Are any other HR people feeling a bit lonely in all this :(

It is incredibly comforting to hear about others in the community going through the same issues! The last 3 weeks have been mad. In my workplace they decided to ramp up recruitment. There was a stage when a fifth of the workforce were off on short term absence or self-isolating. We are not shutting as we are food producers, so orders needed to be fulfilled for our customers. I have been interviewing 40 people a day for the past 3 weeks. This is face to face. There is no facility to offer this online. I already discussed about getting this with the General Manager and was told no. It was not a priority. My workplace has offered me no form of protection. I have to bring this myself. I try to keep the interviewees 4 metres away from me. It is amazing the amount of people that continually try to move chairs closer! I already work full time and last week ended up working 14 hours overtime (unpaid). I have never felt so stressed (and scared). There have been a number of times when tears have nearly bubbled to the surface in work. I am constantly terrified of catching the virus. Last week the staff went on an unofficial strike for 2 hours. They were wooed back with promises of £50 additional a week in what has been dubbed ‘danger money’. Crazy.

Please stay safe everyone.

It is incredibly comforting to hear about others in the community going through the same issues! The last 3 weeks have been mad. In my workplace they decided to ramp up recruitment. There was a stage when a fifth of the workforce were off on short term absence or self-isolating. We are not shutting as we are food producers, so orders needed to be fulfilled for our customers. I have been interviewing 40 people a day for the past 3 weeks. This is face to face. There is no facility to offer this online. I already discussed about getting this with the General Manager and was told no. It was not a priority. My workplace has offered me no form of protection. I have to bring this myself. I try to keep the interviewees 4 metres away from me. It is amazing the amount of people that continually try to move chairs closer! I already work full time and last week ended up working 14 hours overtime (unpaid). I have never felt so stressed (and scared). There have been a number of times when tears have nearly bubbled to the surface in work. I am constantly terrified of catching the virus. Last week the staff went on an unofficial strike for 2 hours. They were wooed back with promises of £50 additional a week in what has been dubbed ‘danger money’. Crazy.

Please stay safe everyone.

How do you get through 40 interviews in one day? you must be shattered!

Even if on-line interviewing might be too technically difficult for the company to arrange (although I can't see why) they should at the very least be providing you with some protection/screening for direct contacts. If at can be done for checkout operators it can be done by fixing a perspex sheet to a desk-edge! Not rocket-science!

Point out section 2 of the Health and Safety Act (1974) and politely ask how they are going to explain to the HSE how they failed in their duty if care if you catch the virus, especially after your requests for online working or other alternatives?

Completely drained :(

I will do Peter. Always useful to be armed with the right piece of legislation. Thank you :)

My pleasure Katie :-)