Managing and protecting your staff

Roots HR CIC
The consultants at Roots HR CIC have put together some simple and free tools, funded by their trading surpluses, to support you at this time.
Roots HR CIC: Managing a fair small scale redundancy process webinar
This free webinar might be of interest to the local VCSE sector who are having to consider making redundancies as the furlough scheme comes to the end in October. The webinar that was delivered can be accessed for free here.

Mental Health At Work portal
A website curated by Mind, the mental health charity, and funded by The Royal Foundation as part of their Heads Together campaign has a useful resource “working well from home under self-quarantine for coronavirus.

Technical or communication challenges
Digital agency Copy and Code are offering a free hour-long sessions to social impact organisations experiencing technical or communication challenges during the outbreak.

Association of British Insurers (ABI) Coronavirus Information Hub
The Association of British Insurers is the voice of the UK’s world-leading insurance and long-term savings industry.
The ABI last updated their ABI Coronavirus Information Hub on 8 April 2020 stating that “If you are an office-based worker and need to work from home because of government advice or because you need to self-isolate, your home insurance cover will not be affected. You do not need to contact your ABI insurer to update your documents or extend your cover.“

Association of chairs: Beyond the basics: how chairs can make online meetings work for their board teams
The association of chairs is a membership organisation supporting chairs and vice chairs of charities and social enterprises in England and Wales.
Previously VAL published their blogs on virtual trustee meetings – why it is still important to communicate and communicating with your trustees at the press of a button.
This article by the association of chairs builds on this to give some further practical advice on how to conduct your virtual trustee meeting. From designing the agenda differently, to having a co-host. Find out more here.

Various resources from the National Food Service
Information on how to keep your staff, volunteers and the community safe, including risk assessment and safeguarding

The Leicester Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Safeguarding Children Partnership – Hoarding Tendencies and Safeguarding:
In September the partnership’s voluntary and community sector (VCS) sub group  produced a briefing. It explains. What hoarding disorder is, Safeguarding reporting for children and adults, Risk management and Advising when to alert the fire and rescue service. The briefing can be found here.

Support those who use their cars to help their communities
If you are using your own car for voluntary purposes to transport medicines or groceries to support others who are impacted by Covid-19, your cover will not be affected. You do not need to contact your insurer to update your documents or extend your cover. This applies to all categories of NHS Volunteer Responders, including transporting patients, equipment, or other essential supplies.

Risk at Work – Personal protective equipment (PPE): Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE). Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.

First aid cover and qualifications during coronavirus (COVID-19)
If first aid cover for your business is reduced because of coronavirus or you can’t get the first aid training you need, there are some things you can do so that you still comply with the law. Such as if you hold a first aid certificate that expires on or after 16 March 2020 and cannot access requalification training because of coronavirus you may qualify for a 3-month extension.

Free Learning & Development Support for Furloughed Employees
Learnerbly describe themselves as an organisation to create a progressive learning culture that empowers their people to own their development, guides them towards the best learning opportunities, and supports them in applying their learnings. As part of a response to covid-19, they recognise the impact is not just on health of millions but also businesses and employment prospects.
If your organisation are furloughing 20 or more employees, they will give you free access to their curated marketplace of learning resources and enable them to up-skill.

Alcumus: Covid-19 Health and Safety
Alcumus describe themselves as the UK’s market-leading provider of technology led compliance and risk management solutions.  Their purpose is to help organisations be safer, healthier, and stronger.
They have free COVID-19 Health and Safety documents that can be downloaded. These include: COVID-19 Return to Work Guidance Pack, COVID-19 Workplace Health & Safety Inspection Checklist, COVID-19 Risk Assessment Template, Checklist and Risk Assessment for Individual Worker – Click here for download links for all documentsWe recommend that you read this in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive guidance

The Public Relations & Communications Association Council is creating a social impact supplier directory. The directory will provide social enterprises, charities and community businesses who could offer services and products to PR and communications agencies and in-house teams an easy way to market their offer. Their mission is to create a more professional, ethical, and prosperous PR industry. The form to complete for joining the directory can be found here.