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The Northern Ireland Department for the Economy has published guidance on making workplaces safer and a list of priority sectors during the current coronavirus crisis. A Practical Guide To Making Workplaces Safer sets out principles and practical steps for employers and employees to keep themselves and their workplaces safe. The guidance has sections on public health guidelines, safer work practices, mental health and wellbeing, and further help and information. It also highlights the steps to be followed if employers and employees are concerned about safety. (Note: the guide is intended to be universal and does not replace existing legislation or industry-specific guidance.) The guide is accompanied by a 'priority sectors list', an advisory list of priority business sectors, aiming to clarify what constitutes a priority sector at this time, and to support companies to continue their business operations if they can work within social distancing guidelines. The list drawn up by the Engagement Forum on COVID-19 with representatives from business organisations, trade unions, local councils, government, the Health and Safety Executive NI, Public Health Agency and Food Standards Agency.

The use of the term ‘agile’ in the business world has certainly increased in recent times. This has been mainly driven by the fact that many companies have been embracing AGILE methodologies and tools, originally used in the area of software design, to improve overall business efficiencies and effectiveness. There is no doubt that we are operating in an environment of relentless deadlines and pressure where it feels like we are constantly racing to just stand still. This has often been referred to as the ‘VUCA’ world meaning volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. In this hectic world in which we operate there is very often little or no time for real thinking, reflection and contemplation, never mind thinking with agility. However in a rapidly changing world, one of the few things that you can control is how you think. Other aspects of the VUCA world are beyond our control but you can manage how you think and respond.  Increasing your ability to manage how you think and respond can have significant benefits for your career and life in general. So what do we mean when we refer to thinking with agility? It essentially refers to the way in which we think and consequently act. It relates to our flexibility and adaptability when we are in a position where we have to think and act quickly. It is our ability to be nimble and flexible and to respond to situations that arise including those that are completely unexpected for example if you are asked to present at a management meeting at short notice and you have not had time to prepare. How do we improve our ability to think with agility? Know your thinking style A good starting point is to initially increase your awareness of the way in which you think. In other words what is your thinking style? For example, ask yourself if you are more of a creative and innovative thinker or indeed are you an analytical or practical thinker? Also consider how well your thinking style has served you in the past. We all have patterns of thinking and we have a tendency to revert to old habits when we are under pressure. What are your thinking patterns? Another way in which to consider this is to reflect on whether you typically ‘react’ or ‘respond’ in various situations. What you do in certain situations will be indicative of your thinking style. Reviewing how you dealt with those situations in the past can help you to identify your thinking style and any patterns that exist. Challenge your thinking As the famous quote states ‘if you do what you always did, y0u will get what you always got’. Be mindful not to become entrenched in the same modes of thinking or indeed the same behaviours. Challenge yourself and others to think differently and to consider other options. Don’t automatically revert to the previous ways of doing things. Be brave and consider new options and alternatives. A way in which to challenge your thinking and that of others is to ask more questions and to ensure that they are probing and powerful questions. The ‘5 whys’ for example can be a useful tool. Your thinking ripples into other areas How you think is reflected not only in the decisions that you make but also in the way you behave and act, in how you communicate as well as in your own levels of self-belief. If you alter and shift your thinking even in the smallest of ways it can have a significantly positive impact on your life and career. A few moments can make all the difference When faced with a challenging decision that requires the ability to think with agility always try to take even a short pause before committing to a final decision. Even this split second can help you to tune into your reasoning and can support more agile thinking. Thinking skills and not technical skills that will determine success The art of thinking with agility is learning to flex your reasoning and deliberation depending on the situation that you are faced with and knowing when to do so. As your career progresses and you take on more senior level roles it will be your ability to adapt your thinking style and not necessarily your technical capabilities that will determine the level of your career success. Be Brave and start a new habit Experiment with flexing your thinking and review what impact it has. What different outcomes are you experiencing? Your brain is like a muscle and the more you flex your fresh way of thinking the better it will become at implementing this new habit. With practice new neuropathways will develop in your brain that will help you to become a more agile thinker. What resources can help? Stress has been proven to reduce our capacity to think clearly. Reducing stress in general can help in terms of improving your ability to think with agility. Exercise and mindfulness can support the reduction of the stress hormone cortisol and the impact that stress has on your body. Reducing your stress levels will improve cognitive ability and agility. Overview The essential skill of thinking with agility can be learned and enhanced as you progress your career. Improving your self-awareness is essential to improving your thinking style combined with the desire and confidence to challenge the status quo and to try new ways of thinking. - Karin Lanigan Karin is the Head of Member Experience with Chartered Accountants Ireland

Akriti Gupta, Advocacy and Voice writes: There are less than eight weeks to go to the 31 October Brexit deadline. According to recent reports, 70 per cent of smaller businesses believe that Brexit will adversely impact their business, affecting not only on trade, but business sentiment and investment as well. Ireland is a small open economy, heavily reliant on the UK market as its trade-testing ground. Small businesses that trade with the UK will be affected by supply chain disruption, currency risk, trade tariffs and the requirement to operate within dual regulatory frameworks; the principal risk is the disruption of any continued trade post-Brexit. Practitioners need to liaise with their clients on Brexit-related issues now if they have not already done so. With Brexit timelines still not established and future business models remaining unclear, smaller businesses and their professional advisers are strongly advised to consider the following five points:  1. Assess and develop customs capacity We are encouraging businesses across Ireland and the UK which are currently trading with each other to ensure that they can continue to do so post-Brexit. To do this, they must understand the rules that will apply for importing and exporting. While some businesses have experience of the customs formalities required to import and export outside of the EU, for many, particularly the smaller business, it will be their first exposure to them. All business should first apply for a customs registration, i.e. an Economic Operator Registration and Identification Number (EORI). It takes between three and five minutes online to acquire this (see below). Statistics from Revenue and HMRC suggest that thousands of small businesses on the island of Ireland have not applied for one; such business should be encouraged to acquire this without delay. Regardless of whether customs duties apply to goods moving between Ireland and the UK and the UK and the EU, customs declarations must be submitted to Revenue and HMRC respectively. Businesses should also use the time between now and 31 October to improve their knowledge of customs procedures, and close off any gaps in their customs knowledge that could prevent them from completing customs returns and declarations necessary to keep goods moving. Businesses will need to have customs expertise and relevant software to file these declarations, or should hire an agent to do this on their behalf. It is important to remember that tax authority officials will check that the proper declarations are in place; goods will be detained at ports and borders if they are not. There are various government supports to help do all of this. 2. Review your supply chain and market Tariff barriers and border control will cause delayed investment and barriers to trade for small businesses. Businesses must conduct a SWOT analysis of their existing supply chain and consider alternative suppliers and markets outside the UK. We would also recommend speaking to all customs agents and goods transport services as there will also be changes to transportation and logistics between Ireland, the UK and other EU countries. Post-Brexit, businesses that use the “landbridge” will face new rules when using the customs transit procedure, causing delays that will especially impact goods with a short shelf-life. Businesses should consider applying to Revenue/HMRC to avail of customs supports which may allow goods to be moved in an easier manner.  3. Review all your certification, regulation and licencing It is essential that businesses check that their products or services are fully compliant with all relevant regulation for sale on the UK or EU market post-Brexit. Businesses in highly regulated sectors such as medical device manufacturing, construction and transportation must be particularly sure that their registrations, certifications and licensing are still valid. Where appropriate, they will need to ensure that their UK supplier has appointed an EU-based authorised regulator, as EU registrations issued to UK companies prior to Brexit may no longer be valid.  4. Manage currency and cash flow Volatility in currency markets, particularly around the euro/sterling exchange rate, will present a key challenge for businesses post-Brexit. It is imperative for both importers and exporters to assess their currency exposure. Both importers and exporters should hedge their future transactions to give themselves certainty and a concrete base from which to price their goods and services. Businesses should also be availing of government supports to help manage cash flow and mould their business plans accordingly. One such government support is the Brexit loan schemes; however, only ten per cent of these loan schemes have reportedly been accessed. The Irish Government is now communicating via emails, letters and customs workshops to smaller businesses to encourage them to avail of this facility in order to help them prepare. In the UK, HMRC has stated that it will issue EORI numbers to most VAT-registered businesses, while also making available additional funding to support businesses with the costs of making customs declarations. Businesses based in, or with a branch in, the UK can apply for this funding ahead of the UK leaving the EU. 5. Protect and inform staff The responsibility to check potential visa requirements for staff, and the recognition of professional qualifications and licences required to practice, remains with the employer. Where relevant, businesses must account for these requirements and keep their staff informed of any developments. With a talent shortage in many areas, businesses must invest in learning and development for staff as a priority. In addition to taking the above steps, smaller businesses and their professional advisers are strongly encouraged to attend all possible government events and working groups, and ensure that they are maximising government-run Brexit preparation programmes and supports. Read all our updates in our Brexit web centre at https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/brexit and our page dedicated to no-deal Brexit planning at https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/knowledge-centre/brexit/no-deal-Brexit-planning.