Six ways HR teams can prepare for Brexit
The terms of Brexit may be uncertain but one thing we do know is that HR teams need to anticipate workforce changes. Steve Smith from Sterling Talent Solutions, outlines the key ways to ensure a smooth transition. With just six months to go until the UK is set to leave the EU, it’s still unclear […]
Sexual harassment: why employers need to listen and learn from #MeToo
One year on from the start of the #MeToo movement, the problem of sexual harassment is considered by many to continue to plague the workplace. What more needs to be done by employers? In a recent report from the Young Women’s Trust, almost a quarter (23%) of females aged between 16 and 30 reported being […]
Should smaller businesses be required to report their gender pay gap?
There have been recent calls to extend the compulsory gender pay gap reporting to smaller businesses. But is this a wise move? There has been a big push in recent years to nullify the disparities between men and women in the workplace, politics and in general society. That is why it was a welcome announcement […]
Employee wellbeing: what do you do when an employee raises a grievance?
When an employee raises a grievance at work, it’s essential that it’s taken seriously and that the right process is followed. Here are some suggestions to help navigate that process. All employers should be prepared for dealing with a grievance from one of their employees. It is not uncommon for employees to raise grievances when […]
GDPR: who is responsible for protecting business data?
GDPR came into force in May but many businesses remain unclear about what the risks of non-compliance are and who is responsible for protecting their data. In order to ensure full compliance, a change in our data culture is required. It may be tempting to invest in training that promises to tackle GDPR head on, […]
The Pimlico Plumbers case: tipping the balance in favour of gig economy workers
Philip Richardson, Head of Employment Law at Stephensons, examines how the recent Pimlico Plumbers ruling will impact the rights of gig economy workers in the future. The recent decision by the Supreme Court in the case of Pimlico Plumbers vs Smith has been heralded as spelling the end of the gig economy and the casual […]
GDPR compliance: taking a three-pronged approach
Jan Van Vliet, VP and GM, EMEA at Digital Guardian, discusses how businesses struggling with the GDPR legislation can get ahead by adopting a more consistent approach to compliance. The forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the largest overhaul of data protection legislation in nearly 20 years. Set to come into force on 25th […]
GDPR: your HR questions answered
With the GDPR deadline fast approaching, HRZone asked ADP Chief Privacy Officer, Cécile Georges, to answer some key HR-related questions about this new regulation. How does GDPR impact businesses? If your organisation does business in the EU or handles EU residents’ personal data, regardless of whether or not your business is located in the EU, then […]
Protecting HR from the rise of social engineering attacks
Let’s face it, life is a series of calculated and uncalculated risks. Some risks we know about and can choose how to deal with (e.g. mitigate), and others we remain blissfully ignorant of until the consequences hit us. Work is like that, too; there are situations and threats that we have learned how to effectively […]
A wake-up call to HR: GDPR is right around the corner
The Plainspeak Analyst is Katherine Jones, Partner and Director of Talent Research at Mercer, the world’s largest human resources consulting firm. Her job is to design and deliver insight research and services to Mercer’s global clients. She was previously VP, Human Capital Management Technology Research at Bersin by Deloitte. She has a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from Cornell University. […]
Employment tribunal fees unlawful, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that employment tribunal fees are unlawful. This has been a real shock decision that not many people were expecting. In this article we look at the main findings of the court and the impact on employers. The judgement and key points in summary: Employment Tribunal fees are unlawful because of […]
Stamping out sexism: why kicking high heels off office dress codes is still important
Recently, the high heels dress code row that started in the summer of 2016 came to an end. After months of ongoing debate and widespread public outcries from the female professional community, MPs shut down calls to end the presence of high heels on formal office dress codes for women. They ruled that businesses have the […]
How will data and analytics change the legal sector?
This article is based on an interview with Alyson Reeves, Director at PwC Consulting and an expert on change in the legal sector. The world is changing rapidly and every sector is undergoing disruption brought about by technological change. This is particularly disruptive in traditional sectors, such as legal. Data and analytics are affecting all […]
HR data and GDPR: what you need to know about consent (and why not to rely on it)
The upcoming General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) has significant implications for HR and has, understandably, grabbed the headlines recently. Predictions of hefty fines for employers abound. These are often attributed to the higher standard of consent for processing personal data that the legislation requires. It is true that with the new legislation, which comes into […]
Greatest extension of workers’ rights or a great big headache for SMEs?
Theresa May’s announcement today is being heralded in some quarters as the great expansion of workers’ rights. So does this mean it is unfriendly to SME businesses? We don’t think so – the one thing businesses do not like is uncertainty and we now know that the EU-based employment laws that we currently have are […]
Do recent legal decisions mean employers can discriminate on the basis of religious discrimination?
Have the recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) cases of C-157/15 Achbita, Centrum voor Gelijkheid van kansen en voor rascismebestrijding v. G4S Secure Solutions and C-188/15 Bougnaoui and Association de défense des droits de l’homme (ADDH) v. Micropole Univers opened the door for employers to discriminate against employees who wear religious dress? […]
What to consider when preparing your social media policy
A good social media policy should be clear and consistent, and give examples of acceptable and unacceptable conduct. The main aim of the policy is to help employees understand where the line is – and how to stay on the right side of it – and for managers to be able to identify and act appropriately in […]
Why every business needs a comprehensive social media policy
As well as individuals, most businesses now have their own social media presence, but these new channels bring their own potential problems. In this series, Social media policy & law: a guide for HR, we'll share some examples of employee misbehaviour, changes to law & organisational policy off the back of these incidents, and what […]
Employee misbehaviour and reputational damage on social media – what can businesses do?
As well as individuals, most businesses now have their own social media presence, but these new channels bring their own potential problems. In this series, Social media policy & law: a guide for HR, we'll share some examples of employee misbehaviour, changes to law & organisational policy off the back of these incidents, and what businesses can […]
Regulatory references: the new rules of recruitment for the financial sector
On 7 March 2017, the recruitment practices of banks and insurers are changing with the introduction of mandatory regulatory references. It is expected that these rules will be rolled out to all PRA and FCA authorised firms in due course, but no firm date has been set at the moment. The basic premise of regulatory […]
