When the owner is the last person left at the business
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- Last reviewed
Being the last person left can make the remaining work look deceptively small. The owner may still be answering customers, coordinating advisers, managing records and admitting visitors, without the support that made each task routine before.
Review this phase as a new operating arrangement. Ownership and long experience do not make every remaining task suitable to carry out alone.
HSE's lone-working guidance explains the need to manage risks before people work alone. Obtain competent advice for the actual site, activities and jurisdiction, including where self-employment or other arrangements apply.
Divide the remaining work by what it needs
Put the tasks into practical groups: work that can be done remotely, visits needing planned support, decisions needing professional advice and activity requiring competent contractors or other people. Ask the responsible advisers to assess the relevant arrangements.
Do not use the list to invent a safe method for physical work. It is a way to identify what should be referred, resourced or deferred through the proper route.
A fictional owner can answer a records question from home but cannot sensibly combine that task with supervising several unrelated visitors at a partly cleared site. The plan should separate the commitments and arrange appropriate support, rather than rely on the owner being constantly available.
Keyholder cover and the small-team review may need revision once the owner becomes the sole contact.
Give the week a realistic shape
List confirmed appointments and essential responses before adding optional tidying or archive work. Preserve time to obtain advice and deal with unexpected queries. If a task has no clear reason or recipient, reconsider whether it needs to happen now.
Define a contact route for matters outside the owner's knowledge. The adviser contact list should work after normal office arrangements end. Keep emergency and access arrangements with the appropriate responsible people, separate from a general closure diary.
Review personal availability honestly. The owner may have intended retirement to begin already, and ongoing obligations may now be more demanding than expected. Seek suitable help and professional advice rather than letting the plan depend on unlimited unpaid time.
When arranging disposal work with UK Auction Group, state the actual attendance and support available. Do not offer unrestricted visits merely because the owner holds the keys.
The final closure phase needs a clear finish for each remaining responsibility and a person who can accept it. An empty staff rota does not mean the work is complete, but it is a strong reason to check how that work will now be done.
Explore employees and handover.
Sources
- HSE: Protect those working alone Checked
- UK Auction Group: business closure Checked
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.