After lockdown - how to reopen your business |Small Business Blog for Horsham & West Sussex

After the worry, change and disruption of lockdown, both the Giltinan and Kennedy team and several of our clients across Horsham, West Sussex and London are now gearing up to reopen businesses and premises.

With the UK economy now in the grips of recession, getting small and medium sized businesses operating more fully again is key. SMEs are widely regarded as the 'backbone' of the UK's economy. Many have shown exceptional tenacity and creativity during the pandemic, adopting new ways of working and branching into other areas of business.

While some workers in construction and manufacturing have already returned to their jobs, the government has announced staged steps to help more businesses to do the same.

Following the guidance will not only help to keep workers safe, it will reassure staff, customers and unions and ensure businesses are operating within the law and are legally protected.

Which businesses can reopen?

• Non-essential shops to reopen June 15
• Some hospitality services allowed to reopen from July 4
• Reopening guidelines published by government

Shops planning to reopen on or after June 15 could badge themselves 'COVID-19 Secure' by following guidelines published by the government. The good news is that business owners should be able to adopt these new rules themselves, rather than bringing in external paid consultants.

And by July, the government would like to see remaining small businesses that have been forced to close, including hairdressers and beauty salons, pubs, hotels and cinemas reopen their doors if possible.

Guidance for sectors that are not currently open, will be developed and published ahead of those establishments opening to give those businesses time to plan. The government has set up taskforces to work with these sectors to develop safe ways for them to reopen, as well as pilot reopenings to test businesses' ability to adopt the guidelines.

It has published eight guides to reopening a business, covering a range of different types of work including factories, offices and laboratories. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles, so owners may need to use more than one of these guides to help keep people safe.

There is also separate guidance for educational and childcare settings and public transport operators.

Five key points for employers to follow

Employers should follow steps focused on five key points, which should be implemented as soon as it is practical:

1. Work from home - if you can

All reasonable steps should be taken by employers to help people work from home. But for those who cannot work from home and whose workplace has not been told to close, they should go to work. Staff should speak to their employer about when their workplace will open.

2. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment, in consultation with workers or trade unions

This guidance operates within current health and safety employment and equalities legislation and employers will need to carry out COVID-19 risk assessments in consultation with their workers or trade unions, to establish what guidelines to put in place. If possible, employers should publish the results of their risk assessments on their website and the government is asking all businesses with over 50 employees to do so.

3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible

Employers should re-design workspaces to maintain 2 metre distances between people by staggering start times, creating one way walk-throughs, opening more entrances and exits, or changing seating layouts in break rooms.

4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk

Employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces, creating workplace shift patterns, having fixed teams minimising the number of people in contact with one another, or ensuring colleagues are facing away from each other.

5. Reinforcing cleaning processes

Workplaces should be cleaned more frequently, paying close attention to high-contact objects like door handles and keyboards. Employers should provide handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers at entry and exit points.

A downloadable notice is included in the documents, which employers should display in their workplaces to show their employees, customers and other visitors to their workplace, that they have followed this guidance.

More information can be found on the government website https://bit.ly/3gixkyz

Feel free to get in contact with one of us for an informal chat if you have questions relating to your business finances on 01403 337490.

Why Giltinan and Kennedy?

At Giltinan and Kennedy, we're always striving to improve our service to clients and our quarterly complimentary business reviews or Business Support Sessions for new clients, save you £200 per meeting.

The no-pressure meeting (currently by phone or video call) will cover how we can support you with robust and up-to-the-minute business and financial planning.

And if you recommend us to a friend and they go ahead and work with us, we'll make a £50 donation to the NHS.

Working with me and my hand-picked team, you have access to my many years' experience as a financial accountant and small business owner.

We can:

• ensure you save on tax costs and pay competitive fees for your accounts
• provide a complete, objective, service, with the benefit of calling on our wide range of professional partners
• be proactive, ensuring we are up to date with the latest changes and legislation
• offer a fixed fee tax return service to help you budget.

Why me?

Especially in these challenging times, I understand the pressures you face and I tailor my services to meet your changing needs.

As well as general accountancy and extensive tax skills, myself and another partner also have individual specialist skills which enable us to provide you with a comprehensive, first-class service.

This means that you can stop worrying about your finances and instead be reassured that your accounts and any tax work will be carried out by my qualified and experienced accountants. They will never be delegated to unqualified staff or subcontracted, as is increasingly the case with other practices.

I provide a high quality service at a reasonable price, within budget. There are no hidden extras and we agree all fees in advance.

Email me here, direct message or call me on 01403 337490 to see how we can support you through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.