In the September 2021 edition of Third Force News magazine, Kate Wyatt contributed to a feature article on Pandemic working – ‘Plowing a lonely furlough?’. She comments on how organisations about to welcome staff back from furlough should prepare for their colleagues’ return.
In the article Gareth Jones notes that at the peak of the pandemic around five million jobs across the UK were furloughed and 900,000 Scots were registered through the scheme. Figures from OSCR in June 2020 showed that 19% of Scottish charities had used the scheme to support their organisation during the pandemic.
Although the majority of furloughed employees have now returned to work, if only from home, those who have been away from their organisations will need support to manage the transition.
Kate Wyatt, a Partner in the Employment team at Lindsays, which advises a substantial number of charities, recommends they are aware of and plan for the fast approaching end of the furlough scheme on September 30.
She said: “Early and open dialogue is key to managing staff returning from furlough - particularly those who have been away longer term.
“Some may not have been at work since March last year. There will be new processes and new ways of working that they will need to be brought up to speed on, along with how to work safely within coronavirus guidelines.
“Charities - employers of any kind, in fact - should consider treating someone returning from furlough in the same way they would any long-term absence. Some people may be nervous, so by building a positive return relationship and going through a planned return to work process, you can answer any queries or concerns they have as well as being clear on your expectations and everything else an employee needs to know. That dialogue should begin before they return and continue afterwards.”
Any organisation considering restructuring or redundancies in light of the pandemic and as furlough ends, meanwhile, is urged to carefully consider which staff may be affected, what consultation is required, how that should be carried out to comply with legal obligations - and when. Restricting redundancies to staff still on furlough leave is a high-risk strategy and Lindsays recommends seeking professional support in good time if unsure of the steps to follow or how processes fit their specific circumstances.