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Coronavirus: what contingency plans are you putting in place?

Steve Bridger

| 0 Posts

Community Manager

28 Feb, 2020 13:37

We've had a discussion thread already touching on the Coronavirus (COVID-19), but things have moved on a bit and we'd like to ask members to use this space to share initiatives and plans around managing the coronavirus threat in your organisation.

Please refer to the CIPD factsheet for current guidance and also the latest information on the GOV.uk website.

The CIPD has been asked to speak on national news channels* about what businesses can be doing to manage issues affecting employees, such as flexible working, A+B teams coming into work, school closures, business travel etc.

*If you are happy to speak to the media, who are looking for real examples of businesses taking action, please let us know as we do sometimes get asked to recommend companies who could be featured. To reassure you, this is a closed thread and no-one can see it except CIPD staff and CIPD members. 

We’re well placed to help if you have any questions... and we’re interested to hear what actions you’re taking in your own organisations.

Please share below. Thanks.

UPDATE: 10th March 2020

17008 views
  • Denise

    | 0 Posts

    12 Mar, 2020 16:53

    In reply to Natasha Hudson:

    Hi Natasha and Miranda, In a similar situation where working from home is not feasible for operational roles which requires 43% of our workforce to be on site and agreeably the notion of is it fair to have the 57% working from home has certainly been in the talks and what we are doing if following the government guidance (www.gov.uk/.../guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-covid-19 for employers to ensure fairness for all.
  • Nicki

    | 0 Posts

    12 Mar, 2020 17:20

    In reply to Denise :

    We are a manufacturing environment so we have a similar split to you and similar concerns regarding the fairness.

    We have taken the view we will ensure those with underlying health conditions take priority as they are most at risk and therefore they will be allowed to work from home if possible. For those who have health issues but can't work from home, we will move them to a less densely occupied part of the building to reduce their interaction with people and also provide them with the means to be able to sanitise their own work areas. For the remainder we are looking at operating a rotational basis i.e. 1 week working in the office, 1 week working from hom to limit numbers in the office. However we do have a number of office staff that will not be able to work from home regardless due to system requirements.

    For the shop floor we are advising social distancing wherever possible and for those who do have to work in close proximity we are encouraging increased hygiene measures to prevent contamination.

    If we do start to see shop floor impacted we will have to look at reducing shifts, offering holidays, unpaid leave or banking of hours.
  • David

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 09:05

    In reply to Nicki:

    A Facebook contact’s ( who believe it or not has a  PhD in English) contingency plan to a weeks hopefully precautionary self isolation in Utrecht Netherlands is to try to defuse the situation a bit, in the time honoured Limerick tradition. Here’s the first for your possible delectation:


    It was a strange day when Miley Cyrus
    Was diagnosed with Coronavirus
    She shaved off her hair
    And made everyone wear
    Face masks made out of papyrus
    .
    In the face of viral disaster
    The people panic bought pasta
    The news and the state
    Kept telling people to wait -
    Basta! But the pasta went faster
    .
    They panic-bought toilet roll every day
    Stocks of the stuff piled all and every way
    But if you want a clean ***
    And to avoid nation-wide farce
    Why not just use a bidet?

  • Rosie

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 11:10

    In reply to David:

    Yes!! Do people not shower? I love this
  • Elizabeth Divver

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 13:21

    Link to the new Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020.

    www.legislation.gov.uk/.../uksi_20200287_en.pdf

    Link to the new Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020.

    www.legislation.gov.uk/.../uksi_20200287_en.pdf

    So we have a statement that self-isolation can be treated as sick leave (we'd already worked that out!) but nothing on paying from Day 1 or SMEs reclaiming the first 14 days. Still, the Government has managed to get this out very quickly so perhaps that will follow swiftly.

  • Sharon Lesley

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 13:32

    In reply to Elizabeth Divver:

    Thanks Elizabeth
  • Elizabeth Divver

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 13:53

    One of our staff who is self-isolating with flu-like symptoms has received this information from the DWP:
    news.dwp.gov.uk/.../lz.aspx
  • Kathryn

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 15:45

    We are trying to plan for school closures and staff having to care for children or elderly relatives. Many of our staff can work from home (if they are not fully occupied with caring) but a significant number cannot. We don't offer paid dependents' leave but obviously could - at a price! How are other organisations planning to deal with this?
  • Kay Meredith

    | 0 Posts

    13 Mar, 2020 22:23

    In reply to Elizabeth Divver:

    Hi Elizabeth, short answer: yes. Longer answer: we are encouraging people to make the decision they believe is appropriate for them and their circumstances, and to talk that through with their manager. We have a workforce that is set up to work flexibly anyway, and many will already work from home on an ad hoc basis.

    For us, culturally it's about being clear that our priority is employee health (physical and mental), wellbeing and engagement, and this approach is core to that. I'm currently wrestling with the challenge of preparing to keep employees motivated and engaged if we move to closing offices altogether and working from home!
  • Michelle Keene

    | 0 Posts

    15 Mar, 2020 10:11

    Hi any advice please....our company has issued the following statement " we will expect ALL of our employees to work from home during normal business hours. Personnel should NOT come to the office absent a compelling business need. Staff should not come to the office without prior approval from their supervisor/manager. However, does not mean that we are closed. Unless you are someone whose job can only be performed in the office, we expect all of our personnel to continue to work remotely during normal working hours. This is critical to continue to meet the needs of our clients seamlessly." I understand that the "compelling business need" is critical client meetings etc.

    My question is for those employees, like receptionists etc, who WFH is virtually impossible can we still insist they come into the office but maybe vary their working pattern to reduced hours? what is those employees say they do not want to come into the office? where do we legally stand then?
  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    15 Mar, 2020 12:11

    In reply to Michelle Keene:

    Yes you can insist Some staff still attend the office ( but what’s the point ) and refusal without a legitimate medical reason can be dealt with. How you choose to respond is a different matter entirely.
  • Nisha

    | 0 Posts

    15 Mar, 2020 21:10

    Hi, we have tried to keep things simole. regularly visiting the gov and acas website to update the employees wherever necessary. Issuing hand sanitizers, wipes, disinfectant sprays to each department and putting posters of handwashing procedures as per NHS guidelines etc Regular memo have been circulated, mass gatherings for tool box talks have been cancelled. Meetings are scheduled through video calls etc. Avoid travelling as much as possible. Getting ready for work from home procedures. At the moment ordering laptops n phones....preparing managers how to handle such situations. Being construction company, it is not possible for all of our employees to work from home, so we have to plan properly how to handle this crisis. this is our next week's target. By all means we are regularly visiting the goverment legislation and reading the factsheets from CIPD.
  • David

    | 0 Posts

    16 Mar, 2020 09:32

    In reply to Nisha :

    May amuse:

  • Bertilla

    | 0 Posts

    16 Mar, 2020 12:07

    Hi,
    Have any one got a form which employees can complete when they have to self isolate. I am trying to work on one for my organisation and need some help with it.
  • Claire

    | 0 Posts

    16 Mar, 2020 13:28

    Temporary creche at work - I have been asked to find out what the implications would be of setting up a temporary creche/facility for children at work should the schools be closed. Does anyone have any experience of this? We are a manufacturing SME with about 40 staff on site (although we're gearing up for some to wfh where possible), if we wanted to help staff with childcare responsibilities we'd safeguarding issues hence DBS check, risk assessment, separate toilets etc - any additional comments would be very welcome!