Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Covid-19: Unlocking business after lockdown

20 Aug 2020, 10:45 am

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) has had a profound impact on business globally. Businesses are now looking forward to life after lockdown and returning to the new 'normal'. This brings about its own challenges for businesses who have faced an unprecedented level of disruption.

As governments around the world grapple with the decisions of how to lift lockdown and when to ease social distancing, businesses face decisions on how to re-open and return to work. These range from employees coming out of furlough to assessing how to operate safely and in line with health and safety requirements and revised social distancing rules.

Global businesses will need to assess and deal with different requirements around the world. A critical challenge will be that different countries are going back to normal at different times but also at a different pace. For businesses that operate outside and/or do not have the public visiting the ability to return to operations sooner – but this may mean heavier restrictions to comply with. For those in the leisure and hospitality sector the return to full operations is likely to be severely extended and businesses will need to work out how to operate in these new ways for an extended interim period.

One thing remains certain, as we exit the Covid-19 pandemic we will all be moving to a new 'normal'. All businesses will need to adjust and re-assess their finances, the markets in which they operate, their customers, their ways of working and their operations. For some this may well be a catalyst for change as they seek to accelerate their business and recover the time and ground lost to Covid-19.

Our Coronavirus taskforce has put together a working checklist to support businesses that are re-opening. Further support and guidance can be found clicking on the relevant links to get the most up to date deep dive information on these issues.

Issue	Deepdive
Workforce planning – employees returning to work, furlough and mental health	Managing return to work in the UK Managing shielding employees' return to work Immigration considerations as the UK returns to work Managing the return to work in Ireland Coronavirus: public health measures on entry to the UK Incentivising employees while conserving cash How can UK employers prepare for a second wave? How Covid-19 may affect business travel to Ireland Data Protection should shape employee monitoring (France) Saudi Arabia labour law amended to protect jobs Immigration implications for UK employers Setting up an employee benefit fund in the UK
Operating safely – meeting social distancing and health and safety requirements to operate	UK Health and Safety A 'new normal' for Spanish tourism Health and safety during construction works in Spain Retail in Spain as lockdown eases Remote mediation
Contracts and supply chain – re-engaging with the supply chain and re-setting contracts	Coordinating the global supply chain Consider CPI contract increase mechanisms Cross Border infrastructure Collaboration key to contracting after lockdown
Corporate Governance – audits, AGMs and duties	Corporate Governance planning
Business finance and funding – accessing finance and considering Government support claims and tracking progress	UK Business Support Mechanisms Irish Business Support Mechanisms VAT cuts for catering industry (Germany) Income supports for employers and employees in Ireland UK large business interruption loan scheme extended UK Future Fund open to high-growth businesses
Insurance – considering claims and future insurance cover	Insurance liability as the UK returns to work
Assessing legal claims – re-setting force majeure notices and considering any claims	Force Majeure after lockdown Considering losses and business impact
Supply chain failure – keeping a watching brief on supply chains given the squeeze	Managing Supply Chain Failure risk The UK's Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill
Accessing properties - dealing with landlords and access requirements	Return to work requires landlord and tenant dialogue Rent recovery and protection - what commercial landlords can do Coronavirus: impact on French real estate
Collaborations – ensuring collaborating is done safely	Competition law enforcement after the lock down
Operations – IT, cyber and data requirements	IT and remote working Managing e-data IP registrations and disputes across Europe UK governments outline licensing requirements as hospitality sector reopens

Our original Covid-19 business impact guide is still available to download. Please note that this guide is no longer regularly updated and its content is correct up to the date published on the front cover only.

Download Covid Guide (228 Pages / 6MB)