The government has set its expectations for businesses returning to their offices when restrictions are lifted, with outdoor meetings and pre-packaged meals for staff on the agenda.
In guidance published yesterday (May 11) the government asked that specific restrictions are adhered to for anyone returning to their office this week.
The government does not expect firms that can operate from home to return to their offices until further down the line but has said the guidance would "help other people think about how to prepare for when they return to work" in the coming months, with further updates expected throughout.
For now, the guidance asks that remote working tools are used to avoid in-person meetings and where face-to-face meetings do take place they are held outdoors or in a "well-ventilated room" where possible.
Only participants which are "absolutely necessary" to the meeting should attend and the crucial two metre distance should be maintained between individuals throughout.
For bigger offices canteens should remain closed, but the government suggested employers should instead provide "packaged meals" to employees or encourage staff to bring their own food to work.
Where clients do visit the office the government has asked that the number is limited to a specific time window and a record of all visitors is maintained.
Businesses will be expected to minimise any non-essential travel with remote options to be considered instead; something which could throw into question IFAs travelling to visit clients in their own home.
The last two months of lockdown have seen the advice industry embrace the use of technology to adapt client meetings, with the likes of Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams now a feature of every day life for advisers, something which the government expects to continue once businesses return to the office.
The government has asked that desks and workstations be positioned in offices to allow employees to physically distance, at the two metre minimum, including using floor tape or paint to mark areas.
Business secretary Alok Sharma said: "This guidance provides a framework to get the UK back to work in a way that is safe for everyone.
"These are practical steps to enable employers to identify risks that Covid-19 creates and to take pragmatic measures to mitigate them.
"And as we are able to reopen new sectors of the economy, we will continue our collaborative approach working with a wide range of stakeholders, to provide guidance for additional workplaces."
rachel.mortimer@ft.com
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