Most people will experience the death of someone they know at some point during their working lives. In the last year, 24% of the working population in Britain has experienced a bereavement, which equates to 7.9 million people. Only 30% of employees say the leadership of their organisation has communicated with them about grief or bereavement in the past year and subsequently, only 32% of employees are aware that their employer has a bereavement policy. Although employees may take very different paths when dealing with…
Please note there may have been some updates since this article was published. Please see our latest employment law guide for updated information and news. The 2024 King’s Speech reminded us of childhood letters to Father Christmas – a lot of hopes and expectations but no guarantee the presents will be under the tree on Christmas morning. Signalled for progression within the first 100 days of the new Government does not translate that everything will be law in that time frame. Keir Starmer has made…
If you're thinking about outsourcing your payroll, you're probably wondering how much it costs. An outsourced or 'managed' service from a professional payroll provider must be costly, right? Let's find out! Keep reading to find out how much it costs to outsource payroll. Plus, we reveal the hidden costs associated with running your payroll in-house (and getting it wrong – eek!). We also explore 'free' options for businesses who are operating their payroll operations on a shoestring. What's an example of a payroll fee? PEPM:…
The best practise is any formal meeting with an employee should be recorded in some form and placed on the employee’s personnel file. This includes performance reviews and appraisals. "This is the most important piece of equipment you will ever own. This notebook has saved my skin more times than I care to mention." - Nicholas Angel, Hot Fuzz (2007) And when it comes to employment law, we agree. However, because of the litigious nature of employment law, it almost goes without saying that it…
The payroll year end in 2025 is 5 April. Here’s everything you need to do to prepare for it. Payroll year end ties in with the tax year-end, which is 5 April 2025. Quick checklist Send last FPS to HMRC. Report your expenses and benefits. Prepare for new tax year and the first payroll run. Send P60 forms to your employees. Sending your Final Full Payment Submission (FPS) On or before your employees’ payday, you will need to send the HMRC your last Full Payment…
If you cast your memory back several years, you’ll remember employee engagement and culture was merely considered a popular topic for HR professionals to debate. Fast forward to the present day, culture and engagement are now presented as a key business issue, with many believing it has recently dominated the HR trend list. In fact, Deloitte Insights found that 87% of organisations cite culture and engagement as one of their top challenges, with 50% of respondents calling the problem “very important”. While improving employee engagement can help…
In an extraordinary turn of events, Labour has stormed ahead in the 2024 UK General Election, marking the most significant shift in the country's political landscape since the Conservatives were elected 14 years ago. As businesses prepare for the changes ahead, it’s crucial for payroll professionals to understand what Labour’s proposed reforms mean for the industry. Let’s dive into Labour's manifesto and explore how these changes impact your payroll processes. A genuine living wage The introduction of a genuine living wage in the UK represents…
Current work trends in the UK suggest that there is more focus than ever being given to the subject of remote working, with more organisations wanting a move back into the office, we discuss some advantages and disadvantages of remote working in 2024 and beyond! Is remote working still effective for UK organisations? Before the pandemic, remote and hybrid working had been gradually increasing in the UK. Between January and December 2019, around 12% of the workforce had worked at least one day from home…
Keeping good Health & Safety records is essential for legal compliance. But which records should you keep, and for how long? Certain records must be kept to comply with the company’s Health & Safety policy and specific legislation. Keeping good health and safety records is important for several reasons: Retrievability: Ensures key information is easily accessible and can be passed on, ensuring consistency and continuity. Compliance: Demonstrates (internally and externally) compliance with legal duties under health and safety law. Efficiency: Makes the job of Health…
Ahead of the general election in July 2024, get ready for what’s in their manifesto and how that will impact HR. This article was created before the election result on 4 July 2024. To read our more recent content on this topic, read what does the Labour victory mean for payroll here, and employment law changes following the King's Speech here. You can also access our Payroll Legislation Guide and Employment Law Guide for regular updates. If the polls are correct and the Labour Party…
