Keeping up with the ever changing landscape of GDPR is essential for business success. But in our venture to stay compliant, we might be holding onto data for longer than necessary. So, how long is too long? We've put together this simple guide to help you know where you stand. The law has always required you to keep HR records. The Data Protection Act (DPA), which governs this area, stipulates statutory retention periods for some records – for example, payroll data, P60s and P45s must be…
Is your business going through a baby boom? Is navigating the ever-changing types of leave available to parents giving you a healthy dose of baby brain? Fear not. We’ve pulled together our ultimate Paternity Leave employer guide and FAQ’s especially for you. Paternity leave is an optional leave of absence that partners may take to bond with their new child. It’s essential that you, as a business, know your responsibilities. Although the word ‘paternity’ itself refers to men, Statutory Paternity Leave and Pay is available…
The Post Office Horizon scandal saw over 900 sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of theft due to a faulty computing and accounting system called Horizon. Although the scandal has been well publicised since 2000, the recent ITV drama, Mr Bates vs The Post Office exposed the scale of the UK’s most widespread miscarriage of justice and the impact it had on those falsely accused and wrongly convicted. Many lost their jobs, homes, and lifesavings. Marriages broke down, and some families believe the stress led to ongoing health conditions, addiction…
...everywhere I look around. Sang by John Paul Young back in 1977, and still dusted down each year and thereafter as part of Valentines Day celebrations every February 14. Valentines Day has always been synonymous with love and relationships, where people send cards and flowers and have romantic meals out for two. But how does this positive outpouring of love translate within today’s modern workplace, where equality and sensitivity should take a precedence. What can organisations put in place so not to cause any upset…
If you’re making redundancies in your business, you might be wondering what to do about your employees’ final redundancy payments regarding their pension. Do employers have to take pension contributions from redundancy pay? Can employees choose to add more into their pension pot? We go through the process below. If you make an employee redundant, do you have to take pension contributions from their redundancy pay? When an employee gets made redundant, they’re usually entitled to a redundancy payment, separate to their salary, holiday pay,…
Today is Blue Monday. Coined back in 2005, it's thought to be the most depressing day of the year for many. So, while we make it through one cup of tea at a time, it's also important for businesses to prioritise their employees' wellbeing. We've put together this list of how you can easily support your employees in beating the Monday blues. Here are our eight top suggestions. 1. Initiate kindness When times are tough, it's well reported that small acts of kindness can make…
The Government has set new regulations when it comes to holiday and holiday pay, effective from April this year. Here’s what you need to know. April ’24 lead date The new Regulations took effect on 1st January 2024. However, they relate to leave years starting on or beyond April 1st. Of course, most employers use a 1st January – 31st December leave year - which may mean some HR head-scratching to decide what to do and from when. If you decide to change your current…
With 2024 around the corner, it is important to think about how you can enhance the capabilities of your line managers and consider what you should be focussing on in the year ahead. Here are a few suggestions. Diversity, equality and inclusion The Equality Act 2010 outlines that organisations and their employees cannot discriminate against anyone based upon their age, gender reassignment, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, and sexual orientation. This act is not just about work life –…
Over the last few years organisations have been heavily influenced by external factors on the way they manage their people. In 2024 these social, political, economic, technological, and legal factors will continue to have an influence. Organisations and its people will be impacted by the upcoming election, inflation, the continued cost of living crisis and international instability, just to name a few,. But a main focus for workplaces is the driving force of employee expectations which seems to have shifted greatly since Covid. As 2024…
It’s a well-known fact that many romantic relationships start at work, with some leading to long-term relationships and marriage. We're now starting the new year, and you may find that colleagues become closer and romantic relationships may follow. If this were to happen, would you expect the colleagues involved to tell you or your HR department? Following the recent departure of Philip Schofield from ITV, apparently ITV has issued new rules on relationships. However, according to the Sunday Times, their new rules go beyond romantic…