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23 05 2023

Fairbairn: CBI claims are ‘difficult and distressing

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #equalityact2010, #equalityanddiversity, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Former Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn says the scandal at the UK business lobby group, which has seen allegations of sexual harassment and rape being made by the organisation’s staff, has been “incredibly difficult and distressing.” While CBI president Brian McBride has told members that the group hired “culturally toxic people” and “made mistakes in how we organised the business that led to terrible consequences,” Dame Carolyn said she is “proud” of the culture she created as the first woman to run the organisation. “I maintain and believe that it was a really good culture, and that was very far from being a toxic culture,” she said, saying CBI board analysis which drew a direct link from a toxic culture to assaults on women “is fundamentally unfounded and has let down the organisation and let down the people who led it through the years I was there.” The issue, she added, “is about men behaving badly towards women.” Meanwhile, John Allan is stepping down as chairman of Tesco following allegations over his conduct. Allan, who is also a former president of the CBI, has strongly denied three of four claims made against him. However, board member Byron Grote, who will temporarily replace Allan as chairman, said: “These allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco.” Tesco said it had made “no findings of wrongdoing.”’

BBC News

The Sunday Times

Our Comments: Fairbairn: CBI claims are ‘difficult and distressing.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This week has seen further articles in the press and on TV about alleged sexual harassment in the workplace with the former Director General of the CBI, a woman now making a comment in this article from the BBC and The Sunday Times. Equality in the workplace seems to be a topic that we are continually writing about and offering advice and guidance to our clients in their businesses. All businesses should have a user friendly, best practice and legal Equality at Work Policy which is used and managed correctly. No member of the team should have to go to work and not be treated equally and shown respect and with claims being able to be made from day one of employment and no limit on awards if proven at an Employment Tribunal, can any business afford to not take this seriously?

Good user friendly and legal HR Policies and Procedures are written for a reason, to be used and embedded into your company’s culture, actions and behaviours so that all members of the team enjoy coming to work and being productive for the success of the business and team member,

Previous written blogs on subject:

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22 05 2023

Sexual Harassment at Work

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #outsourcedhumanresources, #sexual harassment, #sexualharassment, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

New research shows that 2 in 3 young women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work.

TUC (Trades Union Congress) findings published 12 May 2023 also state that 43% of women have experienced at least three incidents of sexual harassment. Sadly, most victims don’t report it for fear of not being believed, or damaging their working relationships and career prospects.

Whilst most sexual harassment victims are female, it is important to note that one in ten complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace are from men. (The Diversity Dashboard.)

What kind of behaviour constitutes sexual harassment at work?

In simple terms, sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour by anyone in the workplace of a sexual nature against you.

This harassment can be verbal or non-verbal and may make you feel intimidated or uncomfortable and an individual does not have needed to object to a person’s behaviour for it to be considered unwanted.

Examples include:

Sexual comments or jokes – in person or via email
Inappropriate touching, such as pinching, patting or hugging
Unwelcome sexual advances or other forms of sexual assault
Staring in a sexually suggestive manner or wolf whistling
Displaying images of a sexual nature – for example, a colleague may put up a topless calendar or picture, which you find offensive
Being treated less favourably as a result of rejecting any such conduct

The Equality and Human Rights Commission describes sexual harassment:

“Sexual harassment occurs when a person engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of:

violating someone’s dignity, or
creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.”

Sexual harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.

Anyone who experiences sexual harassment at work in the UK is protected by Chapter 1, Section 11 of the Equality Act 2010 and can make a claim to an Employment Tribunal (ET) immediately regardless of length of service with awards being uncapped.

“Employers need to ensure they know of any behaviours that may make members of the team feel uncomfortable and take the necessary action,” says Matthew from Consensus HR. “Initially, this may involve telling the individual to stop their behaviour immediately. If they persist, disciplinary action should be taken. All employees need to be fully aware of how they act at work, recognising that what they may see as acceptable behaviour may be felt as degrading or harassing by a colleague.

“Companies need to ensure that the workplace is an enjoyable one for everyone regardless of any personal characteristics such as sex, race, age and/or disability. Employees should not be treated less favourably or involved in behaviour which can be seen as harassment, degrading or uncomfortable. It is up to everyone in the workplace to ensure this happens.”

Every member of staff must understand that unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly. Failure to act results in employers harming the reputation of the company and themselves. They need to remember that failure could result in an Employment Tribunal taking place, with the potential of a large, uncapped award being awarded to the employee.”

Wilko collapses into administration | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

Would you like to know more about this important topic?

Has your business taken the necessary steps to prevent and deal with sexual harassment in your workplace?

Protect your business and your team members. Talk to the expert team at Consensus HR for honest, practical advice about employment law. Explore the options with an initial discussion, without any cost, pressure or jargon.

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If you need support with any area of HR, do not hesitate to contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Summer employment issues: a six-point checklist

18 05 2023

Office working should be ‘default’, Chancellor says

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #default, #hybridworking, #office, #officeworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

The Chancellor has said the “default” location for workers should be in the office, unless there is a good reason to work remotely or in a hybrid pattern. Jeremy Hunt said that while working remotely – which has become increasingly common since the pandemic – has produced “exciting opportunities,” he is worried about a “loss of creativity” when it is permanent. A recent Deloitte survey found that 77% of Gen Z and 71% of millennials would consider looking for a new job if their employer asked them to go to their workplace full-time. Kate Sweeney, partner and human capital lead at Deloitte, said younger workers “expect to be able to flex their work to accommodate their personal life.” She added: “Employers who recognise this desire for choice and support this are more likely to attract, retain and motivate the best talent from these two generations.” Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said: “Office environments provide valuable opportunities for collaboration, learning and social interaction, but the pandemic has also demonstrated the value of remote working in fostering employee well-being, and work-life balance, without compromising on productivity.”

BBC News

The Times

Our Comment: Office working should be ‘default’, Chancellor says

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott. FCIPOD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Following many of our blogs written on this subject and shown below, we can now see within this article on the BBC and The Times that Jeremy Hunt has now made his opinion on the subject of not returning to the office with our Chartered Institute also having a say. We have had to help some of our clients get their teams back to the office but some have also expressed that it does actually work for their business not working from the office full time but on a flexible basis with some set compulsory days such as Tuesday, Wednesday. Business Owners need to ensure that they fully investigate whether this does work for their team and the business and through consultation with the team, take the necessary action as after all, without business there is no job but by not discussing it with the team, it can result in extreme adverse effects for the business such as bad moral, production, retention to name a few.”

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17 05 2023

Pay growth and employment climb in Q1

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Payrol #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #paygap, #payrise, #payroll, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Pay growth hit 6.7% in the first three months of the year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while pay growth in the public sector came in at 5.6% – the highest rate since 2003. However, when price rises are taken into account, total pay – including bonuses – was down 4% annually in real terms. The ONS report shows that the employment rate edged up to 75.9% between January and March, driven by an increase in part-time employees and self-employed workers, while the unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.9%. Vacancies fell by 55,000 in the three-month period, while PAYE numbers were down for the first time for two years in February, by 136,000 to 29.8m. Meanwhile, There were 556,000 working days lost because of labour disputes in March. The ONS data also shows that the number of people not working due to long-term sickness has risen to a new record of 2.5m

Sky News

BBC News

Daily Mail

Our comment: Pay growth and employment climb in Q1

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting insight into pay within the UK during the first Quarter for 2023. The past three years with the Pandemic and high inflation has been very difficult for businesses when it comes to pay and can only advise business owners / managers to ensure that pay reviews are managed and implemented correctly with the team so that no adverse effects happen such as poor motivation and moral / customer service. The team should always know how the business is doing financially and be rewarded appropriately and it should never be a shock if a pay rise does not occur.

If you wish to discuss how you can involve the team in structured business consultations such as pay, development, rewards etc, contact us now for a non obligatory chat.”

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

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

15 05 2023

Mental Health: The HR Perspective

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Mental health, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Mental health has been catapulted into the headlines recently, thanks to Mental Health Awareness Week (15 – 21 May 2023).

There is increased awareness and openness about mental health. How should employers recruit, support and/or manage employees who are affected?

Recruitment

An Employment Appeal Tribunal back in 2017 found that the Government Legal Service’s (GLS) mandatory test (used during recruitment of lawyers) was guilty of indirect discrimination. The claimant has Asperger’s Syndrome. Her psychiatrist had made previous recommendations (in relation to her university courses) that a multiple choice format test would not be appropriate for her. As the GLS test was not available in different formats, the claimant was severely disadvantaged during the recruitment process.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal acknowledged that the GLS needed to test the core competency of ability of its candidates to make effective decisions. However, it found that a psychometric test was not the only way to achieve this.

“It is valid for employers to assess the essential skills required within a job role, “explains Matthew Pinto-Chilcott of Consensus HR. “However, the test method should adapt to the needs of individuals.”

Support

Supporting mental health in the workplace can be challenging and the issues around it are complex. Therefore, it is important that employers are aware of their legal obligations and the issues that arise. Three key issues are involved:

Health and safety
Disability discrimination
Personal injury claims

Employers can manage mental health issues via two key approaches: having policies and procedure in place to deal with mental health issues, and supporting employees via training (for managers especially), return to work interviews and on-going support in the workplace and during periods of absence.

“Professional advice can ensure that policies support both the organisations and its people,” says Matthew from Consensus HR. “With growing awareness and openness about mental health issues, this step is increasingly important.”

Management

Clear, honest communication between employers and employees should determine the nature of support required and the best way to provide that help. However this path relies upon individuals being open about their mental illness. Often, people are concerned about revealing their illness to their employers, leading to deliberate concealment.

Concealment is potentially a problem right from the start as people are not obliged to disclose any health issues during the recruitment process. However, Employment Law Consultant Kevin J Murphy explains that if there is a contractual requirement upon an employee to disclose medical conditions which may affect their ability to do their job and the employee has concealed it, there is action you can take.

He explains: “A deliberate concealment can mean that the contract is void if there was a requirement to disclose detailed within it. Further, an employer could rely on the employee’s dishonesty as a reason for dismissal, but might need evidence of their decision to hide their illness.”

“Any dismissal on either of these grounds should still follow the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures to assist the employer to evidence that the dismissal is not based on the employee having a disability – but their dishonesty.”

Matthew from Consensus HR adds: “By thinking through the functions involved with specific job roles and adding clauses to the contract of employment, employers can achieve protection for their organisations whilst supporting the individuals involved. It’s important to get the HR basics right.”

Mental health issues within the workplace is a complex subject and one that is very important to both businesses and people.

Further information on Mental Health Awareness Week can be found by clicking here.

If you would like to find out more and discuss your organisation’s circumstances, contact Matthew for an informal, no-obligation discussion.

Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems and can be caused by prolonged stress at work.

A report by Deloitte estimates that the total annual cost of poor mental health to employers has increased by 25% since 2019, costing UK employers up to £56 billion a year.

Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, the law requires all employers to prevent work-related stress to support good mental health in the workplace by including it in your risk assessment.

HSE’s Working Minds campaign aims to help businesses and workers prevent work-related stress. You can access the following related resources:

a poster with Working Minds 5 simple steps (.pdf)
a round up of campaign resources available (.pdf)
a risk assessment template
HSE’s Talking Toolkit for practical step-by-step guidance in speaking to workers about preventing work-related stress

Contact us now

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

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

11 05 2023

Government to consult on changes to Working Time Directive

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

The Business Secretary has announced that the Government to consult on changes to Working Time Directive as part of its “drive for greater deregulation.” Kemi Badenoch told the Telegraph “improvements to employment law could help save businesses around £1bn a year, while safeguarding the rights of workers.” She explained: “We will consult on cutting unnecessary red tape on recording working hours, streamline engagement with workers when a business transfers to new owners, and provide up to five million UK workers with greater freedom to switch jobs by limiting non-compete clauses.” Meanwhile, Badenoch has blamed what she describes as Whitehall intransigence for the failure to scrap all EU laws by the end of the year, as promised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. She has said she can only immediately scrap or reform approximately 600 EU laws because of the situation she inherited. The government had promised that 4,800 laws would be axed. Badenoch went on to say that she will develop a new approach that will mean, rather than chasing a deadline for scrapping the laws, her department will pursue “the meaningful reform government and businesses want to see

The Daily Telegraph.”

Our HR Comment: – Government to consult on changes to Working Time Directive

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Well this is the latest in relation to the axing of EU laws outlined in The Daily Telegraph. In this instance they are talking about consulting on the Working Time Directive but what is it? In a nutshell it affects every employee and the hours they can work being a maximum of 48 hours a week unless they opt out as well as time off between shifts amongst other things. The UK was the only country within Europe to have this option.

Full details can be found on the Health & Safety Executive website by clicking here.

Previous written blog:

Fewer EU laws to be scrapped.

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If you are worried about European Law changes or Employment Law in general, give us a call.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

10 05 2023

NHS plans apprenticeship scheme

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

The NHS plans to address staff shortages by launching a post-A level apprenticeship scheme that would allow one in 10 doctors and a third of nurses to start work without a traditional medical degree. The scheme, which could begin this autumn, is part of a wider workforce strategy aimed at finding new ways to train and recruit healthcare workers. The “medical doctor degree apprenticeship” would involve the same training and standards as traditional education routes, with the key difference being that apprentice medics will be put on the wards almost immediately, working under supervision and being paid. Amanda Pritchard, the head of the NHS, said: “This radical new approach could see tens of thousands of school-leavers becoming doctors and nurses or other key healthcare roles, after being trained on the job over the next 25 years.” However, some medics have raised concerns that the scheme could create a “two-tier system,” with apprentice degrees being seen as “lesser.”

The Daily Telegraph

HR Comment: NHS plans apprenticeship scheme for doctors and nurses

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting new way of filling the current gaps that exist within the NHS in general at the moment and we are all for, finding new ways to develop employees with the skills required for the role but past experience has shown that Apprenticeships dependent on the business you work for can have varying ranges of success. This will need to be managed correctly and not used as a way to get professional NHS workers on the cheap as it could end up as an hinderance to the rest of the NHS team and patients rather than a help! Apprenticeships are a great scheme if the business owners and management teams ensure they are correctly developed in the Apprentices chosen areas with the skills experience and qualifications required to fulfil the role going forward.

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If you wish to look at your current recruitment strategy.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

09 05 2023

Rise in long-term sick pushes benefits bill to record high

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

The UK is set to spend a record £1.9bn a week on benefits for working-age people this year due to a significant increase in the number of those suffering from long-term sickness. Department for Work and Pensions figures show that claimants will receive more than £100bn from the state, 52% more than before the pandemic. This is an increase of £34bn since Rishi Sunak became Chancellor in 2019-20. Half a million people left the workforce due to long-term sickness during the pandemic, and an additional 224,000 working-age people are expected to claim disability benefits annually, pushing the total to 3.7m by 2027-28. The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that the number of new claims for universal credit and personal independence payments had doubled across every age group. Former Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith blamed ministers for failing to restore strict rules on claimants and failing to treat long-term sickness, particularly anxiety and depression.

The Times

Our HR comment: Rise in long-term sick pushes benefits bill to record high

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting article in the Times and something within Consensus HR that we are noticing a lot with our clients. Business Owners firstly need to make sure that they have a good, user friendly Sickness and Absence Policy in place that all members of the team are informed about when they start employment with the company and that this is to best practice and the law. This needs to be managed appropriately with back to work interviews for any occasion of absence regardless of length or reason. Absence should be spoken about and measured for all the team and amendments made to company policies and procedures if needed and even the work environment if it is found to be causing issues with members of the team’s health. I always say to people that HR is part of a web where companies must dot the I’s and cross the T’s as it all interacts. An example of this is that within an employees Contract of Employment, you should have a clause that states if needed you will seek GP / Occupational Health advice as at the end of the day we are not the medical professionals! By working with the medical professionals, businesses can ensure that members of the team are looked after and are back into the business asap. Good Health & Safety also plays a key part in the welfare with Risk Assessments and the appropriate training such as Fire, COSHH, Manual Handling to name a few to ensure the health of the team whilst ensuring all advice given by the Health & Safety Executive is followed whilst again adequate HR Policies and Procedures are in place and followed / managed. When working for a major retail chain we made sure that a new employees Induction incorporated all of this whilst making it an enjoyable event on their first day of employment. Yearly refreshers were then retaken during the quieter times of business.”

Key Information and blogs:

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08 05 2023

Redundancy & Maternity Leave. What is the law?

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

Redundancy & Maternity Leave. What is the law?

Sadly, businesses sometimes need to cut costs in order to survive market conditions. This can involve making employees redundant.

Matthew from Consensus HR comments “Employers need to remember that there are set legal processes that must be followed in relation to fair reasons to dismiss someone, with redundancy being one of those. You should also remember that it is the job you are making redundant and not the person although the loss of the job means the person selected will be made redundant. Nobody likes to make anyone redundant, but employers need to ensure that they consult, consult, consult and try everything possible to avoid the need to make redundancies.”

Many employers query how to manage a redundancy process involving staff on maternity leave. This article clarifies the issues involved.

Retaining employees on maternity leave

Employees do not have to be retained simply because they are on maternity leave. However, consultation is key. Acas explains: “Failure to consult a woman on maternity leave about possible redundancy is likely to be unlawful discrimination. A woman made redundant while on maternity leave must be offered any suitable alternative vacancy if you have one.”

Before making employees on maternity leave redundant, there are five important points to consider:

1. Genuine redundancy situation

You must be able to prove that there is a genuine need to reduce your headcount. Dismissing your employee because she has had a baby or is on maternity leave, is discriminating against her. This could lead to a discrimination claim. You must have evidence to prove why you need to make redundancies. For example, emails, reports, statistics and other contemporaneous documents showing a downturn in business or a reduction in work and the reasons for it.

2. Fair selection process

You must choose whom you are going to select for redundancy fairly and reasonably. This involves choosing a reasonable selection pool and applying fair, objective selection criteria to decide who should be at risk.

For example, if attendance is one of your selection criteria, you must discount any absence that relates to the employee’s pregnancy or maternity leave. Likewise, if performance or attitude is one of your criteria and her last performance assessment was done while she was pregnant and was lower than usual, then you must take that into account when you score her.

3. Communication and consultation

It is easy to forget about employees that are not physically present at work. However, if you have an employee on maternity leave, you must consult with her and give her the same information as your other staff.

It is natural to feel worried about disturbing her maternity leave, however if you don’t consult with her, you risk a discrimination claim. You should consult with her if she is on maternity leave but should be flexible and sensitive in your approach.

For example, you can offer to have meetings at flexible locations or online if she prefers. Keeping in Touch days could be used for this. Also, ensure she has enough time to consider any information you provide, bearing in mind that she is on maternity leave.

Compulsory maternity leave period is two weeks after a mother has given birth. You should ordinarily progress the overall redundancy process and communications until after that time.

4. Prioritised selection

Before you select an employee on maternity leave for redundancy you must first offer her any suitable vacancy available within your organisation. This includes any vacancy across your corporate group. You must offer it to her proactively (without her having to ask for it) and without any interview or application process.

You don’t need to create a role for her or dismiss someone else to make way for her. However, if any suitable vacancy must be offered it to her. This means prioritising her over any other employees who are also at risk of redundancy (even if you would usually select another candidate).

A suitable vacancy considers:

the employee’s skills and experience, and
whether the terms, conditions, location and status of the vacancy are at least as good as her original role.

If you are unsure about whether the vacancy is suitable, you should discuss it with her as part of your consultation process. This will avoid a later complaint or claim that you unfairly withheld the vacancy.

5. Legal Entitlements

If you decide to make an employee redundant while she is on maternity leave, she will be entitled to:

Written reasons. You must proactively provide written reasons explaining why she is being made redundant and her employment contract is to be terminated. You should avoid any suggestion that she is being dismissed for any other reason.
Redundancy pay. If the employee would otherwise qualify for redundancy pay (contractual or statutory) then you will need to pay this to her. You do not have to pay statutory redundancy pay if she has unreasonably refused a suitable alternative role. However, it can be difficult to assess whether you are entitled to withhold statutory redundancy pay, so professional advice is recommended. (Contact us for an informal discussion.)

Your employee must be given notice that you are making her redundant, in accordance with the notice requirements in her contract. You should also inform her that she can appeal your decision. You are only required to pay her full notice pay:

For any periods of her notice period during which she is entitled to enhanced maternity pay.
If she is only entitled to the statutory minimum notice period as specified within her contract (or is not entitled to at least one week more than the statutory minimum).

Statutory Maternity Pay (“SMP”). Even if you make her redundant, your employee will remain entitled to SMP for the full 39-week period. This must be paid even if the 39-week period extends beyond the end of her employment with you.

Contact us now

Are you considering a redundancy programme for your organisation? Make sure that your redundancy process is legally compliant, fair and effective. Contact the friendly experts at Consensus HR for an initial discussion without obligation.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

05 05 2023

More employers offer ‘Summer Fridays’

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #summerfridays, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

The trend of allowing some workers to leave early on Fridays over the summer is spreading with companies including Kellogg’s, Asos and PwC all offering summer working hours. Kellogg’s lets staff in its Manchester head office leave at 12pm on Fridays providing they have completed a full week’s working hours by midday at the end of the week. PwC lets its UK employees finish at lunchtime on Fridays in the months of June, July and August, but has acknowledged that not everyone could take advantage of the offer every Friday due to heavy workloads. Campaigners believe the increased uptake of ‘Summer Fridays’ schemes are a sign that firms are bending to pressure to shift away from the traditional 9-5 model and begin offering a four-day working week.

Daily Mail

Human-Times

Our HR Comment: – More employers offer ‘Summer Fridays’

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This seems to be a new type of benefit for the team as long as they have completed all the work that needs to be completed for the day / week. I can see if this is managed correctly and the business sees benefits from both efficiency and team welfare it is a scheme worth offering if your business is able.

If you wish to discuss your businesses current terms and conditions and benefits its offers, give us a call now.”

Contact us now

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

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

05 05 2023

Co-op introduces compassionate leave policy for colleagues

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

Co-op has introduced a new compassionate leave policy, including a doubling of paid leave for colleagues dealing with bereavement, from five to ten days, regardless of the relationship to the deceased. The policy, which is tailored to individual circumstances, allows managers discretion to make decisions for each situation. The policy change follows research commissioned by Co-op with YouGov, which indicated that 62% of employees think bereavement should be considered a workplace issue, with more than 50% of employees in the UK rating bereavement leave as an important concern. Co-op chief people and inclusion officer Claire Costello said: “Here at Co-op, we want to support our colleagues when someone close to them dies or is seriously ill. We want everyone to ask for the support they need and will always handle things as sensitively as possible.”

Grocery Trader

Human Times

Our Comment: Co-op introduces compassionate leave policy for colleagues

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a subject that many business owners find hard to manage and especially when it is within a small team and a close family member. We always get asked what is best practice and the law and companies need to ensure that they have a company policy that is applicable to all. A previous blog we wrote goes into full details about this and what an employer should reasonably offer.

If your company is unsure of what HR Policies and Procedures you should have in place to make you company an employer of choice whilst working to best practice and the law, contact us today”

Contact us now

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

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

04 05 2023

May the 4th Be With You

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General #maythe4thbewithyou, #outsourcedhumanresources, #starwars, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Did you know that May 4th each year is “May the 4th be With You” day which was started on May 4, 1979, when the first known instance of “May the 4th Be With You” was used?

This is the latest of our blogs and is a day celebrated all over the world. Do you celebrate it?

May the 4th Be With You: A Cultural History

The inside story of the Star Wars galaxy’s fan holiday.

Lucas Seastrom

Like anything that emerges from the collective passion of a group of people, the Star Wars fan holiday on May the 4^th each year has no single point of origin. It has no official commencement year, no formal dedication. It is a grassroots phenomenon that now transcends the English language pun that inspired it. Around the world, “May the 4th Be With You” is more ubiquitously known as “Star Wars Day.”

The earliest uses of the phrase “May the 4th Be With You” that we have evidence for date from 1978, one year after the release of Star Wars: A New Hope. By then, Star Wars was firmly established within American popular culture and became “like a handshake,” as Professor Leo Braudy would later comment in the documentary, Empire of Dreams. That summer of ’78, clever newspaper writers used the phrase as a gimmick to mark Independence Day celebrations on the Fourth of July. “May the Force be with you,” as heard in A New Hope, had been appearing on licensed (and unlicensed) buttons, posters, and various items for months, enough to convince those writers that the joke would be well-received by their readers.

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