What’s with all our health and safety legislation? Where did it come from? Why do we have it? If you’ve never stopped to ask these questions about our current health and safety laws, read on. Years ago – long before we enjoyed the benefits of a health-and-safety-conscious UK – it’s highly likely you’d have risked your life at work every day. Particularly if you worked in a cotton mill. Forced to work long hours in horrific conditions workers would invariably get sick or contract a…
With only weeks to go until we leave the EU, it’s important to understand just how Brexit will affect health & safety. What’s going to happen? Which H&S regulations will be affected? How will it all affect your H&S team’s processes and procedures? What do you and your team need to do now in order to be compliant on the 1 April 2019? Read on for the answers – and take a deep breath because the good news is we don’t think too much is…
If you’re an HR Manager, you’re responsible for a long list of functions that are crucial to the success of the business you work for. From recruitment, to employee relations, learning and development, talent planning, compensation and benefits, change management – the list goes on and on. With so many plates to spin, where do you put your focus? A good place to start is answering the question: what makes a successful HR team? Ulrich’s take on it David Ulrich, often referred to as the…
The term ‘flexible working’ is becoming a popular one. But what actually is it? Who is doing it? How are requests made? And must you agree to a flexible working request? What is flexible working? Flexible working is a way of working that suits an employee’s needs. It might involve an earlier or later start and finish time to better suit the employee’s commitments outside of work. Or it might be working reduced hours and days, or working from home. Who is working flexibly? In…
Following our comprehensive walk through on harassment, we’re now looking specifically at workplace bullying. Read on to understand your responsibilities as an employer and find out how to proactively avoid and discourage workplace bullying. What is bullying? Although it’s not actually defined by law, ACAS characterises bullying as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient’. Which laws govern workplace bullying? Workplace bullying is a complex area because there isn’t one…
If you're a business owner, manager, HR professional – or just generally curious about the risk you face from health & safety factors – you'll be interested in the story this new campaign is telling you. Business risk is a different slant on health & safety but it matters because, in 2016, the Government changed the sentencing guidelines for prosecuting health & safety breaches. As a result, businesses, business owners, directors and employees are receiving more and higher fines, with figures of £1m+ for bigger…
Suspending an employee can seem the next logical step when an allegation of harassment has taken place, but employers should be careful and consider the 'law of unintended consequences'. The recent incident between actress Roxanne Pallett and actor Ryan Thomas within the Celebrity Big Brother house highlights how a seemingly innocent act can escalate into a bullying and harassment claim. Roxanne Pallett accused Ryan of deliberately ‘punching’ her in the ribs while he was play fighting with her, and branded him a “woman beater” &dnash;…
The past year has seen some horrific fires break out in homes and workplaces across the United Kingdom, from the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower to the blazes in a Primark store in Belfast and the School of Arts in Glasgow. And it is not just buildings that have been affected, with this summer also seeing fires ravage the Manchester Moorlands. Fires can be devastating, leading not only to the loss of life but the destruction of businesses, property and local wildlife. They can be…
Organisations should treat any form of harassment seriously – not just because of the legal implications and because it can lead to under-performance, but because people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at work too. Employers should foster a fair and inclusive working environment that enables everyone to feel they can contribute at work. The conflict which harassment creates should not be underestimated. Employees can be subject to high levels of stress which can reduce engagement and may lead to higher…
Chairing disciplinary hearings or listening to formal grievances are activities that take lots of managers out of their comfort zone – even many HR managers dislike this aspect of the role. Follow these ten tips to take away the pressure and ensure the best outcome for your business and workplace relationships. 1. Prepare for the meeting thoroughly Prepare thoroughly by reading everything and making notes about what you are going to say. Be that ‘detail’ person even if that’s not your usual style. Try not…
