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Response to Coronavirus/COVID-19

24TH MARCH 2020 

 

NOTE: This page is continually being reviewed and likely to change in response to the changing nature of the risk and latest Government advice. The guidance below is correct as of the date above. Please check this page regularly.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, we have been monitoring the situation closely, amending our working practices and responding as required. 

As part of our commitment to our clients and customers we have well-established and a well-developed Business Continuity Plan. Our plan has been developed to ensure our business is resilient to unforeseen events and external factors and is protected against risk. Each of our offices have clear and up-to-date BCP escalation measures in place that ensure timely communication to our people and our local teams have the support they need.

Following the advice from the Government during their press conference of the 16 March 2020 we formally invoked our Business Continuity Plan (BCP).

Furthermore, in their statements of the 20 and 23 March 2020, the Government said that to protect the NHS and to save lives that we should all, as far as possible, stay at home. We support this effort and the systems and policies we have in place enable our people to continue to effectively support our clients from home. As a result, and until further notice, all of the 34 offices in our network will be closed to staff and visitors. 

Please see below details of how we intend to keep offering our clients an excellent service whilst managing the risk posed by Coronavirus. 

 

 

CONTENTS

Click on the links below to move directly to that section

 

Business operational measures we are observing in response to COVID-19

  • All Carter Jonas offices have been temporarily closed with our people working and accessing our systems from home 
  • Until further notice our people have been asked to work from home and not to see any clients in person (unless essential), all communication should be directed through tele/video conference
  • If you had a meeting scheduled to take place at a Carter Jonas office your host will be in touch to make arrangements so that the meeting can go ahead remotely
  • During this time there may be a delay in receiving and responding to postal mail sent to our offices. To ensure a timely response please correspond with your Carter Jonas contact via email or telephone

Providing continuity of service during a period when Carter Jonas teams are working from home

  • 100% of our professional and client facing teams have a laptop and smartphone
  • Skype and VPN technologies mean that our teams are able to access teams and all Carter Jonas business systems remotely
  • Our teams will remain productive and still be able to effectively support our clients
  • All of our desk phones will be diverted to mobile phones, and our central call handling system notified so that overflow is dealt with effectively
  • All of our people along with impacted clients, contractors, and where relevant, members of the public will be notified.

Meeting our clients

  • Until further notice our people have been asked to work from home and not to see any clients in person (unless essential), all communication should be directed through tele/video conference

Visiting property

  • We will only be visiting properties for essential appointments
  • When attending properties we will be observing strict risk control measures
  • We will ask that, as far as practical, the property be vacated during our visit

Construction Services

  • We will be delivering our services in connection with construction sites which remain open remotely unless essential inspections are deemed to be required.  At this point a dynamic risk assessment will be undertaken in conjunction with the client and contractor.

Enhanced public health measures we are observing in response to COVID-19

  • A rolling programme of communication to all our people through email, intranet, tele/video team meetings and communications-cascade, to observe the enhanced public health measures at all times:
       i. Regularly wash hands with soap and warm water for the time it takes to sing happy birthday twice 
       ii. Carry a tissue at all times. Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue and throw the tissue in the bin (Catch It. Bin It. Kill It)
       iii. Avoid touching your face
       iv. Avoid greeting by shaking hands or ‘kissing on cheeks’
  • Regularly use anti-bacterial wipes on keyboard, mouse, phone, desk and chair arms
  • Wherever practical all meetings to be conducted over tele/video conferencing
  • All of our people to be communicated with in an open and clear manner to encourage those with specific health concerns to raise them
  • All staff to advise their line manager and Central HR team if they develop any symptoms of Coronavirus, however mild

 

 

ADVICE FOR OUR PEOPLE DURING THIS PERIOD

 

A. Suspected case of Coronavirus in a building or individual property we manage   
1. The Business Continuity Team should be notified and kept in continual communication
2. Ensure the property / building / portfolio manager is notified
3. Ensure all other occupiers and occupier representatives are notified
4. Ensure the building owner / Landlord is notified
5. Public health measures should be emphasised to all visitors and users of the building:
   i. Keeping clean hands
   ii. Catch It. Bin It. Kill It
   iii. Using anti-bac wipes at workstations
   iv. Using anti-bac hand gel
6.Keep in regular contact with the individual to ascertain their medical diagnosis

B. Confirmed case of Coronavirus in a building or individual property we manage
1. The Business Continuity Team should be notified and kept in continual communication.
2. Ensure the property / building / portfolio manager is notified
3. Ensure occupiers and occupier representatives are notified
4. Ensure the building owner / Landlord is notified
5. Analyse who the person has worked closely with and / or the areas of the building or individual property they visited in the period immediately prior to diagnosis/self-isolation
6. The building may need to be deep cleaned, if the building is non-residential see section C, if the building is residential see section D for further guidance

C. Deep cleaning of non-residential buildings with a confirmed case of Coronavirus
1. Follow Government advice in relation to deep cleaning requirements. This may require us to close the building temporarily
2. Gain building owner permission to organise necessary cleaning
3. Keep in regular contact with occupiers and occupier representatives
4. If the building has been temporarily closed, once cleaning work has taken place and is complete the building will re-open and operate as before

D. Deep cleaning of residential buildings with a confirmed case of Coronavirus
1. The nature of every residential building is different and our response will need to be carefully considered to ensure the correct actions are taken, so please contact your line manager for further advice

E. Property Inspections and Repairs
1. Try and resolve and/or troubleshoot all property maintenance queries remotely
2  Only carryout essential repairs
3. Only undertake essential appointments
4. Ask that, as far as practical, the property be vacated during our visit
5. Any individual or contractor attending a property must provide a suitable and sufficient risk assessment outlining their hazard control measures

F. Construction Services
1. Construction sites which remain open should be supported remotely unless essential inspections are deemed to be required
2. Conduct a dynamic risk assessment with the client and contractor that outlines the required hazard control measures

G. Suspected or Confirmed case of Coronavirus in a contractor
1. The individual should follow medical advice
2. The Carter Jonas Property Manager must be informed 
3. The Contractor must follow Government Guidelines