THE Prime Minister’s announcement on Sunday 10 May, seems to have created an air of confusion, especially for businesses and employees. With people being told that, unless they can work from home, they should now go to work, there will be many that would have been pondering overnight as to whether they should be going into work on Monday morning.
Even his ‘clarification’ in parliament on Monday still leaves many questions unanswered and businesses wondering how they should, or indeed can, move forward.
These appear to be mixed messages, bearing in mind that back in March, the Prime Minister had set up the furlough scheme to run to the end of May, and then, less than a month ago, extended this to the end of June. These dates indicated that nothing much would change for businesses for the next six weeks or so. Then again, yesterday, the Chancellor extended the furlough scheme still further, to October.
There are many questions that businesses will be asking themselves over the coming days and weeks.
If you run a business and are thinking of opening up again, or if you have been operating in a reduced capacity and need to ramp up your operation, you may well need some advice and support.
Phil Collier Associates has announced that it will continue its offer of FREE support to help you answer the many questions that both you and your employees will be asking over the coming days and weeks.
Phil says: “The Prime Minister’s announcement on Sunday will have left many businesses in a quandary as to what to do next. His subsequent 50-page document perhaps adds some clarity, yet this is a heavy read and still appears to leave a lot of questions unanswered. Many businesses will now find themselves between the proverbial ‘rock and a hard place’ and will be questioning whether they can or should open up again, in part or in full, and whether, indeed, they can operate by maintaining social distancing within the workforce and can they do this for the whole workforce or only some… or even not at all?
“Indeed, they will likely be facing some difficult questions from their employees over the next few days or so. How will you answer them? And what strategies do you have in place to start the return to what will be a ‘new normal’?
“From the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, how businesses manage their employees, both fairly and within the bounds of legislation, has been a key issue and this isn’t going to change any time soon. As a business community, we are all in this together, and that is why I am continuing to offer free advice and support to help my fellow business owners through this COVID quagmire.”
If you do need any advice or help, please email info@philcollierassociates.com
