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08 06 2023

May saw 4 new laws be given Royal Assent

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #employmentlaw, #outsourcedhumanresources, #royalassent, Business, Business Owners, employment law, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

30 May 2023

A recent news article from our Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development has commented that May 2023 saw four new laws be given Royal Assent, the final stage in the process to make a law. Whilst there will still be time until these laws will be given an implementation date (the date form which they will be effective), all four of these new laws represent a significant change in employee rights and impose new duties on employers that they much now get to grips with the.

The new laws are as follows:

Carer’s leave – “Carer’s Leave Act 2023”

This Act give employees with caring responsibilities the legal right to take five days off each year to carry out those responsibilities for someone who is old, has a disability or an illness/injury lasting more than 3 months. The days will be unpaid and can be taken in full days or half days.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024.

Neonatal leave – “Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023”.

This Act gives parents of babies who need to go in hospital, for at least seven consecutive days and in the first 28 days of their life for neonatal care, extra time added to their maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave.

This will have the effect that for every week the baby spends in hospital, the parents will get an extra week added onto their leave, up to maximum extra 12 weeks. Due to the complex nature of shared parental leave, it remains to be seen how this will apply to that particular type of family friendly leave.

This is likely to be implemented in October 2024, as HMRC and employers will need time to adjust their payroll systems in order to accommodate a new type of statutory pay.

Protection from redundancy for new parents – “Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023”

This Act will require employers to offer pregnant employees, and those who have come back from maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave until 18 months after the birth/adoption, a suitable alternative vacancy during a redundancy exercise. Currently in place for the duration of maternity leave, this is a significant extension of this right.

The Act also creates new rights of unfair dismissal and discrimination if these employees are not favoured above all others in the redundancy exercise.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024, or sooner.

Tips – “Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023”

This Act imposes a new duty on employers to pass over any tips/gratuities/service charges to workers. Employers will also be legally required to have a policy that says how they allocate tips, and this should be in line with a statutory code of practice (yet to be created), and

keep records on how tips are allocated. Workers will have the right to see the records employers keep on these and make a claim to tribunal should they believe that tips are not being allocated fairly by their employer. Employers will face a

maximum £5000 compensation for doing it wrong.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024.

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07 06 2023

Payroll provider hit by cyber-attack

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Handbook, Training & Development #cyberattack, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #payroll, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

The BBC, British Airways, Boots and Aer Lingus are among organisations affected by a cyber-attack targeting Zellis, a company used to process payroll payments. It is believed that the breach could have affected as many as 100,000 British workers, with staff told that data including their names, bank account details and National Insurance numbers may have been stolen. The hack was first disclosed last week when US company Progress Software said hackers had found a way to break into its MOVEit Transfer tool. Zellis said it had informed the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The NCSC said it is monitoring the situation and “working to fully understand the UK impact” of the incident. Researchers at US cybersecurity firm Secureworks say the attack appears to be linked to a Russian-speaking cybercrime group called Clop.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is very worrying in this day and age where we are so dependent on IT and the web to run our businesses and I dread to think what we would do if our IT was intercepted. News out today on the BBC that I heard on my way to work is that they are going to make them pay a ransom if they wish things to return to normal. Here at Consensus HR, we are pleased to say that we have good security and all complete regular IT development on IT security, but you can never say never that you may be hacked! We advise all our clients to ensure regular updated IT development takes place as in the world of IT, it is always changing. Our IT provider continually provides us with information and tests to confirm our understanding and action / behaviours in preventing these kinds of instances.”

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If you wish to know how to provide up to date training for the team in preventing IT hacking, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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06 06 2023

Immigration can help push down UK inflation, says IMF deputy

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Recruitment #inflation, #outsourcedhumanresources, brexit, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Immigration that fills gaps in the UK’s domestic jobs market can help push down inflation, the deputy head of the International Monetary Fund has said. Gita Gopinath told BBC Newsnight that “with inflation as high as it is, having workers who can fill the shortages in some of the sectors that we’re seeing right now will help with bringing inflation down.” Economists have identified the UK’s tight labour market, exacerbated by the impact of Brexit on flows of European Union workers and the impact of the pandemic, as one of the main contributory factors to high domestic inflation. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Financial Times, Gopinath warns that artificial intelligence risks “substantial disruptions” and calls on governments to craft new rules to prepare for the nascent technology

BBC News

Financial Times

Our Comments: – Immigration can help push down UK inflation, says IMF deputy

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “We have written a number of blogs on inflation and the current skill shortage in the UK and this recent article demonstrates one opinion of from the IMF but what are your views on this? I know from talking to former colleagues within the retail and catering industry that this is currently a major issue with employment but will be interesting to hear from others?”

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YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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05 06 2023

Hybrid working is ‘here to stay’.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Ronni Zehavi, chief executive of human resources tech firm HiBob, says hybrid working “will stay with us for ever,” and warns that companies demanding their workers spend five days in the office “will experience a very high level of attrition.” While a number of firms are urging staff to return to their desks, and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has suggested that the “default” location for workers should be the office, Mr Zehavi said hybrid working is “here to stay,” adding: “It’s irreversible. It’s not short-term hype; it’s a change that will last for the next ten to fifteen years.” He added that around 90% of HiBob’s clients were committed to hybrid working and were “finding it very productive.” On a shift in working patterns, he added: “It’s no longer about counting hours, it’s about productivity.” He also expects the five-day working week to become a thing of the past.

The Times

Our Comments: Hybrid working is ‘here to stay’

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIOPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Since the ‘end’ of the Pandemic, we have written many blogs on this subject, and which are listed at the bottom of this blog if you wish to view? We have seen a major change in companies working patterns and as discussed previously many have now moved to Hybrid for on average two days a week and in the office for three and with the Chancellor recently stating that the office should be” default” we believe it should be up to the company to decide on what’s best for its business and team. However, businesses need to ensure that they have the correct HR Policies & Procedures in place to ensure the smooth practice of providing this whilst ensuring they have the full flexibility to run the business should things change.”

A couple of our previous blogs on the subject:

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If you need support with your team due to members still not wishing to return to the office as required, 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:

05 06 2023

Get involved with Bike Week 100

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety, Rewards & Benefits #bike, #nationalbikeweek, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

5-11 June 2023 is the 100th annual Bike Week, marking a century of celebrating everyday cycling for everyone.

Did you know that it is the 100^th annual Bike Week? Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, owner of Consensus HR comments “What better way is there, than to get out into the fresh air and country side if possible for an enjoyable ride on the bike?”

Get involved with Bike Week 100

Bike Week 100 is all about workplace cycling, and we want to encourage as many workplaces as possible to support their staff to ride during the week, it can be anything from organising an event ride to simply encouraging staff to choose the bike instead of the car.

This year, the UK’s largest cycling awareness week is celebrating the power of active travel for businesses and us all.
Cycling UK.org is offering freeevent insurance and promotional materials for workplace cycling events

Cycling UK.org is setting a series of challenges as part of the Bike Week 100 celebrations, highlighting the benefits more cycling can bring to our health, our finances, our communities and the natural world.

So, this Bike Week, from 5-11 June, let’s make it count. It’s the perfect chance to get active travel on the agenda in an engaging, tangible way.

What you can do this Bike Week

Organise a ride with your workplace – if you would like to put on an event ride, we have the information and materials to make it a success
Take on a Bike Week 100 challenge – with options available for new, returning and experienced riders, there’s a challenge for everyone.
Organise a cyclists’ event – put on a cyclists’ breakfast to encourage commuters to switch the car for the saddle.

Don’t forget to share your photos with us using the hashtag #BikeWeek100

For further information click here.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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02 06 2023

£25,000 – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General #disability, #disabilityinworkplace, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

£25,000 – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case against Home Bargains, his former employer. Ryan Walker, who worked as a sales assistant at the company’s Armagh shop, took the case after his duties were changed. He had informed the firm that he needed to be physically active to manage his disability but was later moved from stacking shelves to working on tills. Home Bargains settled the case without admitting liability. Mr Walker said his experience had been awful and he had gone from “enjoying a job for three years to dreading going into work.” Mary Kitson from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said: “No employee with a disability should feel that their needs are not understood or valued by their employer.”

BBC News

Our comments: – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case against Home Bargains

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting case that occurred in Northern Ireland which currently does not use the Equality Act 2010 but their own version which is very similar to ours and can be found by clicking here. Companies need to ensure that if informed of a disability they need to obtain professional medical advice to ascertain if any reasonable adjustments are needed as was the case in this scenario. In this situation, the business obviously needed more cashiers but had not fully thought through the consequences and needs of the member of the team involved due to their disability. If you are ever unsure of what action to take to ensure you are working to best practice and law, we advise that you talk to a Chartered HR professional and avoid this kind of scenario in your workplace where somebody dreads coming to work and an award of £25,000.

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31 05 2023

Health & Safety Update

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #asbestos, #dust, #finger, #outsourcedhumanresources, #severedfinger, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

HSE targets construction workers’ lung health with nationwide inspection campaign

Failure to prevent life-threatening diseases caused by dust at work is unacceptable, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as it gears up for a summer targeting construction sites across Great Britain.

Supported by HSE’s Dust Kills campaign, which provides free advice to businesses and workers on the control measures required to prevent exposure to dust, the inspections throughout May, June and July will focus on respiratory risks from exposure to dust.

Each year in the construction industry, there are thousands of preventable cases of irreversible lung disease due to past exposure to dust at work. These diseases often have a life-changing impact and can result in an early death.

HSE’s chief inspector of construction, Michael Thomas, said: “Every year we see construction workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work. This is unacceptable in the 21^st century, when occupational lung disease is preventable.

“We are urging employers and workers to take the necessary precautions today to protect their long-term lung health, to avoid them and their families suffering from the devastating impact that can result.”

Starting on Monday, 15 May 2023, the inspections, part of a respiratory health intervention initiative, will specifically focus on dust control, checking employers and workers know the risks, plan their work, and are using the right controls.

Inspectors will be checking the control measures in place to protect workers from inhaling construction dusts including silica (Respirable Crystalline Silica/RCS) and wood dust. They will also gain assurances that asbestos containing materials have been identified and removed or managed where necessary to prevent or reduce exposure.

The initiative is supported by HSE’s Dust Kills campaign. This provides simplified advice and guidance on the Work Right website, for employers, small builders and workers, to help everyone understand the risks and how to stay healthy on site.

The primary aim of the inspection initiative is to ensure workers’ health is being protected. However, if safety risks or other areas of concern are identified, inspectors will take the necessary action to deal with them.

Michael Thomas continued: “Our inspectors will visit a range of construction sites to check businesses are taking the necessary action to ensure their workers’ long-term respiratory health is being protected. Through engaging with those on site, we can make sure they have considered the job from start to finish, have considered the risks at each stage, and are managing the risks with effective measures in line with the broad hierarchy of control options such as water suppression, extraction, and as a last resort Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE).

For more information visit the Work Right campaign page.

HSE has partnered with construction and occupational health organisations to highlight the control measures required on site to prevent exposure to dust. The network of Dust Kills partners includes Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), Construction Leadership Council (CLC), Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) and Construction Dust Partnership.

Asbestos and You: new resources available

HSE’s Asbestos and You campaign urges tradespeople working in construction to be aware of disturbing asbestos.

Two new free resources have been launched for workers to test and enhance their knowledge about asbestos and the risks associated with it:

find out if you know enough to protect yourself and others from exposure to asbestos fibres by taking the Asbestos and You quick quiz
we recently held a webinar in partnership with The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), which is now available to watch for free on YouTube

To access more resources and find out more about the campaign, visit our Asbestos and You website.

£100,000 fine for food processing firm after worker severs finger

A food processing firm has been hit with a £100,000 fine after a worker severed part of her finger when her hand was caught in machinery at a site in Devon.

The 37-year-old woman was employed by Amber Foods Limited at a site in Cullompton, when the incident happened on 31 October 2018. She had been working on a Meyn eviscerator – a conveyor-fed machine that slices and separates chicken livers and hearts – when she noticed a build-up of offcuts around the blades. Believing the machine had stopped, she reached in to unblock the area but her hand was caught by the moving conveyor, partially severing her right index finger.

The 37-year-old severed part of her finger in the food processing machine

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the blade and chute area of the machine lacked effective guarding, failing to prevent any person coming into contact with the moving parts.

At a hearing at Taunton Magistrates Court, Amber Foods Limited of Trinity Park Business Park, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2 (1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974. They were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,241.

Speaking afterwards, HSE inspector James Collins said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing correct control measures for machinery guarding and safe working practices.

“Employers should make sure they properly assess risk and apply effective control measures to protect workers from dangerous parts of machinery.”

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31 05 2023

Amazon to offer parents term-time-only working

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General, Payrol #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #termtime, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Parents and grandparents who work in Amazon warehouses will be able to choose to work in term-time only. Amazon said the new contract will mean people with children to look after can take six weeks of holiday in summer and two weeks at Easter and at Christmas. Amazon’s regional operations director, Neil Travis, said he hopes the flexible working will encourage more people back into the workplace. “We spent a lot of time listening to our employees and one of the things that we were learning is that they really wanted more flexible opportunities,” Mr Travis said. He added that the contract still entitles people to full-time benefits. Amazon is offering the new contract just as it is trying to fight a bid by the GMB to be the first trade union in Europe to be recognised by the company. The union commented that, while flexible working is welcome, most workers want better wages. “What they’re telling us is they can’t live on poverty pay,” a union spokesperson said. Claire McCartney at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development notes that only 4% of workers have term-time working, commenting: “With the cost and availability of childcare causing huge challenges for working parents, term-time working is likely to have a positive impact on attraction and retention at a time when organisations are struggling with skills shortages.”

BBC News

Our Comment: – Amazon to offer parents term-time-only working

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting article from the BBC and especially with the continual news that parents are finding it hard to get childcare and the Government today announcing changes to help parents get back into work. Flexible working is currently a right to all workers who have 26 weeks service and have only made one request in the past year. Legislation is changing though with it currently going through the House of Commons with the proposal that employees can make two requests per year. The difference in this instance though is different as Amazon are given people with children to look after can take six weeks of holiday in summer and two weeks at Easter and at Christmas which should make a vast difference as commented by our Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and Claire McCarney”

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30 05 2023

Young people shun trade unions

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #tradeunions, #youngpeople, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Trade union membership rates among young people have reached a record low. Department for Business data shows that just 4% of employees aged 16 to 24 were in a union last year. This is down from 7% in 1995. For workers aged 25 to 34, the rate dropped five percentage points to 21%. A Trades Union Congress spokesman said: “Young workers tend to disproportionately feature in sectors and jobs which have traditionally been more difficult to organise, such as hospitality, accommodation and food, as well as be in low-paid, insecure work.” Manuela Galetto, associate professor of employment relations at Warwick Business School, said: “The decline reflects a steady increase in non-unionised occupations linked to the growth of e-commerce,” while also noting “an increase in the number of careers where there is a high concentration of precarious and short-term contracts, notoriously less likely to unionise.”

The Times

Our Comment: “Young people shun trade unions –

Matthew Pinto- Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments:” Whatever your views on Trade Unions, I personally do have to say that they have a purpose if the relationship is good between both parties, which only comes from working together for the benefit of the business and the team. I have experienced within my career the pros and cons of having one and where it has worked extremely well and where it has not. I have also worked within industries where there are no unions such as Hospitality and Retail but where is some instances a Colleague Consultative Committee is formed to allow representatives from each of the departments to attend on behalf of their colleagues and express their points.

Whether it is a Trade Union, Colleague Consultative Meeting or any other form it is vital that business owners listen to their teams whilst giving them the opportunity to have their say on changes within the business. This helps to ensure the team feel involved and a key part of the success of the business and how their input can help to increase revenue, retention and profit.”

If you wish to know how to set up a Colleague Consultative Meeting with the team or what Trade Unions involve, give us a call now.

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If you wish to discuss how to get input from your team and consult with them whether it be through a trade union or consultative committee meeting, give us a call today.

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29 05 2023

Pensions: A Hugely Valuable Employee Benefit

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Payrol, Rewards & Benefits #employeebenefits, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, Employee Wellbeing, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

All employers must provide a pension scheme to their employees. A range of schemes is available, and employees can opt out if they wish. However companies should encourage their team to sign up for a pension, explaining the benefits of planning for the future.

Research confirms that 77% of employees value a company funded retirement scheme. HR Magazine quotes the 2022 survey results, stating the most valued work perks as:

79% Overtime
77% Flexible working hours
77% Company-funded retirement plan
65% Early finish Fridays
64% Four day working week

Matthew from Consensus HR explains: “We have found that monetary benefits tend to be short lived as employees tend to forget about them once they have spent them! However a pension is a benefit that, if set up correctly, benefits the employee when they retire as well as gaining maximum tax benefits.

“We work with our clients to identify suitable benefits for their teams in addition to their Pension and have found them to be very beneficial with clients finding their teams motivation improving and sales increasing.”

Steve Herbert, wellbeing and benefits director at Partners& told HR Magazine:

“UK employers should take note of this trend. Meeting candidate and employee expectations takes on a new importance.

“Employers need to attract and retain the very best talent while also maximising the productivity of each and every one. Employers will only be able to achieve this if their wider employment offering matches the expectations of workers.”

Further Analysis of Pension Incentives

A new poll by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr splits the benefit preference by employees’ age and gender: “When it comes to employee benefits, every individual’s requirements and priorities differ, of course. And the order of importance varies depending on who is being asked.

“For workers over 45 years old, for example, getting their pension contributions matched (to help them build a bigger pension pot faster) appears to be more beneficial than being able to work flexible hours (59% vs 45%).

“For those under 45 years old, who are further away from retirement, it’s the opposite – with more people in this age group ranking flexible working hours higher than pension contribution matching (57% vs 42%).”

Findings show that 49% of women value pension contribution matching compared with 41% of men.

The company asked employers to rank the importance of employee benefits with fascinating results. They placed pension contribution matching in joint last place, compared with the third place achieved via employees’ scores.

Matt Russell, chief commercial officer at Ciphr, said: “It is surprising to see such a disconnect between the benefits that employees value and what employers think – especially given how important good rewards and benefits packages are to attracting and retaining top talent and for supporting a great employee experience.”

If you want to attract and retain employees, growing your reputation as an employer of choice, it’s important to incentivise and reward your employees. To get the balance right whilst remaining compliant with employment and tax laws, talk to the friendly team at Consensus HR. Employment law is a specialist focus of ours. Let’s arrange an informal, initial discussion without obligation. Discover how to optimise your employees’ performance.

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26 05 2023

National Biscuit Day – 29th May

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Rewards & Benefits #nationalbiscuitday, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

What better way is there to celebrate National Biscuit day than to buy some packets of biscuits for the team to enjoy over a cup of tea or coffee on this day?

National Biscuit Day, which is celebrated on May 29 annually, is a British holiday that allows us to appreciate the biscuit and all its various types and flavors. Biscuits are flour-based products that are baked in a variety of shapes. Typically, they are made and sweetened with flavors such as sugar, chocolate, icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. Biscuits, like crackers, can also be savory. A biscuit can also refer to a hard flour-based product made specifically for animals, such as dog biscuits. A biscuit is a small baked product that is commonly referred to as a “cookie” or a “cracker” in the United States and most of English-speaking Canada outside of North America.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL BISCUIT DAY UK

The need for nutritious and long-lasting foods that could easily be transported on long journeys, particularly at sea, was initially solved by taking live food along with a cook. However, depending on the mode of transportation at the time, which was either horses or small ships, this would require additional space. This would eventually lead to the baking of processed cereals (including the production of flour), providing a more reliable source of food.

In earlier times, most physicians believed that most health problems were related to digestion, and ‌it was considered and recommended that biscuits be eaten daily for sustenance and to avoid illnesses. Because hard biscuits soften with age, early bakers attempted to create the hardest possible biscuits. When baked hard, biscuits could be stored for years without spoiling as long as they were kept dry. As the supply of sugar increased, as did the refinement and supply of flour, and so did the ability to sample more leisurely foods, including sweet biscuits.

The British biscuit business established market dominance with new products and visually appealing packaging. In 1831, the British company Huntley & Palmers invented the decorative biscuit tin, which resulted in biscuits being exported around the world. By 1900, Huntley & Palmers biscuits had been sold in 172 countries, demonstrating their global reach. Because of the historical importance of this type of food, many regions of the world now have their own distinct style of biscuit.

NATIONAL BISCUIT DAY UK TIMELINE

1831

Huntley & Palmers Invent the Biscuit Tin

The biscuit tin is invented and used for the transport of biscuits during exportation.

1891

Cadbury Patents the Chocolate Covered Biscuit

Cadbury patents the chocolate biscuit.

1892

McVitie’s Digestive is Made

The McVitie’s Digestive biscuit is first made in 1892.

1900

Hunter & Palmers Sells In 172 Countries

Hunter & Palmers makes sales in up to 172 countries by 1900.

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What is better than buying packets of biscuits on a day that celebrates it for the team?

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Summer employment issues: a six-point checklist

Employee, Worker or Self-Employed … What’s the Difference

23 05 2023

UK firms recruit skilled workers from Africa and Asia

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Recruitment, Rewards & Benefits #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #skilledworkers, brexit, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Figures seen by Sky News show that UK firms are recruiting skilled workers from Africa and Asia to plug staff shortages. Since January 2021, the new post-Brexit migration system has made it easier for workers outside of Europe to enter the UK. India, South Africa, and Ghana are among the countries that are having success with the new skilled visa route. Businesses are making use of the new post-Brexit migration system to bring in IT professionals, nurses and accountants. The data, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, suggests that businesses are willing to absorb the cost of sponsorship to secure the talent they need, even though the fees levied by the Home Office are high. Louisa Cole, principal associate at Eversheds Sutherland, observed: “Since the UK exited lockdown, we have seen skills shortages exposed and businesses look overseas for talented workers to plug the gaps revealed . . . We knew that UK businesses leaned on international talent, but since leaving the EU many have looked further afield than the EU as freedom of movement ended.” She added: “In some respects there is now a level playing field for those outside of the EU when coming to the UK . . . This has been evident in the likes of the financial services sector where UK firms have brought more talent from countries such as India, China, Nigeria and South Africa post-Brexit.”

Sky News

Our Comments: UK firms recruit skilled workers from Africa and Asia

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting article from Sky News and the information they gained under the Freedom of Information Act. Brexit has caused many problems with recruitment for employers and especially areas such as Hospitalities and retail who the option of sponsorship and the costs involved is not a suitable resolution. This article really highlights the importance of looking after your team and retaining talent within the business through successful HR best practice and legal procedures. However, it does not mean though that unproductive team members should be retained if a company has tried to get the best from them through development and other best practice / legal processes.”

IF your company wish to look at your current HR recruitment / retention processes, give us a call today.

Contact us now

If you need support with your team this summer, then we are here to help.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

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