The last few months have seen thousands of businesses navigate through an extremely unusual time.
Lots of people have become attached to their home working routine (a specifically curated webcam angle to hide the fact you’re actually wearing your slippers and pyjamas from the waist down but work attire from the waist up and let’s not overlook pets and children frequently participating whether we like it not!). Whilst many businesses are choosing to continue operating remotely for as long as they deem necessary, many can’t wait to get “back to normal”. Of course, some businesses, simply cannot function remotely and so the “new normal” is becoming a necessity.
But what does the new normal look like?
In the last few weeks we have seen hundreds of businesses gradually re-opening, particularly in the hospitality sector albeit with measures in place to increase the safety of their visitors and their staff.
Whilst COVID19 is certainly still with us, many people are now looking to resume an element of normality in order to get back up and running again.
Most business owners will have had a look at the government guidance specific to their sector which in some cases is extremely lengthy and complex – a challenge in itself!
It is important to make sure your policies and procedures are up to date to reflect the reality of your working practices and workplace health and safety is no exception.
Ensuring you have clear and up to date policies and procedures ensures that your staff are well informed about the dos and don’ts of their working environment and it’s never been more important to make sure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet!
New measures introduced such as sanitation, distancing and additional PPE are important to include in your health and safety policy or can be addressed as an addendum if you foresee the need to change them as things gradually develop.
If an employee refuses or fails to follow the correct procedures, an employer has greater grounds to address this under a disciplinary procedure if it has been communicated clearly to them beforehand. If not, disciplinaries can become more difficult.
James Legal offer a free audit of all your policies and procedures, including any handbooks or employment documentation you use.
Please contact Byron Swarbrick on 01482 225566 and let us know what your new normal looks like so we can help you find the best way to update your policies and procedures to accommodate any recent changes.
