Austin-Smith:Lord
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement
May 2021

Throughout the pandemic, the practice has continued to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our staff whilst providing the highest levels of service to our clients and seeking to play our part fully in preventing spread of the virus in the wider world context. Decision making and the setting of policy and procedures continues to be undertaken by the Executive Director Board, guided by external specialists.

Our current position is as follows;

We are continuing to work from home, attending essential external meetings and sites when required subject to completion of a satisfactory risk assessment. We are in the final stages of preparation to reopen our studios and anticipate some form of occupation in July. Such occupation will be under the framework of new working methods, physical layouts and health and safety procedures under the guidance and review of our health & safety advisors.

As will be the case with many businesses, in coincidence with our return to our studios, we are keen to adopt lessons learned and new best practice developed around flexible remote working, maximising the potential benefits to efficiency, sustainability, health and wellbeing. In adopting these new practices and our return to our studios, a seamless continuation of service to our clients will be a key focus. In due course, we will publish and communicate our ‘post lockdown’ approach to conducting business and travel, together with guidance for anybody outside of our business that may need to visit our studios.

In the interim, we continue to follow Government and Health Authority advice, keeping abreast of changes to that advice and acting accordingly. We continue to issue advice to our staff on a regular basis, updating them of our own position, any changed policy or procedures and also passing on practical advice received from government and other bodies covering a wide range of topics including health, mental wellbeing and financial matters.