Responding to the coronavirus

The spread of COVID-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus, is an exceptional circumstance with ongoing ramifications for organisations, individuals and society on every level. As the situation continues to develop and change, the CIPD will provide updated advice, resources and guidance to support employers and people professionals in their response.

Last reviewed: 6.55pm, 21 April 2020

Join our expert panel for our live Twitter Q&A on workforce health and well-being during the coronavirus at 11am-12pm on Wednesday, 22 April. Use the hashtag #AsktheCIPD to post your questions in advance or during the session.

The CIPD's coronavirus webinar series bring together experts, leaders and practitioners to tackle the key issues around the pandemic. Our next webinar on 'Looking after key workers' will run on Friday, 24 April at 12:30pm and is open for registration. Our previous sessions are available to view as videos from our main webinar page. 

The latest case study from People Management looking at how people teams are responding to the global pandemic features medical device manufacturer Siemens Healthineers.

The Government has published guidance on how to calculate 80% of employees' wages for the purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which is now live. There is a step-by-step guide to using the system and information on the package of measures to prevent scams and report fraud. Further changes to the scheme had also been announced, including extension of the scheme to the end of June and more guidance on annual leave and SSP. We are updating our content to reflect these changes but for the latest information check the Government website.

Click on the icons below to see a list of relevant resources.

Need more help? CIPD members can call our Employment Law Helpline on 03330 431 217 to get advice on all aspects of UK employment law. Members are entitled to 20 calls per year (25 if you’re a Chartered member). The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We know that our members and customers are facing challenging times and we are here to help you. Due to a high number of calls we apologise that your wait time may be longer than usual. We appreciate your patience and will connect you to an expert adviser as soon as we can.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is an exceptional event posing a significant threat to people’s health and huge financial disruption across the economy. 

The UK Government has put in place an unprecedented package of support for both working people and businesses that will go a long way to protect livelihoods. However, it is vital the Government closes any loopholes to ensure money is made available to workers and firms facing immediate financial hardship as soon as possible. 

Many organisations will need to manage or reduce workforce costs during the crisis, but it is important that decisions to make redundancies are taken as a last resort.

Maximising the use of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme, consulting with staff to agree temporary short-time working or changes to pay or benefits, are all ways that can be used to keep people in jobs. 

Employers that continue to value their staff and treat them fairly, even under enormous pressure, are much more likely to retain the skills and people they need to bounce back once the crisis is over.

As a new virus, it’s still unclear how long the threat will last. Organisations must therefore continue to plan for months of disruption. It will be a crucial test of their agility and people support capability.

Employee health, safety and well-being during this time is paramount. Employers need to be proactive in protecting their people and minimising the risk to staff and business continuity. The people profession needs to be at the forefront of the plans and critical decisions being made about the workforce.

They must recognise that many of their people will be anxious about contracting or passing on the virus and how they might cope being isolated from friends, family and colleagues for long periods of time. Constant communication with the workforce and early action are key, including ensuring managers are trained to support employees’ continued well-being, both those in the workplace and those working from home. 

Organisations have had to swiftly adopt agile and flexible working practices, but they must continue to review these methods to ensure the health of staff is protected and the technology being used is fit for purpose. Businesses must put people first in all decisions they make as it will stand them in good stead for long-term survival.