Hannah Ryder’s international development consultancy is based in a co-working office in Beijing. As a result of the coronavirus, the office closed. “We were allowed in to get a few things that we needed . . . but that was it.”
Speaking from Bangkok — where she and her family are staying with friends — she says that in the Chinese capital she was working at home with no childcare provision as nurseries and schools are closed.
Ms Ryder and her team are used to working remotely but maintaining other aspects of business continuity is tough. “We are quite used to having to work with a flexible team . . . we often have team meetings online,” she says. “The biggest issue is that we have several projects we’re meant to be delivering in China and they are now on hold.”