YouTube is many things. Home of all cat videos. Handy DIY resource. And 21st century TV station (or the 21st century equivalent of Beadle's About at least). But one thing it is not renowned for is a repository of health and safety best practice. Search 'forklift' and the top three hits are: In many 'blue collar' industries – for example transport & storage, construction, or agriculture – workplace transport is a vital element, and specifically forklift trucks. So how do you keep your employees safe…
Sporting tournaments engage the nation in a rare sense of communal endeavour, with football – the country's most-supported sport - generating the most interest. Bunting will be hung, songs will be sung. And while this is a (mostly) regular occurrence for England, this summer will see three of the four home nations competing, meaning 92% of Brits (sorry Scotland) will have skin in the game. This is the first time since 1986 that three of the home nations will be appearing together at a major…
Employment Status Types can be complicated in the modern working environment. And they can cost business a lot of money too – HMRC collected £737m last year alone from non-compliance, predominantly from SMEs. So how do you protect your business? Tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, and yawn, and stretch, and try to come to life… The opening lyrics there from Dolly Parton’s 1980 smash hit '9 to 5' and, like this picture, a reminder of…
“I’m not a woman. I’m not a man. I’m something that you’ll never understand” is a line from a Prince song back in 1984. Employers need to know what support their gender fluid employees need, and are entitled to, and with the recent death of Prince, there has been much talk about how he led the way in being gender fluid. So what is Gender Fluidity? Gender fluid people do not feel limited by the stereotypical expectations of men and women. They may feel genderless…
Everyone knows that a good reputation can take a lifetime to build, and a second to destroy. A good reputation will help to attract new business, and will also mean that the best people in the industry will want to work for your company. However, a case of discrimination in the workplace could not only cost you thousands of pounds in claims, but could also tarnish the reputation that your company has worked so hard to build up. What should employers be aware of? Not…
The European Court of Justice has ruled that employers need to treat employee's commuting time as work time, which will have an impact on every size company in the UK. This will affect sectors with large numbers of travelling workers, and require employers to look at the distance employees travel to clients/work sites. Employers cannot afford to ignore this ruling, as ignorance could cost money. What does this mean for employers? The decision from the European Court of Justice could impact on: Business prospects Job…
When conflicts occur in the workplace it is crucial that you manage them swiftly and appropriately. Whether as a result of an argument, a person taking offence on how instructions are given or even personality clashes, an unsettled workforce will bring productivity, and workplace moral, crashing down. Why should employers have mediators? It is crucial to diffuse a situation before it escalates into a more serious matter. Remember, early intervention will save you both time and money. Mediation in the work place can be an…
We live in an age where image is everything. With the advent of social and professional networking sites, it has become more important than ever for candidates to present their best side to potential employers. So how can candidates survive being discriminated against just by the way they look online and how can employers make sure they are getting the right candidates? According to recent LinkedIn research 98% of professionals do not want to see photographs on CVs or Resumes in the UK and USA.…
Recently, the BBC reported the shocking news that a woman fell into an open lift shaft at a Birmingham Coffee Shop. It will be some time before the events leading up to the accident in Birmingham are known, but reports indicate that the doors, on an upper level, were able to opened without the lift car being in position. While there should be numerous safety features built into modern lifts that should prevent this type of accident, this shows how important it is for businesses…
It’s the biggest change to Health & Safety legislation since the 70s… Now, serious breaches in Health & Safety legislation can lead to bigger fines and heavier prison sentences. With magistrates having much more power to issue heavier fines or even jail sentences, employers are now likely to face much harsher penalties for these breaches. It is vital that employers are aware of the sentencing which follows any prosecution… What has changed? Magistrates have been given the power to use jail sentences in addition to…
