Economic recovery and how to return to work safely

Guidance for businesses on returning to work safely  

As we ease out of lockdown, according to the Scottish Government's route map, many businesses have concerns of how they and their employers get back to work safely. 

The UK and Scottish Government continue to publish updated guidance on the steps you need to take and what will help you resume business within the current limitations. 

Updates are published on FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot daily so keep an eye on that site and if you sign-up for the email updates, you'll be notified of all available support and guidance as it's issued. 

We've highlighted some of the key guidance below by Government and other partners which may help you manage your next steps. 

• Local authority directions - guidance for local authorities on giving directions relating to specified premises, events and public outdoor places in response to threats posed by COVID-19 (18 September) 
• COVID-19 guidance for the performing arts and venues sector has been updated (17 September)
• Guidance for the tourism and hospitality sector has been updated. It includes procedures for staff and customer safety and an operations checklist (14 September)
• COVID-19 guidance on college, university and purpose built student accommodation (updated 11 September)
• Health advice for students Scotland’s most senior clinicians have written a joint open letter to college and university students with advice on what to do if they develop cold or flu-like symptoms during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (10 September)
• Business Gateway has a new podcast series called Connections. It aims to explore the challenges businesses face as a result of COVID-19. The discussion with business owners and Business Gateway advisers tackles issues including restructuring and diversification, maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing and managing furloughed staff, redundancies and flexible working. (08 September)
• COVID-19 guidance for laboratories and research facilities - business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for the introduction of, and subsequent 3 weekly reviews of, the COVID-19 Scottish Government (SG) Guidance for laboratories and research facilities. Initially published 29 June 2020 has been updated (08 September)
• Guidance for workers and employers on returning to work safely during COVID-19 has been updated (31 August)

• COVID-19 events sector guidance has been updated from the previous guidance which came into effect on 20 July (22 August)

• COVID-19 guidance for the technology sector (21 August)
• COVID-19 manufacturing sector guidance has been updated (20 August)
• COVID-19 guidance on sport and leisure facilities (17 August)
• COVID-19 guidance for the onshore wind industry including on site operations, construction and return to the office environment (14 August)
• Hospitality sector statutory guidance The following statutory guidance aims to increase hospitality industry compliance with measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, and keep the sector safely open. It applies from 14 August 2020. (14 August)
• COVID-19 Guidance for food business operators and their employees Food Standards Scotland has updated its guidance to cover the measures that apply to pubs and restaurants, which were permitted to re-open outdoor spaces on 6 July 2020 and indoor spaces on 15 July (11 August)
• Guidance for the retail sector has been updated, including close contact services such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons, which covers procedures for staff and customer safety and an operations checklist (08 August) 
• Guidance for the financial services sector about safe re-opening during COVID-19 (07 August)
• Hospitality rules tightened with face coverings to be mandatory across more indoor public premises (07 August)
• Guidance for call centres or customer contact centres on operating safely during COVID-19 (03 August)
• Latest updates to Scotland's Phase 3 Route Map. Includes with further changes and anticipated dates for re-opening (30 July)
• Employers need to be aware of the guidance for employees who are shielding so they can return to work safely (27 July)
• COVID-19 Phase 3: business and physical distancing guidance - Guidance for businesses in Scotland on keeping safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. The 'businesses that must remain closed' section has been updated today. (22 July)
• Scotland’s live event sector will be given the green light to hold drive-in entertainment from 22 July (20 July).
• Scottish Government guidance on construction sites and associated works has been updated (15 July)
• Guidance on travelling within Scotland The majority of Scotland’s tourism sector has started reopening from Wednesday 15 July as further lockdown restrictions were eased. This guidance is for anyone travelling within Scotland (15 July)
• COVID-19 Test and Protect: multi-sector guidance on collection of customer and visitor contact details Guidance to support customer and visitor data gathering for businesses and other establishments to assist contact tracing as part of NHS Scotland's Test and Protect system (14 July)
• Guidance on the safe re-opening of film and high-end TV production during COVID-19 (14 July)
• COVID-19 guidance for cinemas and drive-in cinemas (14 July)
• COVID-19 guidance for small and micro businesses guidance (13 July)
• COVID-19 waste sector guidance (13 July)
• COVID-19 guidance for museums, galleries and heritage attractions (updated 10 July)
• COVID-19 childminder services guidance (10 July)
• COVID-19 guidance for universities (09 July)
• COVID-19 guidance for colleges (09 July)
• Guidance for the Oil and Gas sector (03 July)
• Guidance for campsites, holiday parks, caravan sites, motorhome hire businesses and their users. It does not cover residential parks (mobile home sites) (02 July)
• Guidance for horticulture, fruit and vegetable industry sector
• Guidance for the creative industries, in particular for providers and users of creative studios in Scotland, in safer working during COVID-19 (30 June)
• Guidance for laboratories and research facilities, including those on university campuses, on safer working during COVID-19 (29 June)
• Guidance for the safe use of community gardens and allotments (27 June 2020)
• Guidance on safer public spaces - urban centres and green spaces It contains information and examples of interventions that may be undertaken by owners and operators of public spaces to keep people safe, as restrictions relax (27 June 2020)
• Guidance for workers and employers on returning to work safely (18 June 2020)
• Guidance for the retail sector including procedures for staff and customer safety and an operations checklist (19 June 2020)

• Healthy Working Lives - planning to return to work. Guidance on keeping safe for employers and employees   
• Read Phase 1: Guidance for businesses in Scotland on physical distancing and closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak (29 May 2020)
• Check if you can claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to COVID-19 (UK Gov 28 May 2020)
• Healthy Working Lives - engaging your staff to return to work, a risk assessment for COVID-19 (10 June 2020)
• PACE: Redundancy support for people and businesses in Scotland (10 June 2020)
• Advice for employers on FindBusinessSupport including health and hygiene, distancing, employer and employee rights and flexible working. 
• UK Gov: advice on staying secure during COVID-19 Guidance from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure for businesses and insolvency office holders on managing security risks during the pandemic.

Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland - programme for Government 2020-21

Published 01 September 2020

The Scottish Government has published its Programme for Government setting out its actions for 'Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland'. Key actions set out in the programme include: 

• Launching a proximity tracing app, Protect Scotland, later this month to enhance and support our Test and Protect programme
• Introduce a National Transition Training Fund to provide support to 10,000 people facing redundancy and unemployment
• Introduce the Scottish Youth Guarantee to ensure every young person has the opportunity of work, education, or training
• Set out the first tranche of its £2 billion Low Carbon Fund, including: helping to secure investment of £1.6 billion over the next Parliament in heat and energy efficiency in our homes and buildings, delivering a £100 million Green Jobs Fund, and providing £60 million for industrial decarbonisation
• Put in place an Inward Investment Plan to create 100,000 high value jobs over the next decade and boost GDP
• Establish an Independent Review of adult social care
• Expand digital access to health care to ensure more people can get the treatment they need
• Improve access to community based health services through the launch of Pharmacy First, accelerating the rollout of our Community Treatment and Assessment Centres, and of our COVID-19 hubs
• Open applications for its new Scottish Child Payment in November 2020, with the first payments made in February 2021
• Complete the delivery of 50,000 affordable homes as quickly as it is safe to do so, and set out a 20 year vision for energy efficient, zero carbon housing, with access to outdoor space, transport links, digital connectivity and community services
• Deliver a revolution in children’s rights by incorporating the UNCRC into Scots law by the end of this parliament
• Lock in the positive changes in active travel by committing £500 million for transformational infrastructure
• Bring 50,000 people into the digital world through Connecting Scotland and create a world-class Digital Eco-system in Scotland
• Provide £135 million additional investment to ensure young people catch-up on any lost education due to COVID-19. This will include funding to recruit 1400 additional teachers and 200 support staff. 

You can see the full Programme on the Scottish Government's website. 

Working towards economic recovery

Published 22 June 2020

The independent Advisory Group on Economic Recovery has published its report: Towards a Robust, Resilient Wellbeing Economy for Scotland

Download the report

The Advisory Group on Economic Recovery was set up in April 2020 by the Scottish Government to provide expert advise on supporting Scotland’s economy to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

The report has 25 recommendations identifying interventions to support Scotland’s economic recovery and facilitate the transition towards a greener, fairer and more inclusive economy with wellbeing at its heart.

The remit of the group, set by the Economy Secretary, was that it should advise on the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

• measures to support different sectoral and regional challenges the economy will face in recovery
• how business practice will change as a result of COVID-19, including opportunities to operate differently, and how government policy can help the transition towards a greener, net-zero and wellbeing economy.

HIE Chair, Alistair Dodds commented on the report:

“It’s clear that the Highlands and Islands, and other rural areas, can play a central role in delivering Scotland’s economic recovery.

“Its emphasis on regionally-driven development, underpinned by effective co-ordination between public bodies, aligns completely with our direction of travel as an agency.

“Many of the recommendations also highlight the significant potential of our islands and the rural mainland, particularly when that is supported by investment in digital infrastructure including high-speed broadband and mobile technology.

“Sectors including tourism, food and drink, and creative industries that are particularly strong in the Highlands and Islands are highlighted as having national significance.

“The region’s potential to play a leading role in developing the green economy is another aspect that we are committed to developing.

“The report also clearly understands the vital role of the third sector and communities in delivering recovery, which is very encouraging.

“Highlands and Islands Enterprise is pleased to welcome this report and look forward to adopting its recommendations in our own forward planning and actions.”

Download the report

Scotland's Route Map

Updated 14 Aug: A Route Map has been published setting out the Scottish Government's plans for easing Scotland's COVID-19 restrictions in four phases.

Scotland moved to Phase 3 of moving out of lockdown on 10 July, with changes being introduced in stages.

Find out what you can and cannot do  

Scotland's testing strategy 

Updated 17 Aug: The Scottish Government has published its updated Testing Strategy setting out the role testing continues to play in tackling COVID-19.

Scotland's testing strategy