Reopening Ireland Technology . Workplace wellbeing . Motoring . Executive style - The road to recovery is long but there will be positives for ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Q2 Wednesday, July 08, 2020
Reopening
Ireland
The road to recovery is
long but there will be
positives for business
. . .
Technology Workplace wellbeing Motoring Executive style
Q2 Wednesday, July 08, 2020
10
04 Q2 news
06 On the cover Positive aspects
to the new normal for business
as the economy reopens
10 Net worth Many businesses which
closed their physical premises have
been illuminated by the power of digital
30
14 Remote wellbeing Companies take
steps to support their employees
online by providing fitness,
counselling and financial advice
18 Construction Re-building the
construction industry
20 Out to lunch As Dublin’s cafes
and restaurants re-open, they
deserve our support
23 Child's play Catering to the children’s
23
market has provided lucrative business
opportunities for these entrepreneurs
28 Technology Six fun toys
for big boys and girls
30 Style The ‘new normal’ for workwear
32 Driving the change Will 3D printing
revolutionise car making?
46 The lighter side
DUBLIN CHAMBER
34 Going international Expand overseas
with Dublin Chamber’s new free
advisory service
36 Member News
40 Dublin chamber on... Pride month,
06
Dublin City Council to waiving public
realm furniture charges, Selling Online
in 2020 Guide and remote working
made easy
42 New member profiles
Editor: Barry McCall The Irish Times, 24-26 Tara Street, Dublin 2 Dublin Chamber, 7 Clare Street, Dublin 2
Managing Editor: Edel Morgan Email: specialreports@irishtimes.com Tel: 01 644 7200 | Fax: 01 667 6403
COVER IMAGE: ISTOCK / GETTY
BUSINESS IRELAND MAGAZINE Production Editor: Cathal O’Gara Advertising: 01 893 0000 Email: info@dublinchamber.ie | Web: dublinchamber.ie
A leading business publication focused on recognising the needs of Dublin's entrepreneurial and corporate business leaders, Business Ireland (published by The Irish Times) is a quarterly print
magazine produced in association with Dublin Chamber. Business Ireland aims to make a real contribution to encouraging economic growth through expert analysis of key business trends
and insightful commentary on the issues that directly effect the city's commercial needs.
THE IRISH TIMES | July 2020 | Q2 BUSINESS IRELAND | 03
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
MOVES IN THE RIGHT
Q2 NEWS
DIRECTION Right: Deloitte
As the economy proceeds through the reopen- ous wave of research. “People haven’t been using Ireland CEO
their cars,” Goddard observed. “We may see a Harry Goddard;
ing process, the great imponderable remains the
pick-up in servicing now that people are driving Enterprise Ireland
interplay between personal health concerns and
chief executive
financial wellbeing and its impact on consumer more but they are not going to buy a new one.
Julie Sinnamon
behaviour. When will consumers feel physically The extent to which people see themselves com-
and financially safe enough to return to the muting to work in their car is questionable. And
shops, restaurants, sports clubs and retail parks? we don’t have the public transport infrastructure
Deloitte has been conducting longitudinal to get people to work in 90 minutes. The com-
fortnightly surveys of consumers in an effort to mute is dead. Even if people do start travelling
get answers to this and other important ques- to offices again, they will want to do so at a time
tions. The good news from the most recent sur- that’s convenient to them and fits in with school
vey is that more than half (58 per cent) of Irish times, childcare arrangements and so on.”
consumers want to make purchases in store,
comparing very favourably with the UK, which
reports 41 per cent. As well as that, 56 per cent IRELAND MAKES
INNOVATION TOP 10
of consumers say they now feel safe visiting a
store, an increase from 53 per cent in the previ-
ous survey, which puts Ireland as joint third in
Europe on that measure.
On the other hand, consumers remain hesi- Ireland has placed ninth in the European Com-
tant about making large purchases, with 41 per mission’s latest annual European Innovation
cent still planning to delay big spending. “People Scoreboard and remains in the group of Strong
are somewhat more confident about going into Innovators, performing above the EU average.
Below:
physical stores and restaurants and so on but Performance is assessed using 27 indicators
Momentum
they also need the confidence to spend money,” across 10 innovation dimensions. For the third support cleaning
said Deloitte Ireland CEO Harry Goddard. “They year in a row, Ireland is top in the EU for both service with
remain concerned about their personal welfare the employment and sales impacts of innovation. Dublin Bus
and health. It will be important for retailers and Ireland also performs well in human resource,
other consumer-facing businesses to be proac- attractive research system, and innovator indi-
tive in protecting their customers’ health and cators, having achieved overall scores above
ENSURING A SAFE PUBLIC
wellbeing.” 120 per cent of the EU average in each of
The popularity since reopening of large ware- these categories.
TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE
house style stores which lend themselves to The report shows that overall, the EU
physical distancing highlights the need for retail- maintains a performance lead over the
ers and hospitality businesses to make custom- United States and China, but there is still
ers feel comfortable on their premises, accord- a gap to close with some competitors,
ing to Goddard. This will present challenges for including Japan and South Korea. Momentum Support has created more than 90
smaller pubs, which may have to invest in phys- Welcoming the result, outgoing Minis- full-time jobs to meet demand as a result of a
ical alterations to restore confidence, he added. ter for Business, Enterprise and Innovation contract with Dublin Bus to provide specialised
“Businesses in the hospitality and retail sec- Heather Humphreys said: “As we have already cleaning services across its premises and fleet of
tors need to know what investments they should seen this year in the rapid response to the Covid- buses in order to ensure the safety of employees
be making as they come out of the lockdown,” 19 pandemic by our scientists, higher education and passengers during the Covid‐19 pandemic.
he told Business Ireland. “This research will help institutes and enterprises, research and inno- The contract involves the provision of day‐time
guide them in those decisions.” vation is relevant for all of us in our daily lives. sanitisation of buses at 24 bus terminus loca-
The importance of the digital channel was Now more than ever, it is beyond doubt that tions throughout Dublin city. This includes the
highlighted by Irish retail statistics during the research and innovation will have an essential sanitisation of all frequently touched surfaces
lockdown. “We saw a drop of about 30 per cent role in supporting the recovery, improving pub- on a bus, including handrails, ticket machines,
in total retail sales in Ireland, including physical lic services, living standards and the quality of card readers, seat grab rails, bell push buttons
and online,” Goddard noted. “Falls of that mag- life of all citizens.” and the driver’s cab area.
nitude were not seen in other markets where Ireland has also made the top 10 in another In addition, an enhanced cleaning regime
people could go online to buy. That is a reflection important European ranking, the 2020 EU Dig- was introduced with the touch surfaces of every
of the large number of retailers in Ireland which ital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Ireland bus in the Dublin Bus fleet being sanitised on a
don’t have online sales capability.” is placed sixth in the overall index and continues nightly basis across eight different depot loca-
The solution is to invest in that capability. to rank first in the integration of digital tech- tions.
“This is part of discussion with Government,” nology dimension while maintaining a leading “The health and safety of our employees and
he continued. “How do you take a good business position in the use of e-commerce by SMEs. customers is paramount to Dublin Bus,” said
and help them make that investment? If they Ireland entered the top 10 on the use of James McHugh, senior engineer with Dublin
don’t invest, they may not survive.” internet by individuals and recorded a notable Bus. “As Dublin’s largest public transport pro-
The news for the motor trade was not good, increase in the share of internet users. It main- vider, we needed to partner with a company
with 58 per cent of Irish consumers planning to tained its top 10 position in digital public ser- that would help ensure that we met the highest
keep their current vehicle longer than originally vices, where it excels in open data and the pro- standards of hygiene during this pandemic and
expected, a 1 per cent increase since the previ- vision of digital public services for businesses. provide a high quality, professional solution.”
04 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMES
Winning projects range from an innova- at €91,860. One Irish company suffered total
tion-as-a-service project in Donegal, which aims cyber losses of €17.8 million, with the largest
to accelerate the uptake of disruptive technology single event costing approximately €4.5 million.
solutions by SMEs, to the establishment of an The most heavily targeted sectors were finan-
advanced manufacturing and technology train- cial services, manufacturing and technology,
ing centre in Dundalk, Co Louth. media and telecoms, with 44 per cent of firms
“Enhancing collaboration is a central element in each sector reporting at least one incident or
to driving the innovative capabilities of indige- breach.
nous enterprise and this is a key focus of Enter- Now in its fourth year, the Hiscox Cyber Read-
prise Ireland’s ‘Powering the Regions’ strategy,” iness Report surveyed a representative sample
said Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sin- of private and public sector organisations in the
namon. “The 11 successful projects illustrate the US, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, The
power of collaboration and will enhance produc- Netherlands and Ireland.
tivity of SMEs to build scale at a regional level. Irish companies are ahead for most cyber
Our aim is to augment the international com- spending categories for the coming year, and
petitiveness of Irish businesses, particularly in by some margin, in enhancing disaster recovery
the context of Brexit, and to help increase the capabilities, improving the security of custom-
number of exporters, win business in global er-facing services and apps, and enhancing top
markets and provide sustainable employment management engagement in cyber policies and
opportunities in the Border Region.” procedures.
Ireland also tops the table for the percentage of
STEADY PROGRESS ON companies expressing confidence in their IT and
security readiness at 70 per cent and 66 per cent
GENDER PARITY
respectively. They are also most likely to have a
standalone cyber insurance policy (38 per cent).
The DCU 2019 Women in Leadership
annual report has found a 13 per cent IRISH RESEARCH
increase in the number of women at full
professor grade at the university over the
DRIVES VENTILATOR
DEVELOPMENT
past five years. At the end of 2019, the per-
centage of full professors who are women
stood at 33 per cent.
Over the same time period, women in pro-
fessorial roles at the university increased from Mullingar-based research centre Irish Manufac-
36 per cent to 52 per cent. In addition, the per- turing Research (IMR) is working with leading
centage of females in associate professor and Above: IMR European and US organisations to research and
assistant professor posts at DCU is now more are working develop two new ventilator systems which prom-
on innovative ise more effective patient outcomes.
than 40 per cent for each grade.
responses to the
“This report is a testament to DCU’s ongoing IMR, in collaboration with US multinational
global demand
commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion Artesyn Biosolutions, local Irish company
for life-saving
at all levels across the university, and we are ventilator Airpower and one of the top global ventilator
proud to highlight the progress we have made experts, Steve Tunnell, based in San Diego, have
over the past five years,” said Sandra Healy, completed the first unit ready for shipment for
director of the DCU Centre of Excellence for testing in the US.
Diversity and Inclusion. The EirVent is portable, with no moving parts
and minimal power requirements, making it
TWO IN FIVE BUSINESSES
ideal for use in non-hospital environments. The
rapid-build ventilator can be produced at a lower
SUFFER CYBER HIT
cost, making it affordable for Covid-19 response
SUPPORTING BORDER
teams and healthcare organisations in emerging
or developing markets which are now becoming
REGION ENTERPRISE
epicentres for Covid-19.
Research carried out by Hiscox Insurance has The second system was developed over the
found that 41 per cent of Irish firms had experi- past 12 weeks in partnership with Massachu-
enced at least one cyberattack in the six-month setts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Malone
Eleven border county projects from the north- period from September 2019 to February 2020. Group.
east and north-west of the country have been This was among the findings of a study of 5,569 Barry Kennedy, CEO of Irish Manufacturing
approved to share in the €17 million Border companies across eight countries, commissioned Research, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has cre-
Enterprise Development Fund 2020. Admin- by insurer Hiscox, which included Irish data for ated a global demand for ventilators and modern
istered by Enterprise Ireland, the fund will the first time. life support ventilators are scarce and Ireland is
provide support for collaborative, enterprise The report also revealed that 6.5 per cent of helping address this demand, both right now and
capability building projects to advance entre- Irish firms paid a ransom following a ransom- in the future for the expected second wave of this
preneurship, productivity and innovation in the ware attack. pandemic. We are hoping to bring these new
Border Region. The total cost of cyber incidents and breaches innovative systems to market for between €5,000
The aim of the fund is to improve the interna- among the 335 Irish companies surveyed was to €10,000, which is significantly below the cost
tional competitiveness of enterprise in the Bor- more than €113 million, the second lowest total of high-end systems normally used in hospitals.
der Region in the context of Brexit and other of the eight countries surveyed. Despite this, of We have also developed sophisticated, but readily
market challenges, which now also include the 125 Irish companies that suffered a cyber repeatable and affordable, electronics controls
Covid-19. breach, Ireland also had the highest median cost and user interfaces for the caregiver to use.”
THE IRISH TIMES | July 2020 | Q2 BUSINESS IRELAND | 05
COVER STORY
Rebooting Ireland
Reopening the economy is by no means as straightforward as shutting it down but there
will be positive aspects to the new normal for business. Barry McCall reports
he past month has seen the reopen- making the changes that will be required.”
ing of the retail and a significant seg- He believes society will have to live with Covid-
ment of the hospitality sectors. But 19 for a long time to come. “This will obviously
many doors remain closed on streets have major ramifications for the business sec-
and in shopping malls throughout tor,” McQueen adds. “As the economy re-opens,
the country. This is partly due to difficulties in we expect to see risk tolerance levels increase.
adhering to physical distancing and other health Much will depend on the level of social distanc-
and safety requirements imposed as a result of ing that is required in public. Ultimately, busi-
the Covid-19 pandemic – but much of it is the nesses will continue to do what is required in
result of the damage suffered as a result of the terms of conforming to expert health advice and
lockdown. providing an environment that provides staff
In its submission to the Department of Finance and customers with confidence.”
on suggested measures to reboot the Irish And getting staff back to work will be tough
economy and promote economic recovery and for some firms, certainly until the childcare sit-
employment, KPMG noted that businesses had uation is resolved. “Our most recent survey of
been carrying significant fixed costs during the members identified that the return of workers to
lockdown but with little or no revenue streams. workplaces will be very gradual over the coming
The submission went on to point out that as months. Around three in five firms say that they
the economy gradually re-opens, they also have expect to have less than 50 per cent of staff back
an additional cost burden to ensure they are in the office by August 10th.”
Covid-19-compliant, such as personal protective A phased return may well be appropriate
equipment (PPE), more intense cleaning costs where employees have been on temporary
and new fixtures and fittings to deal with social lay-off or home working, according to Ciara
distancing. Reduced capacity will also be a key Ruane of law firm Pinsent Masons. “This may
factor affecting the ability of many businesses to be appropriate because it is necessary to reduce
generate revenues, it added. the numbers of people at the workplace to facili-
The road to recovery will be a long one, accord- tate social distancing, or because the workload is
ing to Dublin Chamber head of communications likely to ramp up over time rather than immedi-
Graeme McQueen. “Covid-19 has had a massive ately returning to pre-pandemic levels.”
impact on how many businesses operate,” he This will require careful selection and, of
says. “The road to recovery will be a long one for course, any selection exercise must be fair. “As
the business community and our commitment part of this, employers will also need to consider
in Dublin Chamber is to help firms with the how they will deal with vulnerable workers, tak-
challenges that lie ahead and to assist them in ing account of the risk of age and disability dis-
crimination and, in particular, the duty to make
A recent Dublin Chamber reasonable accommodations,” she adds. “They
survey revealed three in five will also need to consider how they will deal with
firms say that they expect to those with caring responsibilities, taking account
have less than 50 per cent of any possible sex discrimination issues.”
of staff back in the office by Employers may wish to use leave periods effec-
August 10th this year tively to ensure a smooth return to capacity or as
ILLUSTRATION: GETTY | ISTOCK a way of staggering returns. But they will need to
ensure that they comply with holiday provisions
in the contract or in the Organisation of Work-
ing Time Act, including any notice requirements,
Ruane advises.
The road
“Businesses requiring their employees to work
from their usual workplaces will need to ensure
to recovery that they have conducted appropriate health and
will be a long safety risk assessments to identify and manage
risks appropriately,” says Paul Gillen, also of the
one for the Pinsent Masons employment team. “A novel
business approach being used by many employers is for
their health and safety officer to take a short
community video of their office or site exhibiting the safety
06 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMES
WE ARE AN EXPERT PROVIDER OF
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN A WORLD
DRIVEN BY DATA AND TECHNOLOGY
Consultancy
Clean Transport
Cyber Security
Data Services
Digital Transformation
and Technology
Contact Gemserv to find out more
+44 (0)20 7090 1022 +353 (0)1 669 4630
bd@gemserv.com ireland@gemserv.com
COVER STORY
MAKING HOME
tax while employers would be able to advance them
the money in the form of an interest-free loan.
WORKING WORK
“Things were probably moving in the direction
of increased working from home in any case due to
climate change and other issues,” he says. “Two-hour
ILLUSTRATION: GETTY | ISTOCK
commutes can’t be a good use of resources. If we are
The home working genie is now well and truly out serious about building on the positives coming out of
of the bottle. Work may never be the same again for the often tragic Covid-19 situation, everyone includ-
some of us, who will either work from home perma- ing the Government has to play a role and things like
nently or part of the time as a result of the Covid-19 the Bike-to-Work scheme should be on the table.”
crisis. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure
In the US, Twitter has already said it may become their home-based employees are working in a safe
standard practice for its employees while Facebook’s environment, however. Out of sight should not mean
Mark Zuckerberg has indicated it could become out of mind as employers will still need to consider
permanent for a sizeable chunk of his company’s legal and contractual obligations to employees,
workforce. In the financial world, BlackRock and according to Paul Gillen of Pinsent Masons.
Morgan Stanley have informed markets they will “Firstly, an employee’s contract must specify their
require less office space in future due to changed place of work,” he explains. “If the contract doesn’t
working patterns. provide for working from home or contain the right
In its Digital Pulse Coronavirus Flash Survey of to change the employee’s work location, any variation
more than 800 technology decision-makers carried to their place of work will need to be agreed with the
out in March, 451 Research found that 38 per cent employee. Even if the contract contains the right
of people now working from home will not be going to change the place of work, the employer must act
back to the office for the foreseeable future. reasonably when implementing the change. Gaining
Last month, NUI Galway published the results of a agreement of employees will be key and this will
national survey on Remote Working during Covid-19. mean discussing how working from home will work
Some 83 per cent of the 7,241 respondents said they and addressing any concerns the employee may
would like to continue working remotely for at least have.”
part of the time but 28 per cent said their physical And there are health and safety considerations.
workspace at home was inadequate for the task. “An employer has the same respon-
One solution is to either convert sibility for the safety and health of
space in homes or extend or invest in employees who work from home as for
garden rooms. But who would pay those in an office,” notes Ciara Ruane,
for such outlays? Employer grants also of Pinsent Masons. “Normally,
would be subject to income tax an employer is required to carry out
under present rules. KPMG partner a risk assessment of the employee’s
Owen Lewis believes a scheme similar workstation in their home to
to the Bike-to-Work scheme might ensure that it is suitable for
assist in this regard. This would work and if there are any
effectively allow employees to hazards identified, measures
write off these costs against should be put in place to
reduce these.”
protocols that have been put in place to safe- Above: Paul Gillen And these additional measures and changes National Development Plan, through a combi-
guard their employees. The employer can then and Ciara Ruane of to working patterns will all cost money. KPMG nation of exchequer, private and other finance.
send it to their employees, that way they can be Pinsent Masons has proposed a package of measures to help pay While the Programme for Government (see
reassured adequate precautions have been taken Below: KPMG for them including zero-rated VAT for certain panel) contains a commitment for a “July Stim-
to ensure their safety on their return.” managing partner affected businesses until the end of the year, a ulus” package and a Recovery Fund, no figures
And there is the risk presented by employ- Seamus Hand refund of tax paid in prior years for losses in have been put on their potential scale. Inter-
ees themselves. “Employers may be consider- 2020, a complete waiver of commercial rates estingly, the Ibec proposal is not necessarily to
ing more invasive health monitoring – such as for 2020, the reintroduction of the 9 per cent spend the €15 billion but to have it in place as a
enforced temperature checking and health ques- VAT rate for tourism, and incentives to encour- form of financial firepower to support the busi-
tionnaires – as part of their health and safety age private capital investment in the recovery. nesses and areas of the economy that require it
risk assessment,” Ruane notes. “They may also The aim is to give businesses the breathing once the damage has been assessed.
be asking more detailed questions about those space required to recover, according to KPMG Small Firms Association director Sven Spol-
with underlying health conditions who are espe- managing partner Seamus Hand. “If unemploy- len-Behrens believes businesses will require
cially vulnerable and may need additional pro- ment levels are to be minimised and the econ- additional financial help if they are to reopen
tection. Employers obtaining health information omy is to have a chance to recover quickly, it successfully. “The cash grants for reopening are
about third parties, such as family members, and is essential that businesses whose viability worth between €2,000 and €10,000 depending
sharing the identity of employees who have con- has been put at risk by their closure are given on last year’s wage bill,” he notes. “That will be
tracted the virus and who may have exposed the lifeblood they need to survive the critical gobbled up very quickly by the health and safety
others to risk will have to consider their data period ahead.” measures required by Government. What we are
protection obligations. Employers will need to Ibec went further in its Reboot & Reimag- really looking for is help with the liquidity piece.
consider whether any new health monitoring ine Campaign proposals. The employers group Without that, you can forget about reopening for
practices are ‘reasonably necessary’ to com- recommended a €15 billion reboot plan within many businesses.”
ply with a legal obligation, such as health and the first 100 days of a new government and On a more positive note, Skillnet Ireland chief
safety duties.” an increase of €25 billion in the lifetime of the executive Paul Healy says finance isn’t the only
08 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMES
WHAT’S IN IT FOR SMES?
The Programme for Government, with its commitments
to stimulus and a jobs-led recovery, has been broadly wel-
comed by the business community. While a little scant on
specific figures, the broad range of measures contained
within it is good news for SMEs struggling to recover from
the impact of Covid-19.
Under the programme, a series of actions will be carried
out to support the economy to return to capacity. Known as
the July Stimulus, the main element within it is the Recovery
Fund, a targeted stimulus to increase domestic demand and
employment.
The Recovery Fund will be available for 2020, 2021 and
2022 and will comprise three different elements: infrastruc-
ture development; reskilling and retraining; and supporting
investment.
Productive and labour-intensive capital investment
projects focused on areas such as housing, retrofitting and
public transport will be prioritised. Training and upskilling
will be provided to help those who have been made unem-
ployed by Covid-19 and are unable to return to their previous
employment to enable them secure new opportunities.
In addition, measures will be put in place to help Irish
companies access credit and capital. These may encompass
credit guarantees and a role for State-backed lenders such
A phased return may be approprate as SBCI.
for firms where employees have been A key component of the July Stimulus will be the estab-
on temporary lay-off in order to reduce lishment of an SME and State Bodies Group to be chaired
the numbers of people at the workplace jointly by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Busi-
to facilitate social distancing ness to coordinate the Government’s ongoing response to
ILLUSTRATION: GETTY | ISTOCK Covid-19 for SMEs.
Other measures of particular relevance to SMEs include
legislation for the introduction of a new €2 billion Credit
Guarantee Scheme, a SURE scheme and the warehousing
of tax liabilities. There is also a commitment to review the
Business Restart Grant and consider further grant supports
for SMEs.
MicroFinance Ireland is to be scaled up so that it can sup-
port greater numbers of small businesses and start-ups in
accessing finance. There will be a review to examine how
European Investment Bank funding and other opportunities
for external funding can be utilised to the maximum extent
issue and training supports can help business In time, the business community will bounce possible to support the recovery and the transition to a low
owners to adjust to the post-Covid world. “Men- back.” carbon future.
tors Work is a Skillnet Ireland programme avail- And some good could come out of the crisis. Very welcome to SMEs is the commitment to set out how
able to help companies through that process,” he “I believe that when we look back on this period, commercial rates will be treated for the remainder of 2020
explains. “Gordon Lucey in Ballyvourney in west we’ll see that the Covid-19 crisis was the cata- and to create a code of conduct to govern relationships
Cork availed of a Skillnet Ireland programme lyst for many companies to make many positive between landlords and tenants for commercial rents.
during the last crisis and that helped him set up changes,” he adds. “Prior to Covid-19, firms Clarity will also be given in relation to the future imple-
the 9 White Beer Company. That was hit badly were kicking the can down the road on things mentation of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and
by the shutdown of pubs and the hospitality like working-from-home practices. The Cham- the future distribution of the Pandemic Unemployment
industry and he had to close the business. He ber’s research has identified that nine out of 10 Payment.
subsequently availed of our Mentors Work pro- firms have had a positive experience of remote Sectoral taskforces, comprising of Government, indepen-
gramme and has reopened and pivoted the busi- working, with around one third of companies dent experts and stakeholders and chaired by line ministers,
ness to manufacture hand sanitiser. He has been who did not offer remote working previously will be established to focus on the specific needs of sectors
able to re-employ most of his team as a result.” stating they will implement policies in this area and bring forward plans in the context of the National Eco-
Graeme McQueen also takes a positive view. going forward.” nomic Plan.
“Businesses will continue to adjust as things And there will be environmental and other Finally, a high-level review of the Irish economy led by the
evolve. If there’s one thing the Covid-19 episode benefits. “We’ll see changes in the behaviour of Department of the Taoiseach will be undertaken to identify
has shown it is the resilience of the business workers in the city,” says McQueen. “For exam- the sectors which have the greatest opportunity to grow
community. Over the past few months, we’ve ple, we fully expect to see a long-term spike in and sustain quality employment in light of the continuing
seen how businesses are able to pivot quickly to the numbers of people walking and cycling in the public health crisis, resulting geo-political trends, as well as
adjust to a changing environment. The legacy city. Ultimately, this ability to adapt and change the long-term challenges of the climate crisis, technological
of Covid-19 will be huge. In the short to medium to a new normal bodes well for the business disruption and future public health challenges.
term, it is all about recovery and getting busi- community’s response to the huge sustainability
nesses back on their feet as quickly as possible. challenge that faces us.”
THE IRISH TIMES | July 2020 | Q2 BUSINESS IRELAND | 09
ONLINE TRADE
Net
worth
The power of online trading
Many businesses which had to turn off the lights in
their physical premises have been illuminated by the
power of digital. Sandra O’Connell reports
ovid-19 has radically accelerated By running competitions, posting on social Driving demand: online during lockdown, they developed Click-
digital transformation around the media sites, promoting discounts and running Jo Davey, founder and andCollection.com, which enables small busi-
world, turbo-boosting everything collaborative campaigns with other online director of Absolute nesses to get online in minutes for just a few
from telehealth to fintech. Initial businesses, it helped her drive online demand. Nutrition. The healthy euro a month.
lockdowns followed by the ongoing “From having no online sales at all, it’s now fly- snack company's Store owners simply upload pictures of their
need for physical distancing have split busi- ing for us,” says Davey. online store was stock, and customers can pick, pay for and orga-
boosted by running
nesses into those that can sell online and those For businesses looking to go online, or to nise a time for collecting their goods online in
digital campaigns,
that can’t. develop brochure sites into ecommerce ones, the social media posts,
seconds. As well as allowing customers browse
Even giants such as Primark, or Penneys as we Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) offer Trading competitions and at their leisure, it helps retailers manage cus-
know it, were hit by the digital divide. Not having Online Vouchers worth €2,500. Businesses can discount promotions tomer through-flow in a way that adheres to
an ecommerce channel not only saw sales plum- apply for up to two and, while previously these physical distancing guidelines.
met from £650 million (€718 million) a month had to be match-funded on a 50/50 basis by the Many restaurants and cafes which turned to
to zero, but the fast fashion specialist also took business, changes introduced since Covid-19 takeout orders in the lockdown will continue
a £284 million (€313.9 million) hit for stock mean they are now 90 per cent funded by the with the service even though reopened to diners.
languishing behind its shutters. Today, 68,000 LEOs, which also provide a range of training It proved particularly popular with pharmacies
Primark staff depend on government furlough supports to help businesses succeed online. too, which, while they remained open through-
schemes across Europe. Aisling and Michael Flanagan of Mayo-based out the lockdown, could not allow browsing for
Though businesses are now re-opening, many food business Velvet Cloud, a maker of natural items such as skincare and cosmetics, an import-
are concerned about the financial sustainabil- sheep’s milk yoghurt and cheese, used a voucher ant driver of revenues.
ity of ongoing physical distancing rules, and, of when their food service business also saw a pan- Unifiy, a wholesale food and grocery ordering
course, whether or not consumers will be keen demic plummet. When restaurants closed as app, responded to the changed environment by
to come out and do business with them any time part of the lockdown, it lost 50 per cent of its making itself available to the public, providing a
soon. business overnight. business lifeline for Irish wholesale suppliers and
It’s why omnichannel selling, a combination A Trading Online Voucher enabled them to producers who saw sales orders decline by up to
of bricks and mortar with ecommerce and click- turn their existing brochure website into an The urgent 90 per cent after the lockdown came into effect.
and-collect offerings, has become a strategic ecommerce one and grow sales back up. Where need for The UnifyOrdering app allows the public to
priority.
Food entrepreneur Jo Davey set up her
previously customers could only find them in
supermarkets and food service outlets in Dublin businesses to order from these same Irish wholesale suppliers
and producers as Michelin-starred restaurants,
healthy snack food business, Absolute Nutrition, and Mayo, they are now selling direct to custom- start selling with deliveries initially to the greater Dublin
in 2014. She spent the next six years growing
sales through supermarkets and cafes country-
ers “from Donegal to Dingle”, says Aisling. The
pair are also considering exports. online has area only but plans to deliver countrywide.
It has also been extended to include premium
wide. The business’s success meant online sales The urgent need for businesses to start selling given rise to independent retailers as a business lifeline for
played second fiddle. When Covid-19 closed
down food service outlets across the country, it
online has given rise to new business opportuni-
ties too. When Suzanne Rigby and Mark Hooper
new business many providers in the food sector.
The easy to use UnifyOrdering app is free
became lead violin. saw how many businesses were unable to trade opportunities to download and has given the general public
10 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMESONLINE TRADE
VIRTUALLY MADE
TO MEASURE
Louis Copeland has dressed gener-
ations of Irish businesspeople and a
fair smattering of celebrities since
it first opened its doors in 1933.
Since then, it has seen a world war,
depressions, recessions and a global
financial collapse, but the Covid-19
crisis was the first time the company
had to close its doors to the public.
But service to its customers
remained uninterrupted thanks to
an earlier investment in an online
presence. “Thank goodness we started
an online business three or four years
ago,” says Louis Copeland. “Opening
an online store is not that easy. It takes
a lot of money and time and there are
no rewards for two or three years.”
But it’s paying dividends now.
“Once Covid-19 happened we had to
access to top-quality produce at wholesale prices yet made the move online. “Many businesses Above: Michael close all our stores. We decided to
across fruit, veg, meat, dairy, drinks, dried goods demonstrated their resilience and agility by piv- and Aisling cut our losses and offer 40 per cent
and cleaning products. Customers can browse oting to online when Covid-19 struck,” she notes. Flanagan, founders off everything to get money in to pay
suppliers and their products and order direct “Our advice to a business going online for the of Rockfield Dairy, our staff and suppliers. Thankfully,
to their home or business address or beat the first time is to keep it simple.” a Mayo-based it worked and we had cash coming
queues by collecting at their local supplier. What is the most important thing you want company producing
in to pay wages and suppliers.”
sheep’s milk and
Premium wholesale suppliers and produc- to do online? she asks. Is it to sell products, take The company rented premises in
sheep’s milk yogurt
ers involved include FXB, Italicatessen, Rustic orders for restaurants, take bookings for hair- under the Velvet Churchtown in south Dublin to support
Kitchen, Sustainable Seafood Ireland and Don- dressers, or provide a service through a virtual Cloud brand. The its expanded online offering. “We had
abate Dexter. consultation? “Don’t over-complicate it and get business used a six staff working there socially dis-
Independent retailers on board include Fal- online fast,” McCutcheon adds. Trading Online tanced,” Copeland adds. “Customers
lon & Byrne, The Butler’s Pantry, Lilliput Stores, “Use a reputable web developer or one of IE Voucher to expand can order online but if they want to
George’s Fish Shops, Lotts & Co, Lynam’s, Domain Registry’s accredited registrars. They into ecommerce chat with a salesperson, they can ring
Deveneys and Green Beards. Here, the customer work with SMEs and know their needs. There and sell directly to in. If they can’t get an answer they can
can choose home delivery or ‘click & collect’. were over 7,000 new .ie domains registered in customers online email their number and we get back
“Our lifestyles have changed dramatically, we May 2020, a 60 per cent increase on May 2019 PHOTOGRAPH: PHILL DOYLE to them. Nine times out of 10 we are
will be centred in the home for the foreseeable and the highest month on record. This shows able to talk them through their size.
future. Enjoying meals and entertaining at home that there is a huge swing to online and it’s Sometimes we do a video call with
may be how we socialise going forward and important that every business benefits. Consum- WhatsApp to do it. If someone walks
UnifyOrdering will allow home cooks to get the ers recognise that supporting local Irish brands into the shop, I don’t need a measuring
best quality and specialist ingredients from Irish is important and more are now purchasing regu- tape to get their size – it’s the same on
suppliers with ease. And all just in time for sum- larly online. Businesses that embrace digital and a video call. We also ask what brands
mer barbecues, small – and in time large – gath- adapt in this current environment will position they normally wear as sizes can differ.”
erings, and even late summer weddings,” says themselves well for the future as the economy Business was quite brisk during the
Barry McNerney, UnifyOrdering’s co-founder. starts to recover.” There are privacy issues to lockdown. “A lot of people were still
The move online might have been an immedi- take into account as well, according to Samuel working. If you’re on a conference
ate response to a dramatic situation, but it isn’t Plantié, principal data protection consultant call it is important to dress appro-
likely to be rowed back on any time soon, if at with Gemserv. “First, both your website and priately for the meeting. Staff call
all, suggests James Coffey of Bean Delivered, a customer database must be secured with state- customers a few days after the clothes
coffee subscription service that set up last year. of-the-art standards, in particular for processing are delivered to make sure they are
As soon as the pandemic was announced, he payments and credit card details,” he advises. happy. We take them back if they’re
secured a Business Continuity Voucher, worth “But complexity will arise with marketing and not. Having the online presence was
up to €2,500 for companies to pay for consul- cookies,” Plantié adds. “Many businesses will be very important for us. It kept the
tancy to develop new strategies. As a result, he is tempted to use existing customer data for email brand out there and opened us up to
working with an expert digital marketer to help marketing, and to track the journey of their people who never shopped with us.
develop the business faster. website visitors to target these visitors online Maybe they will come to us now that
Covid has been transformational for online, via digital advertising. But advertising cookies we are open again. It has opened us
says Coffey “even the idea of browsing around require opt-in consent, and you can only send up to a younger audience as well.”
a shopping centre seems unimaginable now”. direct marketing emails on an opt-out basis to
Oonagh McCutcheon, communications man- pre-existing online customers. To send market- Barry McCall
ager with the IE Domain Registry has some ing emails to your physical retail customer data-
advice for those businesses which have not base, you must rely on opt-in consent.”
12 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMESWe continue to roll...
but we need your support!
OPERATING
THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY
#KingBee O U R F R E E S E RV I C E S
Jack
• Angel Trips • Pre & Post-Surgical Appointments
• Critical Care & Inter Hospital Transfers
• Respite & Hospice Trips • Childrens Chemo Cab
• Scheduled Treatments
Join the #BEEteam...If you or your company
want to support BUMBLEance please contact us on
083 0044444 or BUMBLEance.com or info@bumbleance.com
2020
Corporate Charity
Partners NeededWORKPLACE WELLNESS
Remote
wellbeing
With remote working set to continue, many
companies have taken steps to support their
employees online by providing fitness, counselling
and financial advice. Mimi Murray reports
hen we all left offices and Right: Wellbeing Director at Zevo
places of work on March 13th Health, Davina Ramkissoon. The
this year, little did we know it company has provided one-to-one
would be almost three months consultations and group webinars on
before life started to return to financial wellbeing throughout lockdown
some kind of normality. In that time, employ-
ees have had to deal with innumerable stresses
while working from home: getting to grips with
home-schooling and Zoom meetings, all while
worrying about how the pandemic might affect
employment long-term.
Many employers got this and quickly swung
into action, making sure employees could work
from home and that they were getting the sup-
ports they needed to remain productive and stay
sane. While some offices have returned, many
have not, and remote work will continue as per
Government guidelines.
Business Ireland talked to some of the practi-
tioners hired by companies to help their employ-
ees online, with fitness, meditation, counselling
and even financial advice.
14 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMESBelow: Yoga instructor Maura Rath
‘PEOPLE WERE BECOMING CONCERNED WITH
HOW TO MANAGE THEIR FINANCES’
Davina Ramkissoon works with the employer will benefit by having
Zevo Health, which has been provid- a workforce with a greater level of
ing financial webinars to company wellbeing and team morale. Not to
employees throughout lockdown. mention that it will support with
employee retention. All of which pos-
“We saw an increasing number of itively contributes towards productiv-
requests for financial wellbeing semi- ity and business outcomes.
nars in addition to one-to-one consulta- “We’ve seen the positive impact the
tions with a financial adviser to review webinars have on employees. They
personal finances. More and more, leave with clear direction on what they
people were becoming concerned with need to do and how they’re going to
how to manage their finances for the achieve it. It increases their sense of
long term and ensure their potential to control and gives hope for their future –
achieve financial stability. subsequently easing some of the stress
“And it was in the employer’s inter- associated with financial worries.
est to deliver on this. If employees If you’re interested in receiving a
have reduced stress and anxiety levels financial wellbeing seminar for your
in response to financial worries, then business email zevohealth.com.
‘THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN AMAZING’
Up till now, Maura Rath taught vinyasa flow yoga in real-life set-
tings, but when lockdown happened she started teaching large
classes online.
“Teaching yoga to an empty room with a camera was a little strange
at first – I love that personal connection you make with people in a
studio, and I was also worried that people wouldn’t get as much out
of the class. But the feedback has been amazing, my favourite is from
people who said they never had the confidence to join a physical class,
or people from overseas I’ve never met. They’re begging me to keep
the virtual classes going once physical classes resume. In terms of the
how, Zoom has been a life saver. I’m also teaching some corporates
through Microsoft Teams, Lifesize and Webex.
“I teach online classes for eight-nine companies per week. Again,
I had a lot of people tell me they wouldn’t have had the confidence to
practise in front of their workmates, so this is great for them. I also
think that while the work-home boundary is blurred more than ever
at the moment, virtual corporate yoga is a way to give a little personal
life back into the home – employees are joining in in their living room
along with their kids and family members.
“Virtual yoga will continue for the next few months even as lock-
down loosens, and maybe long after as people avoid close contact
with those outside their circle. With the positive impact it’s been
having during the pandemic, it would really be a shame to pull the
plug. I’ll be continuing as long as companies keep extending their
packages with me.”
yogawithmaura.ie/corporate
THE IRISH TIMES | July 2020 | Q2 BUSINESS IRELAND | 15WORKPLACE WELLNESS
‘THERE WAS SO MUCH OF MY SKILLSET THAT
COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO ONLINE SESSIONS’
Sam Taylor works as an acupuncturist fort. I also feel it’s important to include
and has adapted to give clients, meditation and visualisation techniques
including corporates, online sessions. to address and bring to the forefront any
underlying fears. All this whilst creating
“All my work, up until recently, was a safe space to share concerns and wor-
hands-on and in person. Over the last ries about the new challenges that people
few months I’ve had to adapt to online were suddenly having to face working
video calls, consultations and check-ins. from home.
Like a lot of small businesses, it’s not “I think most people have a varying
somewhere I ever saw myself going as I degree of anxiety that lives below the sur-
thrive on the more intimate interpersonal face. With the constant distractions and
relationships I provide my clients. In fact, always being ‘on’, always being available
it was those clients that encouraged me to and contactable, it never allows us time
look for another platform to connect with or space to really look at that. Unless they
them as their symptoms and ailments had are working nonstop, on high alert, losing
begun to creep back into their lives over sleep and running their adrenals into the
this lockdown period. Little did I know ground, then they think they’re not doing
there was so much of my skillset that a good job. This is the opposite of doing a
could be transferred into online sessions. good job and I have had to explain that to
“I have given acupressure tutorials, a lot of the corporate clients I have spoken
designed from clients’ detailed consulta- with. I’ll keep these online sessions up for
tions. Diet and lifestyle adjustments were as long as is necessary.”
suggested based on symptoms of discom- samtayloracupuncture.com
Above: Acupuncturist Sam Taylor
‘A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ‘WE HAVE PUT A HUGE AMOUNT OF EFFORT
WILLING TO MOVE TO
ONLINE COUNSELLING’ INTO SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE’
Niamh O’Connor, Cpl HR “Our programmes are there to
John Conaghan is a director at director, explains how her help people identify when they
Inspire, a provider of mental health company kicked into action may not be feeling themselves
when lockdown measures were and to give them techniques to
and wellbeing consultancy for
announced in mid-March. overcome challenges they may be
workplaces, universities and others experiencing. Our ‘Stay Con-
impacted by mental health issues. nected Campaign’ is ongoing and
“Our people who are parents and
those taking care of the most vulner- aims to facilitate a variety of
“Given our experience of providing well- initiatives and outlets for people to
able in our community may feel the
being solutions and mental health and strain of both workloads. They were have social connection. A very suc-
wellbeing supports, we were able to very missing the social connection and cessful example is our virtual cafe,
quickly develop a Covid-19 specific area camaraderie which is an essential where people are randomly part-
on our online support hub, which con- ingredient in our business and our nered weekly with a colleague for
tains a wealth of information on how to culture. There is lots of uncertainty a 15-minute virtual chat. We have
cope and deal with the added stress that and lots of factors outside of an weekly steps challenges through
the current crisis brings, including videos individual’s control which can cause our Zevo app and a bi-weekly
and a self-assessment questionnaire. them to be anxious. In addition to themed photography competition
“Since the start of the shutdown, this, there can be a temptation, as which encourages people to get
we have seen traffic to the hub double a result of Covid-19, to work harder out and about. We facilitate virtual
and longer days with perhaps less Pilates and HIIT classes. We also
and an increase of 1,800 first-time have hosted a TikTok competition
users of our online services. Once the success in output, which can be both
disappointing and demotivating and a kid’s art competition to try
restrictions ease further, I believe we to assist our parents in occupying
are going to see a significant increase and morale can be impacted as a
result,” O’Connor says. children for a few hours.”
in the demand placed upon our health “Now more than ever, there Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL
services and GPs, which will put a must be a very deliberate focus on Resources says: “We have put
strain on the system. So, the more promoting mental and physical a huge amount of effort into
support we provide now, it should help wellbeing as we adjust to the new supporting our people and their
manage the challenges down the line. normal and transition through this families and have tried to create a
“We had to stop all face-to-face coun- change. Cpl has invested in a well- suite of wellbeing initiatives which
selling with pretty much immediate being programme that provides a are fully inclusive. Ensuring our
effect, which had some initial conse- range of supports to their workers people can be at their best also
quences for some of our service users. including webinars, access to med- means they can deliver their best
But we found that a lot of people were itations and health professionals. to our clients.”
willing to move to online counselling.” Above: John Conaghan, Director at Inspire
16 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMESEmpower your data to deliver your services more efficiently Cut Increase Target Connect Costs Service Levels Services Quicker Find out how to empower address data w www.geodirectory.ie T 01 705 7005 Backed by: E info@geodirectory.ie
CONSTRUCTION
Re-building the
construction industry
Ireland’s construction industry has introduced a suite of measures
to ensure the safety of workers, writes Robbie Cousins
he construction industry was among the SOP document is that if a job can’t be done According to Lee, all of the measures have
the first sectors to return to work on safely and in line with public health guidelines, worked well, and there has been positive engage-
May 18th, after the March 28th shut- then it must not be done at all. ment with the workforce.
down for all bar essential construc- The return to work is happening on a phased Dermot Carey, director of Safety & Training
tion sites around the country. basis, with more than 150,000 people having at the CIF, played a central role in developing
In the weeks leading up to the shutdown, completed the C-19 induction, and work only the CIF SOP document. He says that following
contractors were working unilaterally to intro- restarting on sites that can work within the SOP. all the work that went into developing the SOP,
duce measures to protect workers. However, to While temperature measurement is not spec- as well as consultations with Government and
address the issue effectively, a standard set of ified as part of the new SOP, some contractors unions to get the sector back up and running, it
measures needed to be drawn up and agreed by are taking the precaution of measuring the tem- was “vital that the sector had a good start when
all stakeholders. peratures of those entering their sites. we began the process of reopening sites.
The shutdown presented the Con- David Lee, construction director at “Our message was simple,” he continues. “If
struction Industry Federation (CIF) Collen Construction, says there was you can’t follow the guidelines and work safely,
with an opportunity to take a holis- a lot of preparation to get Collen then don’t open. We had a number of companies
tic approach to the problem. The sites ready, explaining that the working through as essential services during the
CIF’s Health & Safety sub-com- key to achieving this was taking shutdown, and they were able to operate in line
mittee established a Covid-19 a collaborative approach with the with the SOP. The feedback from other workers
working group to devise measures contractor’s workforce and supply during the shutdown was that they wanted to
that would bring all on-site work in chain. return to work, and they were happy to work
line with public health guidelines as “We successfully reopened our under a restricted regime.”
well as the Government’s Return to sites as a result of collaborative engage- Carey says that in the first week after reopen-
Work Safely Protocols. ment with our workforce,” Lee explains. ing, the HSA carried out in the region of 400 site
The group devised the Construction Sector “We brought our own employees on site first inspections, which all went very well.
C-19 Pandemic Standard Operating Procedures to make the site compliant with the Collen C-19 Donal McCarthy, chief operations officer with
(SOP), which set out how sites would function, policy, the CIF’s SOP document and the national Above: David Lee, John Sisk & Son, Ireland and Europe, says Sisk’s
how workers should approach their work on site protocol. In most cases, this took a full day. On construction director primary concern is the health, safety and well-
day two, we started to bring our other contrac- at Collen Construction; being of its staff, on-site workers, supply chain
by taking appropriate measures to protect them-
Dermot Carey, director
selves, and what measures they should take when tors onto site in small numbers, ramping the partners, clients and the wider community in
of Safety & Training at
travelling to and from work. It also covers mea- numbers up in a measured and managed way which it operates.
the CIF
sures to be taken if a person on site displays symp- to ensure the health and safety of everybody on “We are returning to work in a gradual and
toms consistent with coronavirus infection. site.” Left: Donal phased basis, managing the numbers of people
The Covid-19 working group also devel- Measures Collen introduced include McCarthy, chief coming to our sites very closely and ensuring
oped an online induction programme 20-minute staggered start, finish and operations officer with everyone knows what is expected of them. The
that all persons attending sites must break times; additional training around John Sisk & Son people who can work from home will continue
complete before being allowed access. Covid-19; and the appointment of a com- to do so.
This was done in conjunction with Irish pliance officer and social distancing “It is early in this return-to-work phase, but we
onboarding specialists GoContractor marshal on each site. The role of Covid- are pleased the way things are going,” he adds.
and production company Coop Media. 19 compliance officer is specified in the “All of our sites are working in accordance with
Employees returning to work must CIF SOP. the CIF SOP. Everybody returning to work on
also complete a Covid-19 self-dec- Other Collen measures include a site has to complete a Covid-19 training mod-
laration questionnaire. temperature testing as people ule before accessing our sites. This is just one of
Before sites could open, enter sites, separation in can- the ways we are ensuring that all our people are
contractors had to update teens and drying rooms, one- aware of the need to follow the new operating
safety and health plans, way walkways around the site; procedures to stay safe,” he concludes.
safety statements, and step-back areas on stairs and
other documentation to landings; and hand-wash Robbie Cousins is editor of Construction Mag-
cover Covid-19 risks. hygiene facilities across azine, the official journal of the Construction
The overall message of sites. Industry Federation
18 | BUSINESS IRELAND Q2 | July 2020 | THE IRISH TIMESYou can also read
