Recovery Advice
As coronavirus recedes, organisations across the Linen Quarter are making plans to reopen. As a professional service district many of our members have specific resources to help you return to a safe environment, reconfigure operations, and to support your business needs.
LQ BID have collated these resources into a series of helpful guides, along with local contact details:
- COVID Wellbeing NI Hub
- Hospitality advice from EY
- Workplace Reset guidelines from CBRE
- Insurance & Risk Management from Willis Towers Watson
- Invest NI Business Support
- Support for Tourism Industry from Tourist NI
- City Services & Advice from Belfast City Council
- Workplace Health with NICHS
- HR expertise & support from Think People
- Business Audits from Cleaver Fulton Rankin
1) COVID Wellbeing NI Hub
A new virtual wellbeing hub to promote positive mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic was launched in June. It includes information, self-help guides and support and aims to help people take steps to look after their mental health and reach out for help and support when needed.
The Hub development was supported by the Department for Communities and the Department of Health along with the Public Health Agency, who partnered with 15 leading mental and wellbeing health charities and the Healthy Living Centre Alliance representing 28 local Healthy Living to provide the content and support on the website.
To access the COVID Wellbeing NI Hub and for other useful links to other supports including free online Stress Control Classes and a range of Healthcare Apps click here:
2) Hospitality Advice from EY
Take a look at EY’s dedicated Covid-19 response pages. Each page contains the most relevant localised insights on structured crisis management, enterprise resilience and planning for recovery.
EY have a number of dedicated Covid-19 response pages – Global, UK, Ireland:
UK links:
https://www.ey.com/en_uk/covid-19 – EY UK Covid-19 response page
https://www.ey.com/en_uk/webcasts – EY UK webcasts
Global links:
https://www.ey.com/en_gl/covid-19 – EY Global Covid-19 response page
https://www.ey.com/en_gl/webcasts/covid-19 – EY global webcasts
Ireland links:
https://www.ey.com/en_ie/covid-19 – EY Ireland Covid- 19 response page
https://www.ey.com/en_ie/webcasts/covid-19 – EY Ireland webcasts
For further information, visit https://www.ey.com/en_uk/connect-with-us to complete an enquiry form. The enquiry will be directed toward the correct EY contact once submitted and reviewed.
3) Workplace Reset guidelines from CBRE
With many offices in the Linen Quarter having to reduce their capacity to comply with physical distancing, CBRE has set out guidance to help you to decide which of your staff should remain working from home, which should return to the workplace, and how to phase their return
Clink link to read more:
https://issuu.com/leeza-linenquarter/docs/11312_cbre_workplace_reset_pack_bad71a0b36893c/s/10668828
The process of reopening is already underway in some parts of the world and CBRE are supporting clients on an international level. The CBRE office in Linen Quarter can support local businesses by developing plans and protocols to help rethink, reopen and reoccupy workplaces at the appropriate time.
This next guide outlines how CBRE has helped clients in Asia, and how activities for reopening must be approached in fundamentally new ways.
Click link to read more:
https://issuu.com/leeza-linenquarter/docs/reopening_the_worlds_workplaces
CBRE can also offer an initial free consultation to anyone regarding assistance with getting back into the office, and chat with them about; lease disposals, sub-division of space, lease ends and rent reviews.
Local point of contact at CBRE:
Stephen Crozier
4) Insurance & Risk Management from Willis Towers Watson
Willis Towers Watson have said that insurance and risk assessments play a crucial role for businesses returning to work. Once a decision has been taken to return to work, it will be vital for Linen Quarter businesses to carry out a thorough review of risk assessments to ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to eliminate the risks associated with returning to work or, where that is not possible, to minimise them. Having the right insurance will also back this up and add further security for the business.
Click link to read more:
https://issuu.com/leezalinenquarter/docs/wtw_corona_virus_return_to_work_services_jm
For further information or to speak to someone directly, see below:
Trevor McClintock BSc (Hons) ACII,
Head of Sales & Client Management,
Direct: 02890 895094
5) Invest NI Business Support
Invest NI has put together information for businesses to tap into, which will give them advice and guidance and news and events across Northern Ireland. There is also information for those who are seeking HR advice, financial and legislative advice, and signposting.
Free services can be found via link here:
https://issuu.com/leeza-linenquarter/docs/wbb_belfast_invest_ni.pptx
6) Support for Tourism Industry from Tourist NI
Tourism NI is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation and is there to help those in the Linen Quarter working in the tourism sector. Through the TNI website, users can be kept up to date with relevant information and support being made available to them.
Information includes:
- Government Support
- Job Retention Scheme
- Advice for Accommodation Providers & Visitor Experiences
- Employment Law
- Business Continuity and Cashflow
- Scams & Fraudulent Activity
- Insights and Intelligence
- Inbound Travel
https://covid19.tourismni.com/
Visitors to the website can also be kept up to date with ongoing webinars being provided. The webinars are carried out online, making it easy for those working from home.
Click here to view what’s available:
https://covid19.tourismni.com/support-centre/webinars/?dateFrom&dateTo&page=1
7) City Services & Advice from BCC
Belfast City Council will be responding to coronavirus (COVID-19) on a daily basis, and have streamlined their resources to prioritise delivery of essential services, such as waste collections, burials and cremations.
If you need support for your own personal circumstances or for your business, BCC will able able to help you.
Support is provided for the following:
- Venues & services
- Support & advice for residents
- Information for businesses & employees
Click link to read more:
8) Workplace Health with NICHS
As we adhere to the significant changes in the workplace, the office we go back to will be very different to the one we left, and business leaders will need to develop a vision for what theirs will look like. With that in mind, it is also vital that employers don’t forgot the well-being of their staff, as not everyone will adapt to such changes so quickly and may need that little extra support.
With a ‘Well Team’ programme in place through NI Chest Heart & Stroke, workplaces can commit to improving the health and wellbeing of their staff and take that step to making the working environment more comfortable for all.
See link here to read more:
9) HR Expertise & Support from Think People
Throughout Covid-19, Think People Consulting have been the trusted advisors that leaders and their organisations need during this time of crisis. In what can only be called the world’s biggest trial of remote working, Think People have supported organisations to rethink common workplace practices and deliver new ways of managing people. As we move into the next phase, Think People can provide the expertise to support you to put in place accurate and necessary processes and make the right decisions for the future of your organisation and employees. Their team of HR, Employment Law, Organisation and Talent Development experts are guiding many through the return, reorganisation and restructuring of their workforce and operations.
We know there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to this new era of working and Think People are keen to support local businesses during this challenging time. If you would like to arrange a confidential, no-charge, exploratory call to discuss your HR and/or Organisation Development needs, contact Bethany.O’Neill@thinkpeople.co.uk or call 02890310450.
Read more here to see how HR support could help you:
https://www.thinkpeople.co.uk/hr-consultancy/
Think People Consulting have also been selected as an approved service provider for the InterTrade Ireland Emergency Business Solutions Grant. This grant for professional advice, to the value of £2,000/€2,250 inc VAT (100% funded), is available for cross-border companies in manufacturing and tradable services, to address key business challenges related to Covid-19. Eligible companies can use the grant toward a range of support types, including Think People’s HR consultancy, Organisational Development consultancy and Talent Development consultancy.
Examples of common post-COVID challenges which may be addressed using funding, subject to Intertrade Ireland approval, include:
• Rapidly repositioning your business strategy to survive and thrive post-COVID
• HR and Employment Law including furlough, short-time working and redundancy advice
• Organisational development to optimise your structure and ways of working
• Talent development and upskilling
• Developing managers to lead through change
• Diversifying to offer other products or service
To speak to a consultant about the wide range of professional advice available to your organisation under this grant, eligibility, and advice on how to apply, contact:
Bethany.O’Neill@thinkpeople.co.uk.
Think People have also put together useful webinars for businesses to sign up to. These can be viewed online and are priced per person.
See link here to view what’s available:
10) Business Audits from Cleaver Fulton Rankin
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Cleaver Fulton Rankin (CFR) has supported clients with legal advice, webinars and podcasts ensuring they remain up to date with the latest government announcements, funding support and legal issues that they may need to consider in these extraordinary times.
As businesses begin to reopen, it’s imperative to quickly identify key strategic issues and solutions to:
• Improve cash flow;
• Maintain company stability
• Increase revenue.
In an effort to support businesses, CFR have designed a series of solutions including a number of sector-specific Business Audits. Businesses and employers will no doubt have specific concerns regarding legal areas, such as supply chain contracts, employment law, company sustainability, land and assets and debtor/creditor management. CFR’s audits aim to highlight the key strategic issues businesses should be urgently addressing and where legal support may be required.
To understand your current position, CFR encourage businesses to complete a Business Audit today by visiting their COVID-19 Solutions Hub:
https://cleaverfultonrankin.co.uk/sector/covid-19
Upon completion of a CFR Business Audit, a report is generated to show your current position and the areas to address. A member of the Cleaver Fulton Rankin team will also receive the report and will get in touch to discuss it.
You can also view CFR’s latest webinars online, which are specifically aimed at businesses in the Technology, Manufacturing and Construction sector.
Click link here for info:
https://cleaverfultonrankin.co.uk/sector/covid-19
Cleaver Fulton Rankin has also the legal expertise to guide and advise you on a range of legal implications. If you require any further information, contact a member of their legal team via links to HUB above.
