Are you guilty of assuming older workers are less likely to be interested in training or even career progression? If so, you may need to re-think your assumptions. People are living longer, more healthy lives and expect to be able to continue to work for longer. Whilst around a third of people currently in work are between the ages of 50 and 64, with a further 1.2 million being over 65, there are still almost one million people over 50 who want to work but…
Because Thursdays the new Friday, right? Do you remember the 4 day work week trial that started last June? No, me neither. But since it's conclusion in December the results of said trial have now been posted. Below is summary of the findings. What was it? The trial, which was the world's largest to date, involved 61 companies and around 2,900 workers, and took place from June to December 2022. Companies from diverse sectors and sizes participated, each designing a policy tailored to its particular…
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a…contract of employment. In 2018, the Government published its ‘Good Work Plan’, designed to bring the world of work into the 21st Century. It proudly announced the introduction of legislation to ‘improve the clarity of employment status tests’ and prevent employers ‘trying to misclassify or mislead their staff’. But it still hasn't been introduced! Meanwhile, a procession of cases trundle through the courts and tribunals. Getting employment status wrong is an expensive…
With storms causing all sorts of issues in the UK, power cuts have become a real risk for businesses. So what do you do if your employee who's working from home experiences a power shortage? Power shortages can happen at any time in the day and usually last for a few hours. Depending which members of staff are affected, at best it can be an inconvenience but at worst, it can affect operations and bring your business to a grinding halt. How should employees work…
Employees can now book their holidays directly through Microsoft Outlook Office 365. Check emails and book holidays without switching screen. We’re usually against emails and holidays combining, but in this instance we’ll make an exception. Here’s what you can expect from this integration and the benefits coming along with it. Easy to access Our Next Generation Software is easy to access. And no, we’re not just talking about our fresh out the box Mobile App, (although it is pretty neat.) Accessibility also comes in the…
The recent 'Living with Covid Plan' set out by the prime minister means big changes to how Covid is managed in the workplace. But how will this impact your business? In general, the new guidance puts emphasis on the employers to manage the health and safety of their employees, rather than the rules being set by law. Here's a breakdown of the changes. Covid policy changes at a glance From 24 February: People who test positive for Covid-19 will no longer have to self-isolate. Those…
Menopause cases are reaching Employment Tribunals at a record rate. According to figures from HM Courts and Tribunals Service, supported by menopause experts, in the whole of 2018, only five cases revolving around menopause reached an Employment Tribunal. This rose to six cases in 2019, 16 in 2020, and 10 just in the first six months of 2021 in England. In addition, also in the first six months of 2021, a further 116 cases regarding menopause were dealt with in employment disputes in-house in England.…
From screen recording, to monitoring mouse-strokes, to using webcams: new technology means employers can keep a close eye on their workforce when working from home. But why is this gaining popularity? And what happens if this technology is misused? Why is this happening now? One of the consequences of the pandemic was many employees started working from home, which was promoted by the Government to support the economy. In some instances, employees were issued computers with software built in, whereas others were asked to use…
There are many ways to manage stress in the workplace, but are employers taking it far enough? What can you do to prevent stress in the first place? We all know stress not only hurts our employees, but our business goals as well. Due to this, managing stress is a key part to any HR or Health & Safety professional’s daily duties. A good Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health service are common (and effective) methods to manage stress, but they only fix the effects,…
According to a recent UK-wide survey, 26% of employees feared their manager wouldn’t consider period pain a legitimate illness, and therefore not a good enough reason to be absent from work. As such, up to a quarter of those surveyed admitted to lying to their manager about their true reason for absence. How should employers approach period pain when cited by an employee as a reason for absence? Are the symptoms a good enough reason for employees to be absent from work? And should an…
