As part of our commitment to supporting small businesses, we have launched Salesforce Care Small Business Grants. We are offering £5,000 grants to UK small businesses to provide capital to help them navigate the current coronavirus pandemic. Find out more.
COVID-19 Resources for Small Businesses in the UK
The global Covid-19 pandemic has captured headlines the world over, and businesses are fighting to protect their employees and the public alike as best they can.
As a small business owner, you may be feeling particularly overwhelmed with this responsibility and challenge, as well as concerned for the future of your business and the livelihood of your staff. We have gathered some resources in this article to offer guidance and clarity, to help you adapt to this ‘new normal’, and to assist you in accessing necessary aid during the crisis.
As news of the outbreak continues to rapidly develop, this post is designed to compile official resources and websites to help you stay up to date and explore your options for managing the ongoing change.
Official Resources
These sources offer the latest officially-approved information, as well as access to government agencies dealing with issues around health and business.
Office for National Statistics Coronavirus page (ONS): On their COVID-19 page, they offer a wide range of datasets and publications detailing the latest information on the virus.
World Health Organisation COVID-19 resources (WHO): The WHO offers everything from public advice for health and travel to videos of press conference updates to a mythbusters section.
Coronavirus advice (British Government): This official site offers the latest sound advice for protecting yourself and the public during the pandemic, including advice for businesses and information on public services and employment, as well as school closings and much more.
Symptoms and what to do from the National Health Service (NHS): This site offers advice about symptoms and what to do if you have them, including the COVID-19 hotline.
Information on protecting your business, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC): This site offers everything from general advice to NHS guidance to valuable information on sources of support for employers and employees.
Coronavirus factsheet (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or CIPD): Clear information about protecting the health and safety of your employees during the pandemic.
Resources for Small Businesses in the UK
These resources offer information on the ways coronavirus directly affects small business and offers advice on preparing for and mitigating these effects.
Supporting your business during coronavirus (Enterprise Nation): The site of this organisation that advises small businesses and startups offers a wealth of articles, podcasts, and free live events offering advice for overcoming the challenges the pandemic presents.
Coronavirus advice for small businesses and the self-employed (National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses or fsb): This organisation has gathered enormously helpful FAQs, articles, and free webinars addressing the most pressing issues small businesses and sole traders are facing, including everything from taxes and cashflow to mental health.
COVID-19 support for businesses (British Government): This page compiles a variety of targeted, short-term measures designed to aid businesses and individuals during the crisis, including specific information for businesses in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
COVID-19 Employer and Employee Support (British Chamber of Commerce): Extensive listing of third party resources to help support employers and employees in a change in circumstances on topics from change in policies to employee wellbeing and fraud.
Salesforce Initiatives and Resources
Salesforce has launched several initiatives to help our customers, partners, and community handle the current crisis – and small businesses are an important part of this community we are hoping to help.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Data Resource Hub: Tableau is offering a free resource page that includes relevant data visualizations about the spread of COVID-19 and the public health response.
Salesforce Leading Through Change programme: A collection of articles (like this one!) offering insights and tips for managing business through crisis. Our goal is to provide thought leadership, tips, and resources from Salesforce and our community of Trailblazers for business leaders and to offer a forum for community and conversation.
Salesforce Cares: To help companies of any size navigate this time, Salesforce is offering our Salesforce Care solutions free for 90 days, backed by:
Live sessions and onboarding
Trails, webinars, guides, and an expert community
Technical support for new customers
Stories of Resilience Webinar Series: A series of monthly live webinars for Small Businesses featuring experienced entrepreneurs and thought leaders from the small business community who share their stories of how they have navigated their businesses through challenging times.
Additional Resources and Information
We also found these articles offered coronavirus business perspectives helpful for navigating the reality of the pandemic.
Lead Your Business through the Coronavirus Crisis (Harvard Business Review): Three business leaders from Boston Consulting Group offer advice distilled from clients around the world.
Help for small businesses and the self-employed (BBC Radio’s Money Box): This episode outlines new government measures approved to provide assistance during the crisis.
Now is not the time for businesses to panic (opinion piece) (The Times): “The crisis has three likely phases: reactive/crisis management, reality/risk management and fallout/rebuilding. We are in the initial phase, with clients addressing immediate problems. The urgent questions at this point are: how do we manage the workforce? Are we restricted from trading? And what will the effect be on finances?”
How to avoid small business scams during the coronavirus crisis (smallbusiness.co.uk): Avoid scammers hoping to prey on the financially vulnerable during the global crisis.
Coronavirus small business advice (Startups): Sound advice on getting financial support, working from home effectively, and shifting your small business strategy to respond to pressures caused by COVID-19.Sound advice on getting financial support, working from home effectively, and shifting your small business strategy to respond to pressures caused by COVID-19.
Leading Through Change
Our Leading Through Change series provides thought leadership, tips, and resources to help business leaders manage through crisis. Check out some of our most recent articles.
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