Namaste or a Handshake?

You may have received many public notices of how to manage the Covid-19 outbreak in your world, and I too attach the official advice. However, my post is not about the official, this is about updating you on how the business world are reacting, and thoughts to help you navigate through these unprecedented times.

You can't ‘sexy’ Covid-19 up no matter how hard you try, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet, with the top 5 reactions from London based businesses. I am by no means endorsing these or otherwise, I'm just here to keep you informed from the rockface.

1. I don’t know about you, but I got a seat on the train today! Remote working is 100% the most popular approach to de-risking a workforce against corona virus, as is replacing a handshake with a namaste, or banning face to face meetings altogether.
2. Hotdesking has been banned in multiple companies to avoid the sharing of keyboards, mice and phones.
3. Employees are being asked to self-quarantine at home upon return from holiday with meetings being attended by video link.
4. A global investment firm are relocating their trading floor to Croydon…is it really that bad?! (I'm from Croydon, I can say that!!)…can anyone think why?!
5. Many companies are now issuing travel bans, not just to affected areas but all international travel! One company has advised its people that they cannot take any holiday, whether it is to an infected area or not due to the risk of being quarantined on return…this approach is on the more extreme end, although is becoming the norm with one employer stating it would be a sackable offence if the ban is ignored, referring to Covid-19 as an act of god.

Despite all the distractions, there is a huge movement for business as usual where possible. We're still placing great people into great organisations, however we understand that the way you need our support right now may be in the advisory capacity. We're here for you. Nobody likes uncertainty and surprises (we've had enough of both!) so watch this space and stay informed. Please call us on 020 7734 7341 or get in touch!  We're ready to advise and help.

Kindest Regards,

Meeta