Suffering from bereavement is a difficult time in anyone’s life, especially if the person you have lost is a close work colleague or friend. Dealing with grief can impact someone physically, emotionally, and psychologically, leaving long-lasting scars that might affect their ability to do their job. Though dealing with bereavement in the workplace can be difficult to manage, it's important that you do manage it and that you provide your employees with the level of support they need to get through this difficult time. This…
Most people will experience the death of someone they know at some point during their working lives. In the last year, 24% of the working population in Britain has experienced a bereavement, which equates to 7.9 million people. Only 30% of employees say the leadership of their organisation has communicated with them about grief or bereavement in the past year and subsequently, only 32% of employees are aware that their employer has a bereavement policy. Although employees may take very different paths when dealing with…
The 2024 King’s Speech reminded us of childhood letters to Father Christmas – a lot of hopes and expectations but no guarantee the presents will be under the Christmas tree on the day. Signalled for progression within the first 100 days of the new Government does not translate that everything will be law in that time frame. Keir Starmer has made clear he intends ‘partnership’ between business, working people, and the unions. Consultation on key issues means some may take a couple of years to…
If you cast your memory back several years, you’ll remember employee engagement and culture was merely considered a popular topic for HR professionals to debate. Fast forward to the present day, culture and engagement are now presented as a key business issue, with many believing it has recently dominated the HR trend list. In fact, Deloitte Insights found that 87% of organisations cite culture and engagement as one of their top challenges, with 50% of respondents calling the problem “very important”. While improving employee engagement can help…
In an extraordinary turn of events, Labour has stormed ahead in the 2024 UK General Election, marking the most significant shift in the country's political landscape since the Conservatives were elected 14 years ago. As businesses prepare for the changes ahead, it’s crucial for payroll professionals to understand what Labour’s proposed reforms mean for the industry. Let’s dive into Labour's manifesto and explore how these changes impact your payroll processes. A genuine living wage The introduction of a genuine living wage in the UK represents…
On the hot topic of returning to the office, this case underscores the risks of mandating such returns, especially when protected characteristics must be considered. Pilawa began working as an administrator at “Properties on the Market” on November 19, 2019. She had an agreement to work from home during severe endometriosis episodes, which was satisfactory until August 2021. On August 4, 2021, her manager criticised her sick days and performance. Pilawa's subsequent email to a director went unanswered, but an executive manager replied on September 24, 2021, stating…
Current work trends in the UK suggest that there is more focus than ever being given to the subject of remote working, with more organisations wanting a move back into the office, we discuss some advantages and disadvantages of remote working in 2024 and beyond! Is remote working still effective for UK organisations? Before the pandemic, remote and hybrid working had been gradually increasing in the UK. Between January and December 2019, around 12% of the workforce had worked at least one day from home…
It looks like labour have this in the bag, so get ready for what’s in their manifesto and how that will impact HR. If the polls are correct and the Labour Party are to win the General Election on 4 July 2024, under their plan to “make work pay”, they pledge to ”boost wages, make work more secure and support working people to thrive”. Whilst this may sound like welcoming news for employees, such a strap line is likely to cause some concern for employers.…
The first 90 days in leadership is your opportunity to lay the groundwork for lasting impact, establish your credibility, and align your vision with your organisation’s goals. Taking on an HR leadership position is a significant milestone in your career. While the urge to jump in and make immediate changes can be strong, it’s essential to take a measured approach. Your initial days should focus on understanding the organisation, building relationships, and identifying ‘quick wins’ that can set the stage for long-term success. This blog…
By Jacqui Summons, Non-Executive Director of Moorepay and Zellis. We all know engagement strategies are good for business. I don’t need to go over the facts and figures you’ll have no doubt already pitched to the board. A highly engaged workforce equals up to 81% decreased absence, 17% higher productivity, and 21% increased profitability. And so on.* But when you get sign-off on your engagement strategy and it’s time to put it into action, there are so many tactics you may wish to implement across…
