult message to hear, so it is important that any individual consultation is carried out in a private location, without the risk of interruptions. Creating an environment where the employee feels comfortable and secure will play a vital role in helping them come to terms with the news.

7. Show Compassion and Listen. It’s important to follow due process, remain professional, and be focused in the approach but this doesn’t mean that compassion can’t be showed. This is an emotional experience for both the employee and for the person delivering the message so don’t be worried about showing empathy, and give time to listen and understand their issues.

8. Be Visible, Supportive and United. It is usual for those delivering news of redundancy to feel a sense of guilt and responsibility for the situation, sometimes resulting in avoiding further discussion. To limit any negative impact on the remaining workforce it is critical that senior managers, business leaders and HR remain visible, supportive and united throughout the process.

9. Manage Expectations. When delivering the message of potential redundancy it might be tempting to try and soften the blow with more positive or hopeful messages. Be as clear and transparent as possible on the situation. Set clear expectations in terms of the timeframes and process involved and help them to understand what they need to do and consider as next steps.

10. Communicate Available Support. The process of redundancy can feel like a lonely journey for an individual even when it forms part of a large-scale restructure. The communication of available support can help soften the blow and demonstrate that employees are not facing their next steps alone.

Chris Parker added:

“Managing redundancies is never easy but being able to communicate and deliver effective support to employees can help manage a smooth transition through consultation periods and beyond. Once the redundancy decision has been made, quickly mobilising the best support to help the company and employees can help manage employer costs and risks”.

COVID-19, Leadership, Remote Working, Tech

Business as Unusual – How to Lead Differently in the Workplace of the Future By Sampath Sowmyanarayan, President, Global Enterprise at Verizon Business

Is the future of work a bionic organisation? This seems increasingly likely in a post-COVID ‘business as unusual’ environment, where organisations will need to intertwine the possibilities offered by technology with human capabilities to be successful.

The starting point is for organisations to think about remote working in the context of broader business trends. The paper I recently wrote with Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business and Boston Consulting Group shows that pre-COVID, there were already two key trends changing the workplace: pervasive technology and data, deeply embedded in the business; and a dramatic shift in the talent pool, in terms of both candidate expectations, and required skillsets. Business leaders therefore need to be considering how they can leverage technology as an enabler to support remote working, but also acknowledge that their future organisational state will need to be more organic and flexible than in recent years.

 

The How, Who and Where

To achieve this, organisations firstly need to focus on what technology they need, and specifically their data and digital platforms. More importantly, they also should  look at how humans and machines, as well as humans and humans, interact across their business. A useful approach to consider is to examine the how, who and where.

  • “How” is about organising for change by deploying an agile way of working, focused on collaboration and rapid decision making, at scale. In a decentralised workplace, allowing employees to thrive in tech-enabled and interconnected teams, rather than being reliant on formal reporting hierarchies, rigid job descriptions, and processes, will be key to success.
  • “Who” is about organising change for and through new talent and skills. With organisations looking to use technology in new and different ways, they will also need to look differently at the talent pool – new, emerging skillsets will be at a premium. The challenge will be where to find this talent – and how to balance the acquisition of new skills against upskilling and retraining existing employees. One thing is clear – the gig economy is likely to have an important role to play, causing a dramatic change to existing corporate structures.
  • “Where” is about organising location changes – whether flexible and tailored remote or onsite working models. The first consideration is the inevitability of physical work locations ceding into hybrid virtual and physical models, especially as flexible working models start to gain prominence. The challenge here is that many business leaders have grown up in office-based work models, and the concept of flexibility demands a big shift in thinking. However, we already know that the opportunity for flexible work is prized by many employees.

 

Lead with the Head, Heart, and Hands

The most important consideration in the workplace of the future is how to keep people, and the human touch, at the core of business. Organisations need to ensure that human decisions determine how the workplace will operate, rather than getting sucked into a world governed by algorithms. Technology is important – but people must come first, and people need to be able to control variables and thresholds, overrule any automated interventions, and most importantly, preside over ethical and moral quandaries based on human experiences and logical thinking.

Employees are looking to their leadership  for empathy, assurance, and meaningful action, so leaders need to be fully engaged in what’s going on in real-time, and be seen and heard.

There are three key human-centric, and interlocking pillars for leadership: “The Head, Heart and Hands”. These pillars must work well together – each supports the others in a cohesive organisation:

  1. The Head is about envisioning the future and focusing on the big rocks. What is the  organisation’s strategy and vision?
  2. The Heart is about inspiring and empowering people. What is the  organisation’s purpose, values and culture?
  3. The Hands is about executing and innovating with agility. What set of actions is needed to make that happen?

It goes without saying that many organisations have already experienced a big shift in how they work. As we move forward, this shift will continue. As the COVID-19 pandemic gives leaders the opportunity to deliberately reflect on, and if necessary, reset, their organisation’s pillars –  the time to act is now. Leaders need to think about where the business has been strong, and where it has missed the mark. Which new practices might they want to keep, and which initiatives or capabilities do they want to continue, stop or start. Are decisions and actions aligning with the  company’s purpose?  Finally, and more importantly, they need to translate theory into actions – how can these pillars be communicated, (re)articulated, activated and embedded into the post-crisis organisation in order to fuel recovery – this will establish the path forward.

Those who make this transformation with consideration, keeping their people front and centre, will be best placed for future success.

 

 

COVID-19, Finance and Banking, News, Wales News

New lockdown funds launched for businesses

A new Welsh Government fund is being launched across Bridgend county borough on Wednesday, October 28 to provide financial assistance for businesses that are facing operational and financial challenges caused by the lockdown restrictions.

The Lockdown Business Fund involves a number of grants being made available for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, certain not for profit organisations and certain businesses in other sectors.

It includes the Lockdown Non Domestic Grant and the Lockdown Discretionary Grant.

The grants will be open to applications from Wednesday, October 28 and will close at 5pm on November 20 or when the fund is fully committed.

 

The Lockdown Non Domestic Grant (NDR) – Grant 1 

A grant of £5,000 is being made available for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses that have been forced to close – as defined by the regulations – and occupy properties with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000. Businesses will need to be on the NDR rating list for their local authority on 1 September 2020 and will need to complete a simple registration form to receive the grant. Businesses must be liable for business rates payable to the local authority to be eligible for this grant.

 The guidance lists the properties that will benefit from the relief as being wholly or mainly used:

  • As shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
  • For assembly and leisure
  • As hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation.

The grant is also available to not-for-profit organisations occupying eligible properties such as charity shops, including those already eligible for partial mandatory relief on those properties.

 

The Lockdown Non Domestic Grant (NDR) – Grant 2 

A grant of £1,000 is being made available to businesses eligible for small business rates relief in Wales occupying properties with a rateable value of up to £12,000 – some exceptions apply. Businesses must be liable for business rates payable to the local authority to be eligible for this grant.

Dependent on meeting the eligibility criteria, Grant 2 applicants can also apply for the following top-up grants:

  • Businesses eligible for small business rates relief that have been subject to local restrictions for 3 weeks or more and have been materially impacted (more than 50 percent reduction in turnover) up to October 23 will be eligible for a further grant of £1,000
  • and businesses eligible for small business rates relief that have been forced to close – as defined by the regulations – as a result of the national firebreak lockdown will also be eligible for a further top up grant of £2,000 from their local authority.

Businesses will need to be on the NDR rating list for their local authority on 1 September 2020 and will need to complete a simple application form to receive the grant.

Arcades that can be classified as amusements rather than gambling premises are considered leisure establishments and are eligible for the grants either via the small business rates relief route or, where the rateable value of the premises makes them eligible, for the larger £5,000 grant as leisure facilities.

 

The Lockdown Non Domestic Grant (NDR) – Charities and sports clubs

This involves a £1,000 grant to all ratepayers eligible for charitable relief and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC) relief, operating in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors and occupying properties with a rateable value of up to £12,000.

Local authorities have discretion to provide grants to not-for-profit bodies they consider to be operating for charitable purposes but aren’t currently receiving charitable relief or CASC relief.

This discretion will only apply to not-for-profit organisations who are in receipt of or have entitlement to discretionary rates relief and operate in the retail, leisure or hospitality sectors. Community Amateur Sports Clubs will also be eligible to apply for the top up grants if they meet the eligibility criteria detailed above.

Childcare providers that currently receive 100% Small Business Rates Relief are eligible for the £1,000 grant.

 

The Lockdown Discretionary Grant 1

A discretionary grant of £1,500 is available to assist businesses that have:

  • Been forced to close (as defined by the regulations) as a result of the national firebreak lockdown
  • OR are able to demonstrate that the national firebreak lockdown will result in at least an 80 percent reduction in their turnover for that period

The Lockdown Discretionary Grant 2

A discretionary grant of £2,000 is available to assist businesses that have:

  • Been forced to close (as defined by the regulations) as a result of the national firebreak lockdown
  • OR are able to demonstrate that the national firebreak lockdown will result in at least an 80% reduction in their turnover for that period
  • AND have been subject to local restrictions for 3 weeks or more up to October 23 and experienced at least a 50% reduction in their turnover for that period.

Businesses cannot apply for Grant 1 and Grant 2.

Businesses will need to confirm that without the grant support the viability of the enterprise will be under threat, and outline why.

Bridgend County Borough Council leader Councillor Huw David said: “We welcome this new Welsh Government funding which aims to provide businesses with cash flow support to help them survive the economic consequences of the lockdown.

“It seeks to complement other Covid-19 response measures to support businesses, social enterprises and charitable organisations in Wales.

“Businesses who are at real risk of permanent closure are understandably very worried about the future – we are doing all we can to ensure they receive a swift response to their applications, and we will continue to focus our resources on supporting them at this very difficult time.”

Businesses in receipt of the Lockdown Discretionary Grant are ineligible for the Lockdown Non Domestic Grant.

To apply for any of these grants or for more details on the grants available as part of this new fund visit the Bridgend County Borough Council business support webpage from Wednesday, October 28.

Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis. This may lead to applications not being appraised after they have been submitted if the fund is fully committed.

Awards, COVID-19, News, Transport

NAT Group is Named Chamber Covid Hero

NAT Group has been recognised by the South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce for going the extra mile to support the local community and essential workers during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Leading Welsh transport provider NAT Group was awarded the UK Business Heroes stamp as part of the British Chambers of Commerce’s campaign to acknowledge the incredible work that businesses across the country are doing, in the most challenging of years.

NAT Group operates bus services across South Wales and has consistently adapted its network to comply with government regulations and ensure passenger and staff safety throughout the year. Pioneering the way, NAT Group has implemented rigorous cleaning and hygiene procedures, along with cashless payment systems, online booking schemes and social distancing measures. Throughout the lockdown, buses continued to provide essential services to key workers, and in total transported 6,200 NHS staff free of charge. Bus routes were modified to ensure that essential travel was uninterrupted, and a 24/7 emergency contact system was set up to ensure that they could be reached in the event of any sudden requirement.

Nina Slevin, Director of Partnerships for South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are so proud to recognise Business Heroes across Wales. Throughout the pandemic, NAT Group has illustrated the agility and flexibility of the business, reacting swiftly to passenger needs and Welsh Government requirements while ensuring that the group’s environmental ethos has not been compromised.”

NAT Group Managing Director Adam Keen said: “The last nine months really have been extraordinary, and individuals and businesses have had to adapt their ‘normal’ to cater for the challenging times we now find ourselves in.

“We were depended upon during the peak of the pandemic by key workers for essential travel and worked hard to find solutions to ensure people got to where they needed to be while working with reduced services and staff numbers and increasing restrictions and guidelines.

“To receive recognition from the Chamber for the immense team effort displayed by the whole NAT Group team is humbling and we are very proud to be included in these honours.”

For more information about the South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce Business Heroes, visit https://southwaleschamber.co.uk/news/uk-business-heroes-in-wales/. For further information about NAT Group and is new safety measures, visit www.natgroup.co.uk.

COVID-19, News

New lockdown confirmed for Wales – how will it affect individuals, businesses and schools?

Welsh Government has confirmed that the whole of Wales is to enter a two-week ‘fire-break’ period of lockdown between Sunday 23 October and Sunday 9 November.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced the ‘short, sharp shock’ in order to stop a sudden rise in the number of people contracting coronavirus across Wales – as many as 2,500 people every day – and to prevent hospitals and critical care units from becoming overwhelmed in the weeks and months ahead.

The move will also support efforts to limit restrictions around the forthcoming Christmas and New Year periods.

To help prepare for the lockdown, Welsh Government has published a series of frequently asked questions which includes information about schools, businesses and more. It also covers arrangements for events such as Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Council Leader Huw David said: “The First Minister has confirmed today that Covid-19 hospital admissions are rising rapidly, our critical units are already full, and there is a real risk of our NHS being overwhelmed if action is not taken now.

“Welsh Government is therefore introducing a ‘fire-break’ lockdown, and to make it work and help save lives, we will all need to act together.

“We will be making further announcements on the local impact of this, but in the meantime, residents should refer to the frequently asked questions provided by Welsh Government.”

The move follows a recent announcement from Welsh Government confirming that it is amending regulations to prevent people travelling to Wales from coronavirus ‘hot spots’ in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Speaking about it, the First Minister said: “To keep Wales safe, the Welsh Government is amending the regulations to make it clear that people living in areas with a high-prevalence of coronavirus in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland would not be able to travel to parts of Wales where there is a low prevalence.

“It is vital that we keep communities which have low levels of infection as safe as possible, and this sensible and necessary restriction will help prevent the virus moving from more urban, highly-populated areas to more sparsely-populated areas.”

The Welsh Government have put together an extensive Q&A page which should answer most questions.  Visit Gov.Wales to see a series of frequently asked questions on the fire-break lockdown.

 

COVID-19, News

3.6 million in North and Midlands face ‘locked down, locked out’ digital double whammy

When expected new COVID-19 rules kick in, digitally excluded people in the Midlands, North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber will be hardest hit, says charity.

The UK’s leading digital inclusion charity is warning that millions of people face a miserable Winter ‘double-whammy’ of digital exclusion and tougher regional lockdowns.

With 9 million people across the UK still stranded by the digital divide and unable to fully use the internet (source: Lloyds Consumer Digital Index 2020), it’s those in the Midlands and North of England who will continue to be most affected – leaving them isolated, cut off from essential support, experiencing deteriorating mental health, and financially worse off.

New analysis for Good Things Foundation by Professor Simeon Yates shows that 11.4 million people in the Midlands, North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber are either offline [3.6m] or use the internet in a very limited way [7.8m]* – locking them out of critical lifelines such as GP appointments, Government support schemes and job retraining. And, that only 18% of people in the North East of England can use the internet to its full potential compared to 49% in the South East.

The charity is calling on the Government to commit to levelling up the UK’s deep digital divide with a Great Catch Up, helping 4.5 million people get digitally included and delivering £1.92 billion back into the UK economy.

Those who stand to be hit hardest by new government lockdown rules are people like Annette, 60, from Kings Heath, Birmingham, who found herself cut off with no money earlier this year.

Annette, who has had three strokes, and suffers from COPD, diabetes and chronic arthritis, says: “I was so depressed, for three days I didn’t get out of bed. The staff from my local online centre [Smartlyte] gave me a tablet and showed me how to use it, and it saved my life.

“The tablet gives me a chance to be part of my grandkids’ lives, and I didn’t have that before. I was so down, I was suicidal. I take a lot of medication and at one point I was going to take it all, but staff from the centre talked me out of it.

“It’s so lonely when you have got just four walls. I couldn’t go out, I was a prisoner in my own home.”

Mable, 91, lives in Stockport in her one-bedroom flat. Mable wasn’t able to leave her home for weeks during the last lockdown. “I do get a little bit down sometimes because of my illness. At night is when I get lonely.”

And Army veteran Jason, 34, from Middlesbrough, suffers anxiety and has struggled financially due to being unable to access his online Universal Credit account. Jason says: “Lockdown meant my world became my flat and I only had limited access to support staff. I felt very lonely.”

Helen Milner OBE, Good Things Foundation Chief Executive, says: “The pandemic has made digital skills critical for everyone in the UK – which is why we urgently need a Great Catch Up to help people cross the digital divide. With 9 million people across the country still unable to fully use the internet, we’re in danger of heading back to the dark lockdown days of April – where people were, shockingly, being forced to choose between data and food.

“Through our work, we saw millions of people being locked out of access to GP appointments, social contact and essential Government services. We can’t let this happen again – but the real fear is this is where we are heading unless the Government acts swiftly, working together with businesses and other organisations like ourselves to help more people get across the digital divide.”

Good Things Foundation’s call to level up on digital skills is being backed by 33 MPs including several Conservatives in Red Wall areas, such as Jonathan Gullis (Stoke North), Dehenna Davison (Bishop Auckland) and Christian Wakeford (Bury South), who are calling for a parliamentary debate on the issue. The backbench motion is led by former Conservative Minister Esther McVey and Labour’s Julie Elliot, chair of the Digital Skills APPG.

* Analysis of the most recent Ofcom data on Adults’ Media Use & Literacy (2019 survey data, released 2020) by Prof Simeon Yates, The University of Liverpool: proportion of population in England from within North West, North East, East and West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber regional areas who are offline (‘non-users’), who use the Internet for a very limited number of activities (‘limited users’) and who can use the internet to its full potential (‘extensive users’). See here for further information.

Breakdown of people off-line by region as follows;

North East – 140,523 (population 2,669,941)
North West – 1,181.342 (7,341,196)
Yorkshire and Humber – 827,880 (5,502.967)
East Midlands – 483,593 (4,835,928)
West Midlands – 927,193 (5,934,037)

COVID-19, News

Independent SAGE calls for ‘Emergency Action’ to slow spread of Virus as Hospitals in North expected to reach March levels in a Week

  • Independent SAGE demands package of emergency measures to slow spread of COVID-19
  • Hospital admission rates in north of England set to reach levels seen on 23 March in London within a week, new figures show
  • Northern Ireland is new transmission ‘hotspot’ with confirmed weekly cases tripling in last fortnight
  • COVID-19  spreading most rapidly in those aged 16-24
  • “No amount of contact tracing will work at the moment,” says Professor Karl Friston of University College London. “It’s gone too far.”
  • Only Northern Ireland has managed to increase testing in the last month and proportion of test results received promptly in England is declining
  • Government failure to fix Test & Trace has left it with limited options to stem the spread, warns panel of expert scientists
  • Existing restrictions not sufficient to reverse growth. Any new restrictions must be backed by clear messaging, financial support for individuals and businesses and a clear “exit strategy”

Independent SAGE is calling for:

  • a return to 2m social distancing guidelines
  • suspension of indoor service in pubs and restaurants
  • a switch to online teaching in universities
  • Test & Trace to be brought into an integrated public health system
  • ban on households mixing
  • Resumption of government daily press briefings
  • Schools must only be closed as a ‘last measure’

Independent SAGE is demanding a package of “emergency measures” from the government to bring the spread of COVID-19 under control, as new figures show hospital admission rates in the north of England increasing rapidly.

The panel of expert scientists, chaired by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, warns that the government’s failure to fix Test & Trace may have left it with limited options to stem the spread of the virus.

“The window of opportunity for enhanced contact tracing has passed. It’s gone too far,” said Professor Karl Friston of University College London. “No amount of contact tracing will work at the moment.”

At current rates of growth, the number of COVID-19 hospital admissions per million people in the North West, North East, Yorkshire & Humber will be at the levels seen in London on 23 March within a week.

Northern Ireland has emerged as another transmission hotspot with weekly confirmed cases tripling over the last two weeks. Highest infection rates continue to be seen in younger people, with COVID-19 spreading most rapidly in those aged 16-24.

The government is expected to announce tighter restrictions next week but Independent SAGE says the time for action is now. Any new measures must be accompanied by a financial support package for individuals and businesses and a clear “exit strategy”. It has also renewed its calls for an urgent review of the Test, Trace, Isolate, Support system and recommended that  Test & Trace be brought into an integrated public health system.

“We need a clear exit strategy from tighter restrictions, with clarity on key settings such as higher education and hospitality and a focus on proactive community engagement,” said Dr Tolullah Oni.

Urgent recommendations outlined by Independent SAGE include: a return to the 2m social distancing rules; suspension of indoor service in pubs, cafes and restaurants; a ban on households mixing; and a switch to online teaching in universities. Schools should only be closed as a “last measure”.

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, HR News, Mental Health at Work, News

Why mental health needs to be embedded in the business strategy post Covid-19

To mark World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing is urging employers to embed mental health support into their business strategy as the impact of COVID-19 takes its toll on employees’ mental wellbeing.

A recent forecast by the Centre for Mental Health[i] suggests that in England up to 10 million people (almost 20% of the population) will need either new or additional mental health support as a direct consequence of the crisis.

A new survey from WorkLife[ii] highlights that a quarter of UK SMEs want to introduce mental wellbeing support within the next six months, with 30% currently offering it, through avenues such as guidance on how to manage stress.

Cheryl Brennan, Executive Director, Health & Benefits at Howden says, “The pandemic has impacted all of our lives, including completely changing how we work. During lockdown home working became the norm, and since the government’s recent U turn on returning to the office, home working looks set to continue.

“Whilst home working suits some, for others the isolation from colleagues and being away from the office environment is impacting their mental wellbeing. We have already seen some poor mental health habits creeping in such as employees not taking breaks, working longer hours and not disconnecting from work.

“Also, there are furloughed workers that may have been stuck at home since March not working, who will have been anxious about the security of their job. Some now face redundancy as the scheme comes to an end. Other employees may already have seen a reduction in their household income due to a partner or financial dependent being made redundant. Given these issues, now is the time for employers to increase mental health support.”

An ACAS-commissioned YouGov survey[iii] found that nearly two out of five employees who had been working from home felt stressed, anxious or had experienced mental health difficulties due to their working situation.

Another report from Deloitte[iv] in partnership with mental health charity, Mind highlights the cost to business of poor mental health is £45bn, up 16% from two years ago. They say one in six workers will experience a mental health problem at any one time, with stress now thought to be responsible for almost half of working days lost in Britain due to ill health.

Cheryl says, “Mental health was rising up the agenda before the crisis, but it’s now imperative employers take it seriously. Many more employees will experience poor mental health as they come through the crisis and businesses need to be prepared.

“Talking about mental health and developing a culture where mental health isn’t stigmatised is essential. Equally important is having a clearly defined mental health strategy to help employees proactively look after their mental health but also to know where they can get support and advice when they need it. This can help to reduce costly long-term absenteeism and encourage employee wellbeing.

There is no magic bullet or quick fix solution. Every business is as individual as every employee. At Howden, we believe our mental health model that considers the environment, culture and individuals is an essential step in ensuring any products or interventions are long term, meaningful, individually relevant and will cover the wide reaching scale of all mental health conditions and their needs. Only then will we truly deliver the best employer and employee outcomes.

“Some of these solutions include widening private healthcare policies to more staff and implementing mental health pathways, offering virtual GPs, reviewing the relevance and visibility of long standing employee assistance programmes and ensuring they are fit for purpose for the longer term, training mental health first aiders, as well as introducing our independent support and mentoring service for mental health first aiders provided by RedArc’s mental health nurses, as they are fast becoming an exposed and under-supported resource

Christine Husbands, managing director for RedArc adds, “There is no doubt that Mental Health First Aiders can be an important part of an employers’ wellbeing strategy, but this doesn’t come without its challenges and risks. Particularly at this moment in time, MHFAs need to know their boundaries, when to ask for help and know that they are supported individually and collectively by their employer, with access to professional support.”

For more information, please visit: www.howdengroup.co.uk

[i] https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/covid-19-and-nations-mental-health-october-2020

[ii] https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4021179/staff-mental-wellbeing-support-priority-smes?utm_medium=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=CV.SP01.Daily_RL.EU.A.U&utm_source=CV.DCM.Editors_Updates&utm_term=KAYAK%20PR

[iii] https://www.orange-business.com/en/blogs/working-home-and-workers-mental-health

[iv] https://www.icaew.com/insights/features/2020/feb-2020/counting-the-cost-of-mental-health-in-business

COVID-19 Tests, Healthcare, News

BBI Solutions Confirms UK Government contract for UK-Rapid Test Consortium

CRUMLIN-BASED BBI Solutions, a leading manufacturer of biological reagents and finished test platforms for the in-vitro diagnostics market, notes the press release issued by the UK Rapid Test Consortium (“UK-RTC”), of which BBI Solutions is a partner, on the UK Government’s first order for one million COVID-19 lateral flow antibody tests (the “AbC-19™ Rapid test”).

This first order is part of the UK Government’s plans to roll-out COVID-19 surveillance studies to help build a picture of how the virus has spread across the country.

The AbC-19™ Rapid test uses a small drop of blood from a finger-prick, and shows results in 20 minutes, without the need for a patient sample to be sent to a laboratory.

The test is currently CE-Marked for professional use, and can be administered by healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and healthcare workers, at the point-of-care. The UK-RTC are seeking approval from the MHRA for self-test use.

The consortium will draw on BBI Solutions’ rapid test development and expertise, as well as its wider manufacturing capabilities, primarily at its headquarters at Crumlin, South Wales, and its site in Edinburgh.

BBI Solutions is also working closely with healthcare providers to optimise its smartphone diagnostic reader to be used in conjunction with the test. BBI’s patented Novarum technology will guide users at home through performing a test before securely providing the results with their healthcare provider.

The UK-RTC is reproduced in full at the end of this statement.

Dr Mario Gualano, CEO, BBI Solutions, said: “I am delighted that the UK-RTC has now received its first contract from the UK Government for our COVID-19 lateral flow antibody test.

“We believe that the AbC-19™ Rapid test has the immediate opportunity to allow the UK to build a swift and clear picture of how the virus has spread throughout the population. It also has the potential to be deployed in conjunction with vaccine candidates to help assess initial immune responses.”

Finance News, Furlough, HR News, News

Kilsby Williams urges businesses to check for furlough claim inaccuracies following HMRC warning

South East Wales’ largest independent accountancy firm is urging all business that have utilised the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) to thoroughly check their claims for inaccuracies before the cut-off date, to avoid the risk of fines or even prosecution.

Newport-based Kilsby Williams is issuing this warning following a growing number of businesses recently receiving a letter from HMRC, informing them of potential errors and reminding them that all claims must be wholly accurate.

Common errors that employers have been making when submitting these claims include claiming for an employee that was not actually eligible for the scheme and using the wrong calculations or reference figures when determining furlough pay.

For employers who identify previous miscalculations, HMRC has set 20 October 2020 as the cut-off date for self-declarations. Any self-declarations made after 20 October 2020 are potentially subject to penalties and even prosecution in the most severe cases.

Kilsby Williams is advising all employers making claims to ensure they retain all copies of the written confirmations issued to all employees notifying them that they were to be placed on the scheme, as well as retaining copies of the calculations used for all CJRS claims made.

Sadie Leadbetter, Payroll Manager, Kilsby Williams, said: “It is of vital importance that employers who have received a warning letter from HMRC regarding their CJRS claims take this warning seriously.

“Even if the errors made were completely accidental, businesses could indeed find themselves facing a HMRC enquiry, followed by hefty penalties and even prosecution.

“This scheme has been a life-line for many firms, and we are urging all affected employers to thorough check back through their claims, or to get in touch with an expert who can provide an audit service and ensure full compliance on your behalf.”

For those employers who have received a letter informing them of possible inaccuracies, Kilsby Williams is able to provide a comprehensive CJRS audit service, identifying claim areas where non-compliance may have arisen and helping to settle this, to avoid the large costs associated with an HMRC enquiry.

For further information, please visit www.kilsbywilliams.com

Established in 1991, Kilsby Williams offers clients expertise in a number of key accountancy areas, delivering a bespoke service to meet their specific needs. The business works with clients from across South Wales, the Midlands and London, ranging from sole traders to companies in international quoted groups.