To ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of our staff, clients and visitors, Hicksons is introducing specific measures to assist in managing issues being encountered by the onset of the novel Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19).
Our response is based on Australian Government commentary which is regularly monitored. For active updates, please see:
Hicksons staff
Staff cannot return to work and are required to remain away from the office for 14 days if they have been in close contact with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19. We have in place a communication protocol should those circumstances arise.
Staff cannot return to work and are required to remain away from the office for 14 days upon their return from any overseas destination in accordance with the Australian Government COVID-19 guidelines.
Staff are required not to travel to any overseas destination due to the heightened potential exposure to COVID-19.
Staff (and their families) are required to restrict all non-essential domestic personal travel whilst all non-essential domestic business travel will be cancelled.
Our workspace has sanitisers, regular surface cleaning and directives on hygiene practices. This includes practising good hand hygiene and sneeze/cough hygiene.
Staff are required to visit their local GP if they feel unwell and/or have any flu-like symptoms.
Our staff will, from time to time, attend and potentially work from the premises of our clients, advisors and/or suppliers. In such circumstances we will engage with our clients to ensure we understand and comply with their policy.
Hicksons asks that all our clients, advisors and suppliers continue to undertake their own measures to respond to COVID-19 in line with the Australian Government’s COVID-19 guidelines.
We urge all our clients, advisors and suppliers to immediately inform us of any cases of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 at their premises and/or within their teams both in Australia and internationally.
Clients and guests
We ask that potential guests and visitors to Hicksons offices adhere to this advice to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all. Any potential guests or visitors who have travelled to a country considered by the Australian Government to be at a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 must not attend Hicksons offices and must instead have a virtual meeting.
We ask Hicksons guests and visitors who have travelled from other international locations affected by COVID-19, to connect with us to discuss any risks and virtual meeting options.
Hicksons provides sanitisers for our visitors and guests and encourages appropriate hygiene practices.
Events and engagements
Any events either hosted on-site at a Hicksons’ office or at an external venue, will be reviewed to ensure that the venue has taken sufficient and practicable measures, otherwise being in line with the recommended Australian Government coronavirus guidelines, to protect Hicksons staff and visitors to whatever extent possible.
Business Continuity
To ensure all Hicksons staff are aware of the severity of pandemic viruses, the firm has a Pandemic Response Policy which outlines the preventative measures that need to be taken in circumstances where Public Health Authorities institute action to respond to a pandemic.
A disaster communications plan has also been established which outlines the protocol for staff and clients in the event Hicksons is required to evacuate its offices.
In the event of a pandemic, deployment to an alternative site may not be necessary, however some essential business functions will be altered to limit personal contact and some staff may need or be required to work from home for personal, medical or public health reasons.
Hicksons has developed and maintains a comprehensive DRBC plan which ensures the effective and efficient continuation of our business during and following any critical incident that results in disruption to our usual operating capability. The DRBC plan establishes effective processes and procedures to quickly transition the firm from usual operations to critical essential functions. Hicksons’ DRBC Committee will implement business continuity management and work together to ensure regular communication with staff, clients and the media.
Any enquiries should be referred to our Chief Operating Officer, [email protected]