COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Support for Businesses and Employers
Here at London Business Hub, we understand the impact that COVID-19 can have on all aspects of your business.
To help you through, we’ve launched a series of free, dedicated webinars delivered by expert speakers that have been carefully designed to answer your questions and to help guide London’s small businesses through the many challenges presented by COVID-19. We have also brought together a range of resources and information to help you through these difficult times and to help you find the right support.
Hot Topic: Living with COVID
All remaining legal restrictions in England were lifted on Thursday 24 February as part of the Government’s ‘Living with COVID’ plan.
Guidance for business
The UK Health Security Agency has set out new public health principles for workplaces for businesses, organisations and employers in England to consider in managing the risk to their workforce from respiratory infections such as COVID-19.
The new guidance sets out actions that businesses should follow to help reduce the spread of infections, including ensuring adequate ventilation and encouraging vaccinations. Whilst there is no longer an expectation that every employer will consider COVID-19 explicitly in their risk assessment, employers should continue to comply with their legal obligations to their staff. Further information is on GOV.UK.
Free COVID-19 tests are no longer available for the general public, but the Department for Health and Social Care has confirmed that tests will continue to be available to help protect specific groups including eligible patients and NHS and care staff.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result is advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious.
Hot Topic: Managing COVID in the Workplace
‘Long COVID’ is an informal term that is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after an infection of COVID. There are a number of resources to help businesses and employees manage the impacts of Long COVID, including:
- Your COVID Recovery provides advice on returning to work for employees.
- CIPD has published a series of resources, articles and webinars to help employers support staff and manage workforce challenges.
- The Society of Occupational Medicine provides resources on topics including returning to work for recovering workers, advice for managers and solutions for employers.
- Acas has published Long COVID advice for employers and employees covering topics such as managing sick leave and returning to work.
As a result of stressful and uncertain times that coronavirus has presented, the need to consider the mental wellbeing of you and your employees has never been more important.
Our guides include information on business support and the latest guidance to help you manage this, by signposting the best resources to help you manage this important issue during the crisis.
Drawing upon resources from the NHS, Mind and other recognised bodies and organisations, our guides will help you navigate the support that is available as well as detailing preventative techniques that individuals use to manage their mental health.
- Mental health and wellbeing resource pack – support for individuals and businesses
- Mind – Improve mental wellbeing in the workplace
- Wellbeing – A guide for small businesses from the FSB
- Crisis services and planning for a crisis
The Mayor of London has published a series of guides to help support the wellbeing of businesses and employees:
COVID-19 and the shift to remote working are also encouraging businesses to think about their office needs and how to best use their space. As a result, more employers are considering hybrid working options, which involve a combination of remote and office working.
London Business Hub has brought together an overview of hybrid working models, as well as some practical tips to help you keep your workplace safe and secure.
Business Help Series
London Business Hub has launched the Business Help Series, bringing you highly informative, free webinars delivered by expert speakers. The webinars have been carefully designed to guide London’s small businesses through various problem areas as they navigate the challenges of COVID-19.
Resources and support
Boosting Community Business London
Boosting Community Business London is a new pilot scheme to grow high streets and civic centers.
Delivered by community business champions Power to Change and Cooperatives UK and supported by the Mayor of London, the new fund will help local groups to set up and grow a community business. It will also support existing community businesses looking to run a community share offer.
The following London Business Hub pages provide advice and information to help businesses and the self-employed navigate the coronavirus pandemic:
Related Resources
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Mental Health and Wellbeing
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Support for employers to manage mental health during COVID-19.
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Support from London Business Hub
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Specialist programmes and support from London Business Hub.
