Health & Safety

30 10 2023

Monthly HR blog Newsletter – October 2023 | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety, Newsletter, Performance Management, Recruitment, Rewards & Benefits #Bedfordshire, #bedfordshirebusinesses, #herffordshire, #HR Herts, #hr newsletter, #HRblog, #outsourcedHR, #outsourcedhumanresources, #stevenage, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME

In our current Monthly recap HR blog Newsletter – October 2023 we have:

Former male ‘period dignity officer’ settles discrimination case.
More workers quit over climate.
Sexism in the City inquiry begins.
Lidl worker awarded £50,000 in sexual harassment case.
Acas says companies should provide menopause awareness training for managers.
UK migration advisers call for tighter foreign worker rules.
NHS staff granted ‘safe space’ powers to speak out about mistakes.

Former male ‘period dignity officer’ settles discrimination case | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

A male “period dignity officer” who lost his job after a global backlash has settled his sex discrimination case out of court. Jason Grant, a former personal trainer, sued the partnership that hired him last year. The £35,000-a-year role was abolished weeks later after claims of threats and abuse.

More workers quit over climate | Consensus HR – Herts

Sexism in the City inquiry begins | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

An inquiry into Sexism in the City begins today and will examine whether the position of women in financial services has changed in the past five years. The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority are also looking at the issue and are considering proposals for organisations to be more transparent about their diversity and inclusion practices

Lights, camera, take action for World Mental Health Day | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Lights, camera, take action for World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day was marked on 10 October and has been celebrated for over 30 years. However, while awareness and acceptance of stress and mental health may be increasing, action – particularly prevention – is not.

Lidl worker awarded £50,000 in sexual harassment case | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds.

A tribunal has ruled in favour of Maddie Hunter, a former teenage assistant at a Lidl supermarket in Oxfordshire who was sexually harassed by the store’s deputy manager. Hunter was subjected to inappropriate comments and advances, and when she complained, she was told to treat it as a compliment.

Acas says companies should provide menopause awareness training for managers. | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

UK migration advisers call for tighter foreign worker rules | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on Tuesday recommended abolishing one of the main routes for businesses to hire migrant workers in sectors where there are severe staff shortages, arguing that the current system was liable to drive down wages and leave workers open to exploitation.

NHS staff granted ‘safe space’ powers to speak out about mistakes | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

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30 10 2023

87% of staff mix WFH with childcare | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Health & Safety #bedfordshirebusinesses, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcedhumanresources, #workingfromhome, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Research from Capital One has found that 87% of remote workers regularly look after their children while trying to do their day job, with 85% of remote-working parents having to work in the same room as their children. The study shows that parents working from home are also cleaning (56%), cooking (55%), helping with homework (44%) and doing the weekly food shop (44 %). The Capital One research shows that 91% of parents find it stressful juggling work duties and parental responsibilities and 37% are able to concentrate more on their work when in the office full-time. It was also shown that 64% of working parents have seen covering childcare costs become more difficult amid the cost-of-living crisis. Adam Myers of HR consultancy Stellamar says the findings point to an area of concern over remote and hybrid working, saying: “It is important to remember that if people are working at home, then they should be working, and if they are being carers to young children in particular, how much work is actually happening?”

Daily Mail

Our HR comment / advice – 87% of staff mix WFH with childcare | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting article in the Daily Mail in relation to parents working from home and having to juggle their work responsibilities with their parenting duties at the same time which must be extremely hard with a detriment to one or the other as shown in the statistics. At Consensus HR we have had to support businesses and their employees on a number of occasions when it has come to parenting and work and finding suitable childcare. Unfortunately, this can be a very complicated scenario for a business when it starts to affect their work and the business and has to be managed correctly to best practice and the law or could result in drastic financial, reputable and legal problems.”

Contact us now

If you run a business and have a team and wish to be able to speak to a HR consultant when dealing with any HR / Employment areas, give us a non-obligatory call now – 01438 576750 ‘Consensus HR – Helping companies take the pain our of managing people whilst preventing people problems.”

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24 10 2023

More workers quit over climate | Consensus HR – Herts

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #bedfordshirebusinesses, #climate change, #employee retention, #employeeengagement, #environment, #outsourcedhumanresources, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

A growing number of workers are making the decision to walk out of companies whose environmental values don’t align with their own. According to research by carbon removal marketplace Supercritical, 35% of UK office workers surveyed said they were willing to quit their jobs over weak climate action from their employers. Climate campaigner Paul Polman says workers today are far more climate-aware than in the past and want to give their time and talent to companies that share their values. Climate quitters can be a powerful form of lobbying, as their public quitting can create a PR problem for companies and push them to take action. However, some workers believe staying in a job can also drive change and put pressure on companies to move in sustainable directions. Separate research by KPMG shows 20% of workers said they’d turned down a job offer when a company’s ESG commitments didn’t align with their personal values. This number rose to 33% for 18-to-24-year-olds.

BBC News

Our HR comment: More workers quit over climate | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “I was amazed to see these statistics in a recent BBC article which demonstrates that applicants are now actively acting when the company they work for or are considering applying to, does not demonstrate climate action. Many of our clients now take positive action in the workplace with recycling and have an environmental policy to adhere to in this ever-changing world covering areas such as recycling, energy consumption, making use of natural light, insulation, using environmentally friendly products and many more.”

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If your business would like to introduce an Environmentally Friendly Policy to its workforce and to demonstrate your commitment to the environment, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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23 10 2023

NHS staff granted ‘safe space’ powers to speak out about mistakes | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #bedfordshirebusinesses, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #mistakes, #NHS, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #safe space, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

NHS staff will be able to speak out about mistakes without fear of reprisal for the first time, thanks to the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). The HSSIB has been granted “safe space” powers, meaning that any testimony or evidence given to it will not be handed over to another agency unless the High Court rules that it must. The body aims to help staff feel safe in speaking honestly about mistakes and understanding how to prevent them. The HSSIB can enter and inspect hospitals, seize documents and equipment, and compel individuals and organisations to answer questions. It replaces the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch. Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, who chaired a parliamentary committee that backed the idea of legal protection, said: “It is the real catalyst for breaking the hold of the traditional blame culture in healthcare. People make mistakes that are part of a failing safety system, but rarely because of deliberate negligence or carelessness.”

The Sunday Times

Our HR comment: – NHS staff granted ‘safe space’ powers to speak out about mistakes | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Following the stories we have heard recently regarding mistakes made in the NHS and their severe consequences, it is great to see this new scheme allowing a ‘safe space’ to give information without fear of it going to a third party unless the High Court rules it must. In any organisation it is vital that all members of the team feel confident in being able to express mistakes to the team and management and a culture is developed where they learn from their mistakes and make amendments to procedures etc, so that the same mistake does not happen again. This is why at Consensus HR; we ensure our clients have set Policies & Procedures / Standards in place for all areas of the business and their teams and that then development of their teams works in conjunction with them, and the appropriate action taken should anybody no meet them such as further development or disciplinary action.”

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If you wish to set up adequate Policies & Procedures / Standards for your business and teams, give us a call now for a non-obligatory chat. “Consensus HR – Helping companies take the pain out of managing people whilst Preventing People Problems.”

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19 10 2023

COSSH and Workplace Facilities | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #bedfordshirebusinesses, #COSHH, #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #WORKPlace facilities, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Make sure you know your COSHH essentials

A variety of harmful substances are found in our working environments – knowing how to control these safely is key to safety and protection from harm.

If you work with hazardous substances, our Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) website can help you understand the actions you should take to stay healthy.

Download HSE’s publication Working with substances hazardous to health: A brief guide to COSHH, which explains how to control exposure and comply with the regulations.

Our COSHH Safe Handling Chemicals poster also provides crucial guidance on how to handle chemicals safely in your workplace, including a useful hazardous signs check.

Make sure you have the right workplace facilities

Employers must provide welfare facilities and a working environment that’s healthy and safe for everyone in the workplace, including those with disabilities.

This means you must have:

welfare facilities
a healthy working environment
a safe workplace

Find out in more detail what you must provide for a safe and healthy workplace.

Employers are also required to provide enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them. Follow our guidance for toilets and washing facilities

Here are a few of our previous Health & Safety blogs which businesses and owners should be fully aware off and actioning:

Contact us now

If you have any questions about Health & Safety and what you should be providing within your business, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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12 10 2023

Between the 9 and 15 October 2023, Baby Loss Awareness Week is marked.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #baby, #bedfordshirebusinesses, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcedhumanresources, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, employment law, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Between the 9 and 15 October 2023, Baby Loss Awareness Week is marked. This week is a time for those affected to come together in remembrance of their lost loved ones and raising awareness of the thousands affected by baby loss each year.

Workplace support

How an individual deals with baby loss will be unique to them, shaped by their journey to becoming pregnant and the circumstances of the loss. Because of this, it is important not to treat all those impacted by this the same, but instead treat them as individuals and be guided in how they wish to be supported.

That being said, there are some basic measures employers can put in place to support their staff, such as making counselling available to employees, either via an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider or directly with a local counselling service.

Employers should also ensure their managers are well trained in dealing with these conversations sensitively. They may get actively involved in the delivery of support, or act as a signpost to resources that either the organisation or external sources offer.

Parental Bereavement Leave

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay is available to parents whose child dies under the age of 18, or is stillborn after 24 weeks. This applies regardless of the employee’s length of service.

Parental Bereavement Leave can be taken as either:

two weeks together
two separate weeks
one week alone

The leave can start on or after the death or stillbirth and must finish within 56 weeks of the death or stillbirth. If Parental Bereavement Leave is interrupted by another type of statutory leave, such as a pre-arranged period of Shared Parental Leave, any remaining Parental Bereavement Leave can be taken after the other leave has ended.

Maternity Leave

In cases of stillbirth after 24 weeks or where the baby was born living at any point in the pregnancy, both Ordinary and Additional Maternity Leave is still available. This means the employee may take the full 52 weeks of leave they are entitled to, starting from the day after the birth.

However, they may wish to bring forward their return date (or they may not). The normal notice rules for altering a return date from Maternity Leave will apply (ie 28 days written notice), although employers may use their discretion to waive this, given the circumstances of the situation.

Paternity Leave

Paternity is also available where the baby is stillborn after 24 weeks, or born living at any point in the pregnancy.

Shared Parental Leave

To take this leave, it must have been booked before the baby died, which will have involved the curtailing of maternity leave in order to ‘share’ leave. As such, it is unlikely that this leave will have been arranged where the baby is lost early on in the pregnancy. Employers may therefore decide to use their discretion to allow some other form of leave to be taken. Where the employer has exercised their discretion to do this, statutory shared parental leave pay will not be payable.

Sick Leave

Losing a child can be devastating, and the employee may be too unwell to work. If this is the case, the usual organisational sickness rules will apply, i.e. sick pay and certification.

A note on miscarriage

Under the Equality Act 2010, both sex and pregnancy and maternity are protected characteristics as under section 4. This protection continues for two weeks after a miscarriage.

Employment Law Case:

In Stokes v Glenham Property Management Ltd, the claimant lost her baby via miscarriage. She was absent from work on pre-booked annual leave, and was then signed off work before returning to work, taking her over two weeks since the miscarriage.

Shortly after, the claimant was dismissed via a letter, stating that she was “not fit to complete [your] role” due to absence, leading to a claim of discrimination. Finding for the claimant, the tribunal recognised that whilst the two-week time limit had ended at the point of dismissal, nevertheless this was sex discrimination by reason of dismissal due to the miscarriage, which is unique to the female sex.

Contact us now

If you run a business and just want to be able to get on with what you know best and need some support / guidance of HR / Employment Law in the workplace, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Rayner says workers will get rights from day one under Labour | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds.

12 10 2023

Lights, camera, take action for World Mental Health Day | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #hertfordshirebusinesses, #worldmentalhealthday, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Yesterday was World Mental Health Day – 10^th October and the Health & Safety Executive as part of their Working Minds Campaign have written some great advice below:

Lights, camera, take action for World Mental Health Day

This week, HSE’s Working Minds campaign calls for employers to take action to mark World Mental Health Day.

Stress, depression and anxiety are the number one cause of work-related ill health in Great Britain.

No matter the size or type of business, employers have a legal duty to ensure risks of stress and mental ill-health are considered in stress risk assessments and acted upon.

HSE has welcomed three new partners to its Working Minds campaign for the entertainment and leisure sector – an industry which by its very nature, is fast paced and changeable with many being self-employed, freelancers or contracted for set amounts of time.

Help is available

If you, or someone you know, needs help or support, reach out and ask how they are feeling and coping. We have guidance, resources and sources of support to help.

Contact us now

At Consensus HR, we help companies from all sectors with 1 – 250 employees with their Human Resources, Health & Safety and Employment Law and produce regular legal / best practice blogs on the subject. If you employ any employees and wish to seek support / advice on best practice and the law, do not hesitate to contact us now.

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09 10 2023

Acas says companies should provide menopause awareness training for managers. | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Health & Safety #consensus hr, #employmentlaw, #hertfordshirebusinesses, bedfordshire, Business, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, menopause, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) says companies should provide awareness training for managers about the menopause. Advice for companies includes making practical changes at work to help staff manage their symptoms, such as the availability of cold drinking water and temperature control, and how to handle the issue “with sensitivity.” Susan Clews, chief executive of Acas, said: “British businesses overwhelmingly feel that it is important to support women experiencing menopause at work. Staff can experience menopause in different ways and some symptoms can be severe both physically and mentally. Acas has a range of advice for employers on how best to support women impacted by the menopause: to stay at work , keep within the law and avoid any potential conflicts before they arise. We are encouraging businesses to take advantage of Acas’s expertise to develop a menopause policy, provide training and start conversations with staff to help normalise menopause, and provide a safe space for staff at work and to help women to stay at work. ”

Daily Telegraph

Our HR comment: – Acas says companies should provide awareness training for managers about the menopause | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting article from the Daily Telegraph in relation to ACAS and what they are now advising businesses in relation to the Menopause. ACAS is an independent organisation that provides support to businesses and some great information, and the ACAS Code of Practice is the main practice that must be followed at all times when dealing with any area of HR such as disciplinaries and grievances. At Consensus HR, we ensure our clients are always kept up to date with best practice and the law and is why all our retained clients who have our employee handbook have this, Policy. A very recent case at an Employment Tribunal in Leicester in February 2022 involving Ms Rooney involved the first Employment Appeal Tribunal decision that menopause symptoms can amount to a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act, setting a legal precedent. Business owners / Managers should ensure that they always keep up with legislation, best practice and any precedents that have been set by recent cases. Full details in relation to the case can be found by clicking here”

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If you employ people or have managers that manage a team and wish to ensure that they have the correct skills to manage effectively for the success of the business, individual and team, give us a call today.

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28 09 2023

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #workingatheights, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The latest Health & Safety Executive (HSE) bulletin talks about working at heights and how this is the most common kind of workplace fatality. This article provides a fantastic step by step guide for businesses.

Considering the risks associated with work at height and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely.

Our step-by-step guide can help you control risks when working at height.

It is also vital to make sure any scaffolding is stable and safe at all times.

Our scaffold checklist explains when a scaffold design is required. It also covers the level of training and competence needed for those erecting, dismantling, altering, inspecting and supervising scaffolding

Here are a few of our previously written blogs on Health & Safety and information received from the HSE.

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If you need support with HR and Health & Safety, give us a call now to discuss.

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27 09 2023

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General, Health & Safety #hertfordshirebusinesses, #longermsick, #outsourcing, #sickness, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Therapists employed by the state will this week begin consultations with the long-term sick after ministers expressed frustration that the NHS is not doing enough to get people back work. Physiotherapists, mental health counsellors and stroke specialists hired by the Department for Work and Pensions will offer assessments to people claiming sickness benefits in an effort to reduce the number classed as unfit to work. Pilot sessions will begin in London and Birmingham, with the Government hoping to expand the scheme by hiring more therapists. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “Many of our claimants have complex health conditions, and this trial will explore whether they could benefit from support from medical professionals with specialist knowledge.”

The Times

Our HR comments: – Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Following recent reports and statistics in relation to increases in long term sick, it is great to see this new scheme being piloted by the Government to offer assessments to people claiming sickness benefits. It will be great for businesses to be able to seek support and advice from specialists whilst the employees affected get the support they need to return to work. At Consensus HR, we regularly help companies and employees to return to the workplace but currently consists of us either writing to their GP or seeking support from an Occupational Health Provider. All of this is a lengthy process with a number of forms having to be completed and the consent from the employee requested to seek information. Hopefully, this new pilot will prove to be a success for both the member of the team and the companies involved.”

Here are a few of our previous blogs written on the subject of Long-Term Sickness:

Contact us now

If you have members of the team who are currently on long term sick leave and you wish to look and the best suitable options to be able to support them back into the workplace, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

22 09 2023

Take action now and make a positive impact | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Training & Development #diversity, #hse, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Everyone needs support at work: take action now and make a positive impact.

This is yet another great article from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) with some very useful development tools and information for your business and team and is one of the many subjects we help companies with when it comes to their teams and businesses and the world of HR and Health & Safety.

HSE ebulletin

Issued: 22 September 2023

This is a prompt for us to reflect on our collective responsibility to create workplaces where individuals are truly supported, valued and empowered.

HSE published non-statutory guidance, a set of simple core principles, to help employers create workplaces that are safe and supportive to enable disabled workers or workers with long-term health conditions to thrive.

The guidance also contains practical examples, to demonstrate how these principles can be applied in the workplace.

It’s not always easy recruiting the people you need to help your business succeed. So, keeping and developing talent in your business is important.

Monday, 25 September marks the start of National Inclusion Week 2023 (NIW). This year’s theme is taking action, make impact.

The week is a prompt to reflect on our collective responsibility to create workplace environments where individuals are truly valued and empowered.

We encourage you to think about your workplace and really consider the support available to colleagues and workers. Visit the Work Right for Everyone campaign for further information and download our Talking Toolkit, to help structure these conversations and give people a better understanding about how their colleagues experience work can remove stigma and pre-conceptions.

Here at HSE, we discussed inclusion with our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Officer, and HSE’s Network Chairs. From workplace environment to personal reflections, these conversations offer a glimpse into the experiences and perspectives of HSE colleagues who champion inclusivity in various areas of the organisation. Here’s what they said:

What does inclusion mean to you?

“Inclusion is somewhere you can call your own. You can be your authentic self, in an environment where you don’t feel judged or afraid. A space where you feel safe and empowered to speak up. A place where you feel a sense of belonging, an active part of the team in your own way. Inclusion is fundamental in building the foundations of an equitable and diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve here at HSE.”

Chess Whalley – EDI Officer, HSE

The HSE has set some core Principles to support disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions in work, which can be accessed by clicking here

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If you need support with your HR and Health & Safety, give us a call or email now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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19 09 2023

Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #outsourcing, absence, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

On the 18th of September 2023 our Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development wrote the following article on Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick which provides some interesting statistics. This is a subject we have written a number of blogs on in the past and full details can be seen at the bottom of the page.

Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick.

A quarter of employers have seen an increase in staff being off sick compared to a year ago, according to a new survey carried out by YouGov for Acas.

This found that while 9% had seen a decrease, 26% of employers had seen an increase in sickness absence.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “Bosses that handle sickness absences effectively can help to reduce it, prevent any unnecessary disputes at work and stay within the law. Acas has advice and training for businesses on how to prevent sickness absences and address the causes.”

Reducing sickness absence

Acas advises employers to:

put in place an absence policy that is clear on what is expected of managers and their staff if they need time off work!
create a culture at work where staff feel supported and comfortable raising problems that they trust will be taken seriously!
deal with the causes of absence such as work-related stress or workers struggling to balance work and caring responsibilities.

Good work-life balance

To help staff, employers should:

encourage them to speak up if they feel they are under too much pressure at work.
train managers to spot signs of a poor work-life balance.
offer flexible working where possible!
encourage breaks from work, including during the day and making sure employees take holidays!
regularly review workloads.
lead by example as, if managers and senior leaders have a good work-life balance, this will create a culture for employees to follow.

Our HR comment: Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This article from our Chartered Institute demonstrates some excellent examples of how to ensure your team are kept in work and enjoying what they are asked to do for their benefit / health but also for the benefit and success of the business. The Pandemic and recent years have thrown many obstacles at businesses and their success but businesses owners / managers always need to remember the welfare of their team. At Consensus HR we actively encourage all our clients to use these methods suggested by the CIPD and have clearly written and user friendly / legal Policies & Procedures to use when dealing with sick members of the team.”

Here are a few of our previous blogs written on the subject: –

Contact us now

If you would like to discuss how you can manage the sickness within your team successfully through the use of a user friendly, best practice and legal policy whilst also using modern age IT to manage, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

BP to review personal relationships following Looney departure | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

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