Yorb Covid-19 Bulletin – 16th April

We’re past the two week point of our lockdown and routine has set in for some and frustration for others. We’ve been impressed with how businesses have reacted to these challenges, many finding innovative new ways of doing business. Now that the enforced 4-week lockdown period end date is on the horizon, our attention is focused on what is required to reignite our businesses under a "new normal" and how we transition out of Alert Level 4.

Post Alert Level 4 Lockdown

Today, the government has announced its guidance for what Alert Level 3 means:

• Who can work?
• What businesses will need to do to comply?
• The role the education system plays; and
• Considerations that businesses should take regarding employees where dependants are involved.

While more businesses can resume trading once the alert level is reduced, this ability comes with additional measures that need to be taken. The key for reopening remains the health of workers, with the ability to ensure workplaces operate safely (hygiene, cleanliness and limiting interactions) along with recording who is working together (tracing movements).

In preparation for the impending reduction to Alert Level 3, we have been canvasing a selection of clients to understand how Yorb can assist business’s getting back to work safely with a minimum of disruption.

1. What barriers do you see for your business re-opening as we come out of Level 4 lockdown?
2. Do you have the ability to trace people movements (staff and contractors) both internally and externally?
3. Are you able to transact contactless orders and deliveries?

Tracing people movements is a key focus for the government. Several solutions are currently hitting the market that cater for this requirement. Our teams are evaluating a number of these solutions and are well placed to offer advise around selection.

There is an ability for business to open using delivery and contactless pre-order pickup. It may be possible for your business to resume trading using an e-commerce solution within days.

Please contact your Client Manager if you would like to discuss options.

A New Normal

Packing up an entire business and expecting people to work from home is a bit more than simply taking home your computer and making sure it connects to the Internet. Keeping true to Yorb's core values, we have found new ways to communicate and support our teams while keeping personal relationships with our staff and clients healthy. Here is a small peek at what we’ve been doing to keep sane and carry on.

Read more here

HPE Finance – Supporting your business

The lockdown has hit us all hard and may have impacted your immediate cashflow and investment in future business opportunities. HPE Finance has announced plans to support both existing clients with repayment holidays and new clients needing to progress capital projects with deferred payment or low start finance. Talk to your Client Manager about how Yorb and HPE finance can assist your business.

Microsoft Teams Training

Over the past two weeks we’ve run several free online training events on how to use Microsoft Teams to enable your business during lockdown. With over 300 participants to these sessions they have been an overwhelming success and have really started a conversation regarding what the Modern Workplace could and should look like. Unfortunately, we’re not able to cover the entire breadth of Teams in a single free hour-long session, therefore we will therefore be running some half day courses over the next few weeks. Please register your interest here and we will contact you with precise times and dates when confirmed.

Yorb are here to help you every step of the way

All indications suggest businesses will be given very little notice advising when a return to work is possible. To combat this, all of us here at Yorb are poised to assist our client’s transition through the alert levels and get you back to full productivity as quickly as possible. We have the people, the processes and the technology to make all of this happen - we just need a date!

Please contact your Client Manager or our Support Team on 0800 600 606 if you have any questions.