“Since I wrote last week, the Government of Jersey has subsequently announced a series of further measures, in addition to the initial £180 million of financial support.
These include a wide range of valuable and reviewable measures, to help businesses of all sizes, namely, a payroll support scheme worth more than £100 million; GST and Social Security deferrals worth £80 million cashflow benefit to businesses; a loan guarantee scheme; protection for tenants; increased capacity to access legal and financial advice through Jersey Business; emergency funding for charities and forbearance measures on utility bills.
IoD Jersey very much welcomes these new measures, which it appreciates have had to be implemented against maintaining a stable, economic infrastructure going forward for the Island. I am aware of how much hard work has been done and continues to be done behind the scenes in respect of fielding concerns and queries and continually reviewing the position, by Government and the various other stakeholders, such as Jersey Business and Jersey Finance, and I am very grateful to all those involved.
COVID-19 is inevitably affecting not only the physical health of many but also their mental health, with many feeling anxious and fearful about a situation that they are unable to control. As difficult and uncertain as this new era is for everyone, I have been very much encouraged by the speed and efficiency with which I have heard many IoD Jersey Members have implemented business continuity schemes and remote working solutions for their staff.
Putting in place some simple structures and practices can go a long way towards supporting staff working remotely and I would again encourage our Members and non-Members to visit the IoD UK Coronavirus Support Hub https://www.IoD.com/IoD-coronavirus-support-hub, which is being kept regularly updated.
I am pleased to hear some good news from members who are pulling together in times of adversity. Marbral Advisory in Jersey have been sharing their virtual working practices with other members and setting a great example. Being a tech savvy business, they had a significant virtual set up in place before the COVID-19 outbreak using Office 365 and also virtual accounting and IT services through Yzobi. The team has since built on this over the last month to enhance the lives of the team working from home. They now have a team WhatsApp group for staying in touch, have created COVID-19 advisory videos to circulate to clients and have introduced the Soulgenic Health App which is looking after people’s wellbeing inside and out with daily workouts, health tips and mindfulness activities.
Leonie McCrann, CEO, explained:Albeit this is a very difficult time for everyone, we’ve come together as a company, to find solutions and keep our team engaged and positive. We are now using Office 365 Teams more than ever before and a number of Apps have been vital in keeping communication alive and spirits up too. Interactivity, to drive engagement and spread important communications, has been key and our COVID-19 Advisory videos and cyber security e-learning modules have been fundamental. We know we face even more difficult challenges ahead but we are grateful to our team for being so innovative and supportive to each other during this time.
If any IoD Members need further information, or wish to feed back any concerns or raise queries, please do not hesitate to contact IoD Jersey at officer.jersey@IoD.net. We are here to help and assist in any way we can.
Lisa Springate, Chair - IoD Jersey Branch