Alarm bells started to ring for Jeremy Stern in early March. Events were being cancelled as the coronavirus spread — a sign of potential trouble ahead for his marketing business, which helps companies run promotions.
Within weeks, the seriousness of the situation had registered in a more personal way. Stern, 60, was struck down by the virus as his company, PromoVeritas, took action to stem costs. Half of his 35 staff were put on furlough; the rest agreed to work a four-day week.
Five months on, while two workers have been made redundant in a restructuring, four are being recruited with plans for a further two, and all staff are back full-time at the office in Pinner, northwest London. “We wanted to adjust the workforce