Common sense will be what gets us through this. I have had to maintain a level of factory output right through the last couple of months as we were nominated as a key supplier, so we shrunk down to a skeleton staff of about 40 and put the rest of the workforce on furlough. We introduced face recognition thermal scanning on the way in and out of the door (which on average is getting used more than 5 times a day by the workforce) put one way systems round the factory, shut the canteen, took on and extra cleaner, and gave everyone the relevant PPE. All operations are now distanced by more than 2m and we have divided the workforce into different shift patterns to separate start/ end times and tea breaks and an induction course was given on return to work.
So far so good. Last week we brought another 50 guys back and next week the remainder will return other than 8 who are deemed as at high risk and will remain on furlough until the end of the furlough scheme. When it ends we will review the situation with the 8.
Overall a huge relief for them all coming off furlough to get out of the house and return to some normality and ongoing certainty of income.
For all the criticism of the government in the press and social media, the introduction of the furlough scheme has been outstanding for us and has absolutely maintained employment levels, to the point that we are now advertising for additional staff.
