I’m sure you’ll agree the pandemic increased our reliance on digital technology with many aspects of our daily lives moving to the online arena. From Teams calls with colleagues, to virtual exercise classes, to the (dreaded) Zoom quizzes with family and friends, we all became heavily dependent on various smart apps and video conference tools. And for many businesses, the pandemic accelerated digital transformation by months or even years. However, whilst some industries have rapidly changed beyond recognition, others have struggled to do more than…
Suella Braverman's return to the post of the Home Secretary just one week after she resigned has raised a few eyebrows. In terms of conventional employment situations, just how long should an employee be gone before it’s a good idea to take them back? And what are the downsides? For many sectors, it’s a very competitive labour market right now, and previous employees with an established skill set seem like desirable avenue to go down. In fact, we covered why rehiring could be a good avenue for…
Once upon a time, in the year 2019, and merely a week since Boris Johnson’s landslide ‘Brexit Election’ victory, the state opening of parliament took place. Prominent in Her Majesty’s announcement of forthcoming legislation, a raft of measures affecting employment. Except… none of it materialised; not in 2020, 2021 or 2022. It all vanished, along with Boris Johnson himself. It would return ‘when parliamentary time allowed’. But it didn’t. And now we have a yet another new Prime Minster, Rishi Sunak, and it’s unclear whether…
How concerned should employers be about an apparent trend in staff turning to union membership and industrial action as a solution to myriad woes both in and out of the workplace? As the cost-of-living crisis endures, and with winter on the horizon, news headlines talking about trade union recognition and industrial action are more commonplace. Though the trend isn’t confined to public sector employers – where nurses are joining transport and postal workers in escalating their respective disputes – similar headlines often reference private sector…
It's a common misconception that once your employees leave work for the day, what they do outside of work is nothing to do with you as their employer. Actually, if an employee's actions outside the workplace impact your organisation, their colleagues, or affects the way they do their job, employers can intervene. It may even be necessary to take disciplinary action to protect your staff, uphold your company values and minimise reputational damage. Below are some typical scenarios of where you may be required to…
What should you do if an employee has been charged with a serious criminal offence for something that has happened outside of the workplace? Can you terminate their employment on the grounds that they will no longer be available for work? And what about the reputational risk to your business? Each case should be decided on its own merits and in some situations, it may be fair to dismiss an employee. However, there’s no automatic right to dismiss an employee because they’ve been charged with…
We've all been touched by cancer in our lives - in fact, more than 700,000 people of working age are living with a cancer diagnosis. And in these times, it can be difficult to know what to say and do. According to international research by Macmillan, 6 in 10 people with cancer now return to work. This trend means that colleagues, managers and employers are also increasingly likely to face cancer in the workplace. However, people who have finished treatment tell Macmillan they have difficulties…
Many people want to show up for their marginalised colleagues, but don’t know where to start, or if they’re doing it right. From changing your approach, educating yourself, carrying out microaffirmations, and using your privilege; here’s how can you be a better ally at work. What is allyship? Allyship at work is about taking responsibility to support your colleagues, customers, and network who have a different identity to you. Allies endeavour to drive systemic improvements to workplace policies, practices, and culture to create a more…
I’m sure you’re well aware of the term ‘The Bradford Factor’. Created in the 1980’s by Bradford University School of Management, it’s become synonymous with employers who are keen to find a simple and expedient management solution to the disruption caused by employee absence. For the uninitiated, the Bradford Factor is based on the theory that short, frequent, unplanned absences are more disruptive to businesses than longer periods of absence. Using a mathematical formula, it takes the number and frequency of absences to produce a…
According to a recent review completed by the government, NHS, and Public Health UK, 3.2 million people in the UK between the ages of 16 and 59 regularly take recreational drugs. That equates to 1 in 11 UK citizens. In the same report, it found that 1 in 25 adults consume Class A drugs. As a direct result of this type of drug use there’s also just under 3,000 deaths per year. Whilst these statistics primarily focus on illegal drug use, there’s also an increased…
