Lockdown 3.0 – a quick guide to robust risk management as we near the peak of the pandemic

Firms have achieved so much in such a short space of time and now is the right time to ensure we are building businesses that are right for 2021 and beyond.

Legal Eye has been collating data from working with many firms during this period and has come up with check lists and suggestions that give confidence to owners, regulators and accreditation auditors that they are doing all they can to protect their clients. Some suggestions to consider are:

Review your experiences of the last lockdown and Continuity plans – what worked well, what not so well? What needs fixing? Are contact details still up to date? Document what you have found, both good and bad and plan how you might change.

Some issues to consider include:

• With the current lockdown announced with literally hours to go until implementation it’s worth reviewing your plan for responding to further change at short notice. Take an hour to consider how well plans have worked this time around; remember to consult internally to collate views.
• How are you safeguarding a track and trace episode in your office – e.g. skeleton staff, rotating teams, specific workstations and remote working?
• If you did suffer staff going into self-isolation, what would that mean for the business and contingency plans e.g. another Plan B?
• Do you know who is going on holiday shortly and where they are going to (subject to government-imposed travel restrictions)?  Should you know to aid your planning? Will quarantine periods on return to the UK impact your business?
• How will your business be affected by staff carrying over holiday from last year? It’s worth setting out and communicating a policy on this to avoid everyone wanting to take holiday at once in late 2021 or 2022 all at the same time.
• How do your staff and management feel – the last few months have been challenging and some have been working extra hours to maintain operations.  Is everyone scheduling some holiday time – its important even if travel options are limited or non existent?
• Are your current Social Distancing measures working in the office as intended and enforced, particularly if open to the public?  Regular handwashing, sanitiser, stocks of PPE to last through another outbreak, staff reminded to exercise care even in their social activities outside work.
• What is your current and projected financial position as the Job Retention Scheme starts to wind down and contributions from your business (from 1 August onwards) start to kick in?  Have you taken advantage of the financial support available and is it going to be enough?
• What do you need to do to maintain the resumption of work instructions you might be seeing now, particularly if we go into further lockdowns?  Are you keeping close to clients and introducers?
• What do you need to do if you aren’t seeing a resumption in work instructions?  Is you marketing effective and do your contacts know you are open for business?
• Where are you up to with your PII renewal and accreditation renewals?

Legal Eye is helping clients navigate these strange waters and assisting with tackling some of these key questions. Contact bestpractice@legal-eye.co.uk for a no obligation discussion about how we may be able to help

This article was submitted to be published by Legal Eye as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.