Gapsquare Blog

Though right now, almost all international travel has come to a halt, we still have a lot to learn from our friends and partners overseas. We have the opportunity to expand our knowledge and look at how others are leading in a time of crisis. 

We're speaking with employment law experts from across the globe to help employers understand the latest developments in the Covid Crisis. As well as sharing their insights and their country's unique perspective, these thought leaders answer the questions you submit and recommend the best next steps to mitigate damage and plan for change. 

Gapsquare's team of diversity & inclusion and HR experts speak with lawyers from India, America and France, in the clear and helpful videos you can find below.

India - 16th April

How are employers in India reacting in an agile way to the coronavirus? Today Gapsquare VP Partnerships & Growth Sian Webb speaks with employment lawyer at BTG Legal, Anvitaa Pattani. They cover:

• What does lockdown look like for India?
• Safety measures and ensuring employees' immediate wellness
• Were employers prepared?
• Supply chain management and workforce changes

We know that, at the moment, everything is changing very quickly and it can be hard to keep up - with the news, with the government's changing restrictions, and with knowing what steps to take next. So we're holding weekly discussions with employment lawyers in the UK at our partner firm, Osborne Clarke, to try and help you navigate the coming months as an employer. 

Each week, Osborne Clarke will catch up with Gapsquare CEO Dr. Zara Nanu about the latest developments in employment law, to advise you on what steps to take now, and to let you know what you can expect to see going forward.

Episode 8: 15th April

With non-essential shops in the UK resuming business today, and in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, there's a lot to talk about in this week's Q&A with Osborne Clarke. In Episode 8, we cover:

• Employment updates - changes to furlough, and employers taking advantage of the scheme
• Redundancies and the risk of unfair dismissal
• The 'productivity gap'
• Supporting BAME employees at work, and thinking about health & safety for those at higher risk 

Episode 7: 26th May 

From training managers to have those difficult conversations to one to one meetings, this Q&A with Gapsquare and Osborne Clarke covers the essentials to navigating the coming weeks of employment, including:

• Potential redundancies and sensitively managing expectations
• Holiday - can you expect to ask employees to take time off during a furlough period? How will it be valuable in the long run?

Episode 6: 13th May 

This week has undeniably been a big one for UK employment regulations, and there are a few question marks. Join us for a conversation about:

• Advice from the government about returning to work 
• Advice from experts on making the return to work as safe as possible
• Preparing to support employees with caring responsibilities for the 'back to school' period

Note: This article was updated on 27 March 2020. Because the COVID-19 situation is dynamic, with new governmental measures each day, employers should have a look at the latest developments on the UK Gov’s website or get in touch with us to make the most informed decisions, though we will do our best to update this list frequently.

It's an unusual time to be alive, no doubt. But we at Gapsquare are finding a renewed sense of connectivity, community, and solidarity in our working lives - there's a sense that together, we can push through this, learn from one another and inspire positive change. We're also seeing lots of fantastic organisations and individuals taking proactive steps to mitigate workforce and financial damage, and even more great resources with advice and tips to help businesses succeed in this bewildering time.

So we're joining in. We've compiled our favourite resources, covering everything from planning for workforce changes, to financial implications, to how to be a strong and successful leader - take note!

At Gapsquare, we have always been committed to helping businesses create fairness and inclusion at work. Now, this is more important than ever.

This morning we hosted an incredible panel (video to follow shortly) which brought together experts in employment law, finance, and internal communications to answer difficult questions about managing people and workplaces in times of crisis.

Julian Hemming, a partner as Osborne Clarke, used his 30 years of experience to talk about cutting overheads, furlough and legally managing workforce changes. Emma Dawson of Stitch, a Deloitte Business, shared her expertise about how to keep communications going between employees, and Iain Lownes of Smith & Williamson talked us through cash projections for the next 6 months.