Recently I heard a talk where the focus was that in work our energy makes all the difference. It really got me thinking. Do I always turn up with the right energy? Reflecting on the teams we work with today, and will have worked with in the past can you think of people who turned […]
We often get asked whether in a Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) if its OK if sellers share employee information and data with the buyer. Sometimes its not a question of If, and more a question of When! This is a very good question, because in normal circumstances businesses are keen to ensure […]
Burnout has become a growing concern in today’s fast-paced work environment, with more employees feeling overwhelmed and exhausted due to excessive work demands. Burnout is not just about feeling tired; it’s a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. When employees consistently work long hours without adequate rest, it can lead […]
Instead of a blog you’ve got a podcast recorded on the subject of getting your team to think and act as you would – essential for any small business owner.
When you spend a lot of time with colleagues, it’s natural to develop warm relationships with them, and maybe even some genuine, outside-of-work friendships. That’s a good thing, obviously work is more pleasant when you are on good terms. But when you are the manager, the rules are different. You can be friendly, but you can’t […]
From time to time we see contracts of employments in use that employers have received from other HR consultancies where the clauses are inadequate. Sadly, this will always happen where their is a tricky employment issue to resolve, it just never happens with the straightforward ones. In a recent case, we were supporting a client […]
Recently I was reading about a workplace where an employee, signed off as unfit for work by their GP had communicated with their employer that they would be out of the country and travelling overseas. The employer was alarmed to read that their unfit colleague was well enough to travel by plane. As we are […]
The concept of the psychological contract has increasingly gained attention in organisational behaviour and human resources management. Unlike formal, written contracts, the psychological contract comprises unwritten expectations and beliefs about the mutual obligations between an employer and an employee. This intangible agreement significantly influences workplace dynamics, employee satisfaction, and the over success of an organisation. […]
This one is going to be divisive. Some people will question why this is a question at all? The Request In today’s workplace, the bond between employees and their pets is stronger than ever. With pets often considered family members, employees may request time off work when their pets are ill. As a manager, handling […]
I write this watching the league one playoffs where Oxford United face Bolton Wanderers to see who will be in the Championship next season. Its a beautiful day in Wembley and I’ve just observed that I hope for the players sake, this doesn’t go for penalties as it looks like a warm one. Watching football […]
Constructive unfair dismissal is a dismissal where the employee has resigned and where under the Employment Rights Act 1996, the employee terminates the contract under which they are employed (with or without notice) in circumstances in which they are entitled to terminate it without notice by reasons of the employer’s conduct. Most successful constructive dismissal […]
When it comes to management one of the greatest offences we can commit as a manager is to give our employees only half our attention. It is both an offence to the employee and to ourselves. So what do I mean by ‘give your employees your full attention’. Great relationships are build on great environments. […]
I talk a lot about the changing employment relationship because its an area that fascinates me. As you may know I turned 50 last March and I find myself increasingly thinking about how things were “different in my day”. You know you are old when that sentence comes out of your mouth, I can tell […]
Binary Questions are ones that is are firmly closed question, that can only be answered yes or no. They may seem assertive and efficient to the party that proposes to use them. Unfortunately, they have a nasty knack of landing poorly. Let me give you an example of a binary question in the context of […]
In today’s dynamic workplaces, the art of communication is more than mere exchanges of information. Among the different forms of dialogue that can occur between managers and their reports every day, candid conversations stand out as pivotal tools for fostering a culture of trust and transparency. These open exchanges, where colleagues feel empowered to express […]
From time to time we get asked what to do when someone leaves with immediate effect. These might be described as a the “here, you can have my badge” moments. Sometimes accompanied by a lot of ‘huffing’ and “I’m not putting up with s*** this! ” comments. These circumstances are never pleasant for any of […]
Big changes are on the horizon for fathers and partners as the Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 come into effect. These regulations make paternity leave more flexible and accommodating for new parents. In this article, we’ll delve into the upcoming changes and discuss how employers can prepare for these adjustments. Key Amendments to Paternity Leave […]
As of April 6th, 2024, significant changes will be brought in with the introduction of The Carer’s Leave Act 2023. These changes are aimed at improving the support system for employees with caregiving responsibilities. In this article, we will explore these changes and offer guidance to help managers prepare for this evolving landscape. The Carer’s […]
In today’s digital era, the impact of social media on a company’s reputation has never been more significant. The recent controversy surrounding Kyte Baby, a renowned baby clothing company, highlights how negative attention on social media can sully a brand’s image and affect its financial standing. The public scrutiny began when allegations emerged about the […]
We often get calls that go a bit like this. “My employee has been absent from work for 5 weeks and is currently receiving SSP. We have since found out that she attended her son’s graduation ceremony last week. If she is fit to attend this, then surely she is fit to be back at […]
ACAS published guidance on how to manage menopause at work and since then there have been more information published about what employers need to consider when managing employees who are transitioning through the menopause. The CIPD says that 59% of women who experience menopausal symptoms said that it impacted them negatively at work. Let’s think […]
I was reading about a Finance Director today who had decided they would offer a retainer to someone ending their fixed term contract. The feeling of the FD was that if you pay someone for 6 hours a week you can avoid holiday pay. You can’t. This would be a classic situation where the FD […]
What happens when an employee stops coming to work and we hear on the grapevine that they may be in prison? Firstly we hope this never happens to you. However should it do, it might be because the employee has been remanded in prison following being charged with an offence. Whilst you might think that […]
We were talking in the office the other day about a 16 year old ‘dumping’ his then girlfriend by text. Now it’s been 25 years since I was in the dating game, and phones were in their infancy then, but I am glad to say I have never ‘dumped’ or been ‘dumped’ by text. For […]
It’s very apparent that for many employees when it comes to notice to leave their employer they are happy to leave without giving any notice. Having seen a rise in this over the past 12 months, I thought I would share my ramblings about why I think this is happening. New Employer Behaviour I am […]
For some time I have wondered whether there is any link between someone’s generation (i.e. when they were born) and their preference for any particular style of leadership. It is generally conceded that there are four main leadership styles; autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire and a combination of the first three. It’s important to note that individual […]
When your children get older it seems to me that you suddenly remember comments made about them that meant something at the time. Just the other day I was speaking to a Nursery Owner and remembered that our son was once told by a teacher in a parent’s evening that he would do well “to […]
We have a phrase in our family. “Lead with Sorry”. It means that before you start explaining why you did X or Y you should start with acknowledging the feelings of others and say a meaningful sorry. Sadly it feels that all too often we fail to recognise our mistakes and communicate arrogance rather than […]
For many businesses, the meticulous task of retaining HR documentation might seem like a secondary priority. With everything going on in the bustling workplace environment, who has time to file away every individual email and piece of paper? However, the significance of these records reaches far beyond mere paperwork. Here’s a concise look at why […]
We often get asked as HR Consultants how to approach a given situation where the employer knows that the employee needs to chat with them, except for whatever reason the employee is not asking for this. The Welfare Meeting as a useful mechanism for the employer and employee to be able to sit down together […]
