How many are still working and what do you do?.

[Slick]

If only it was that simple. Even well run companies may not have large cash reserves and if your sales have fallen away to nothing you are going to run out of cash and therefore not be able to pay staff. Government could have made their loans scheme's easier to access. Finance Manager for a SME currently managing a department with everyone working at home. The novelty of working from home has definitely worn off if today's team meeting via zoom was anything to go by.

I suppose it will vary from sector to sector and even individuals definition of well run, but during my years as MD I was very focused on the bottom line with a great desire to build up reserves to even out both demand and sporadic payments especially during tough times when clients firms were keeping a grip of their own cash. I'm not sure a company who's sales have fallen to nothing would come under my definition of well run. The government could have made their loan scheme easier to access but it I think you have to give them some credit as the level of support they have in place for everyone is unprecedented and must be up there with one of the most generous around, although the anyone self employed and cooking the books might not agree.

I understand not all firms will be able to top up the 20%, but I think there will be lots who can and should.

 

[oldwheels]

I suppose it will vary from sector to sector and even individuals definition of well run, but during my years as MD I was very focused on the bottom line with a great desire to build up reserves to even out both demand and sporadic payments especially during tough times when clients firms were keeping a grip of their own cash. I'm not sure a company who's sales have fallen to nothing would come under my definition of well run. The government could have made their loan scheme easier to access but it I think you have to give them some credit as the level of support they have in place for everyone is unprecedented and must be up there with one of the most generous around, although the anyone self employed and cooking the books might not agree.

I understand not all firms will be able to top up the 20%, but I think there will be lots who can and should.

When we had our own business the retail side was very seasonal but we did vary our stock for a small local market in winter. If that was all we had a situation like this would have hit us very badly and even the manufacturing would have taken a hit as it depended largely on other tourist markets. Even with cash reserves they would have been pretty stretched. We would likely have had a lot of cancelled orders which would have made the situation pretty dire into the immediate future.
Internet selling was in it’s infancy then but by now we would have gone into that area as much as possible so I could not really predict how the present situation would have affected us.
In any case I was never happy being dependent on a tourist market which I regarded as unreliable and unpredictable.

 

[Slick]

When we had our own business the retail side was very seasonal but we did vary our stock for a small local market in winter. If that was all we had a situation like this would have hit us very badly and even the manufacturing would have taken a hit as it depended largely on other tourist markets. Even with cash reserves they would have been pretty stretched. We would likely have had a lot of cancelled orders which would have made the situation pretty dire into the immediate future.
Internet selling was in it’s infancy then but by now we would have gone into that area as much as possible so I could not really predict how the present situation would have affected us.
In any case I was never happy being dependent on a tourist market which I regarded as unreliable and unpredictable.

I do understand that not every business could do it, small retail shops being one of them, there are however a number of companies sitting on millions of pounds of reserves who I think have a responsibility to look after their employees if it is possible. I ran a small business and I did build up a reserve over the years as I already had the attitude that it was my responsibility to ensure those working hard for me didn't have to put up with the ups and downs of business.

 

[Drago]

I've said it before, but make no apologies for saying it again. Well done to everyone that is still working - your efforts are as heroic as anyone elses, and the consequences if you catch it are just as unpleasant. Big or small, sexy or dreary, jobs need doing to keep the country going, and without them we'd see the end of society as we've come to know it.

 

[Drago]

I do understand that not every business could do it, small retail shops being one of them, there are however a number of companies sitting on millions of pounds of reserves who I think have a responsibility to look after their employees if it is possible. I ran a small business and I did build up a reserve over the years as I already had the attitude that it was my responsibility to ensure those working hard for me didn't have to put up with the ups and downs of business.

Philip Green, multi billionaire, chairman of the Arcadia group, owner of no less than three large luxury yachts, was in the media a few days back asking the government to prop up the company. Cheeky mofo. He was quick to take the cream when the going was good, now the nationnisnin crisis he should dip in his own pocket to support his own firm, and the sums involved would make no difference to his standard of living.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Yep - I'm project managing the furloughing for a large company. Sign of the times (but they aren't making any redundancies, and they are topping up to 100% salary, so are acting with great integrity & compassion IMHO).

 

[carlosfandangus]

I expect the self employed Amazon delivery drivers are doing quite well. Ie plenty of work, little traffic and everyone is in

i tried that for a while, I still have a courier number, you have to make 20 to 25 deliveries per hour to make it pay, you only get 60p per parcel

 

[Brandane]

Another "handy-man" at a local residential care home, presumably similar to @Levo-Lon . Painter decorator, gardener, electrician, plumber, joiner, porter, toilet un-blocker, mini bus driver, and a good dollop of caring and social interaction thrown in. Not really my background prior to semi retirement, but I've managed to wing it for 3+ years now so must be doing something right . Actually quite happy to be at work (in any form) just now, since the alternative really doesn't appeal, i.e. sitting about the house for the main part.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Philip Green, multi billionaire, chairman of the Arcadia group, owner of no less than three large luxury yachts, was in the media a few days back asking the government to prop up the company. Cheeky mofo. He was quick to take the cream when the going was good, now the nationnisnin crisis he should dip in his own pocket to support his own firm, and the sums involved would make no difference to his standard of living.

It's his wife's firm, actually

Phil's (technically) brassic, I believe

 

[Fields Electric]

I.T. back office stuff for Govt. agency. Can see some of depts. no's. on daily briefings. City office completely closed.

 

[oldwheels]

I do understand that not every business could do it, small retail shops being one of them, there are however a number of companies sitting on millions of pounds of reserves who I think have a responsibility to look after their employees if it is possible. I ran a small business and I did build up a reserve over the years as I already had the attitude that it was my responsibility to ensure those working hard for me didn't have to put up with the ups and downs of business.

Some of those companies are shifting money around and looking for taxpayer handouts. To them that hath etc.

 

[DCLane]

University lecturer - still teaching, marking, etc. but working from home. My university's been re-opened to help train staff for the NHS Nightingale in Harrogate.

 

[gavroche]

Part time supply teacher and hoping to get 80% of my pay soon as we are very unlikely to restart before September I think.

 

[Slick]

Philip Green, multi billionaire, chairman of the Arcadia group, owner of no less than three large luxury yachts, was in the media a few days back asking the government to prop up the company. Cheeky mofo. He was quick to take the cream when the going was good, now the nationnisnin crisis he should dip in his own pocket to support his own firm, and the sums involved would make no difference to his standard of living.

Lots of other examples as well which is disgusting in my opinion.

 

[delb0y]

Been asked to take a day's annual leave every week for the coming weeks - so we don't all build up a backlog of leave and want to take it when the lock-down is over and work volumes return to normal. With Easter and various bank holidays in May, that's four day weeks for the forseeable. Which is nice. Not so good when the lock-down is over and all those travel companies want us to book holidays - we won't have enough leave until next year!