August 12, 2019
By 2020 we’ll be holidaying on Mars and dishwashers will fill themselves. Hmmm. Perhaps we’re not quite there yet. But technology is pretty slick, right? We can make calls from our watches and track our taxis without speaking to anyone. But just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, along came Employee Self-Service… What…
View Post
July 31, 2019
You have all the relevant skills and experience the hiring manager is looking for. Having submitted your CV, you pass the telephone interview with flying colours and the business invites you for a face-to-face interview. You turn up for your interview fully prepped and in your best attire. But the second you arrive there’s a…
View Post
July 16, 2019
In the same week that the UK’s biggest slavery ring was smashed, the Government has announced a further consultation on toughening the impact of the Modern Slavery Act. The consultation is likely to lead to increased obligations for businesses. On 5th July, 8 people were given jail sentences totalling 56 years, for their part in…
View Post
July 15, 2019
Working at height led to the deaths of 40 people in the last year, compared to 35 the year before. According to recent HSE fatality statistics, it’s the number one cause of work-related deaths in the UK. It raises the question, are employers doing enough to protect workers? Time for more severe sentencing? This month…
View Post
July 11, 2019
The ICO are hitting the headlines having issued their first fines under GDPR. Both British Airways and Marriott International were fined for breaching European data rules. BA and Marriott face fines totalling almost £300m under GDPR British Airways were fined £183m for a breach of their security systems. The breach occurred when their company website…
View Post
June 26, 2019
There are 374,000 more employees working from home than there were ten years ago according to new research by the TUC. I’m sure I don’t need to list the reasons why employees are increasingly opting to work from home. With gridlock on our roads, overcrowded trains and diminishing bus routes, the daily commute is a…
View Post
June 20, 2019
Tesco has admitted that hundreds of redundant workers were paid the wrong amount of redundancy pay. AND they wrote to those who were accidentally overpaid in an attempt to reclaim the money. The practical difficulties involved in reclaiming small amounts of money from former employees have recently been highlighted by Tesco. They offered that anyone…
View Post
June 14, 2019
Summer – the season of sun, sea and sand. Setting your out-of-office and jetting off on holiday for a week of rest and relaxation. However, from a HR perspective the summer months can be a very challenging time of year. Our advice line has seen a spike in enquiries relating to this very topic. Therefore,…
View Post
June 11, 2019
Wellbeing is a red-hot topic. From Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s recent unveiling of a wellbeing budget for New Zealand, to Prince William sparking important conversations about mental health. But what about wellbeing at work? If you’re an HR professional and had a pound for every time you’ve been asked about employee wellbeing – you’d probably…
View Post
May 20, 2019
Summer…everyone looks forward to it. Think holidays, festivals, weddings and barbeques. However, the summer season can also lead to a spike in unauthorised absences. When is an absence classified as unauthorised? Unauthorised absence is also known as going AWOL (absence without leave). It occurs when an employee fails to attend work and does not have…
View Post
May 16, 2019
Is your business is considering making staff redundant? If so it’s important that you understand the costs involved. This blog provides a step-by-step guide to calculating redundancy pay. The Origins of Redundancy Pay The Redundancy Payments Act 1965 brought in the principle that, providing an employee qualified based on a length of service, he/she would…
View Post
May 13, 2019
Does a candidate in a recruitment exercise have a right to see employment references requested and received from their current or former employer? You’re part way through an extensive recruitment process. The hiring manager has decided to make an offer of employment to a candidate. The offer is of course subject to receipt of a…
View Post