News: First employers accredited under London Healthy Workplace Charter
Fourteen employers have been accredited under the London Healthy Workplace Charter, which is intended to set standards for improving employee health and well-being in the capital. The initiative grew out of the Workplace Well-being Charter that was developed by NHS Primary Care Trust in Liverpool and endorsed by the cross-government Health, Work and Well-being board. […]
Ask the Expert: How can I keep my job with an undiagnosed disability?
The question I have developed a disability that requires a few reasonable adjustments in the workplace. Access to Work has agreed to fund an assistant for me, which would be the most expensive. But at the end of April, I was sent home from work after several meetings between my union and employer, […]
Case Study: Staff wellbeing measures cut sickness absence at Julia’s House
Julia's House is Dorset’s only hospice for children with life-threatening illnesses. It opened in 2006 and staff numbers have since grown from an initial 40-odd to 125 today. Despite the harrowing nature of the work, its employees are highly-engaged and, last year, it was awarded top slot in the charity and public sector category of […]
Fit for Work: Tackling sickness absence by early intervention
The successful management of sickness absence in the workplace can contribute significantly to overall business productivity. But a balance must be struck between dissuading people who are tempted to ‘play the system’ and providing the best possible support for those with genuine health difficulties who are struggling to avoid being off work long-term. Long-term […]
Talking Point: Do you know how best to help an employee through divorce?
Unlike death, people experience divorce as a failure. But the level of compassion and understanding given to someone who is going through the process isn’t always as apparent as it is for someone who is in mourning. Nonetheless, divorce is one of those ‘crises’ that can completely knock an employee down. Colleagues may try […]
News: Employers flout discrimination law for migraine sufferers
Employers may be flouting disability discrimination legislation by failing to make reasonable workplace adjustments for employees who suffer from migraines, a charity has warned. According to a survey conducted by the Migraine Trust, a worrying three out of sufferers who work said that their employer had not made any changes to try and ease their […]
Blog: Five ways to ‘master the moment’
In an instant, you can change your mind. You change the impression you had of someone, or you decide something is not a good idea after all. Politics is full of these moments. General David Patraeus had to resign after being caught in an extra-marital affair. In a moment, questions arose about his military judgment. If […]
News: British workers on verge of ‘burn-out’
Two separate studies have revealed that UK workers are coming to the end of their respective tethers and feel that they can’t handle the stress of their jobs much longer. A survey among 32,000 employees across the world conducted by professional services firm, Towers Watson, indicated that just over one in three UK staff are […]
News: Employers unaware of fitness-to-drive responsibilities
A worrying number of employers are unaware that they have a shared responsibility to ensure that employees are fit to drive if doing so in the course of their work. According to a survey conducted among more than 200 employers by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, however, 57% believe that responsibility for ensuring that their eyesight is […]
News: Fit note system fails to cut sickness absence rates
HR professionals are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the ‘fit note’ system as many believe that it has not helped them to cut sickness absence rates within their organisation. According to a survey of 212 practitioners undertaken by online HR services provider, XpertHR, a key problem is that GPs are failing to use the sick leave […]
Ask the Expert: What holiday pay are staff entitled to if off sick?
The question I was looking through our sickness policy the other day and saw it stated that "when sickness absence is over four weeks, holiday pay will cease to accrue". Further along, it also said that "if you fall sick during a time that has been booked for holiday, you will not be able […]
Talking Point: If we are what we eat, what kind of workforce have you got?
What we eat has a big impact on our performance at work in relation to everything from mental clarity and energy to stamina and productivity. This is because food governs how well both our bodies and our brains function. Food makes our mood. Yet all too many employers treat the food issue as an […]
News: National Stress Awareness Day – 1 in 3 take “stress day” since recession
A third of the population has called in sick due to stress in their working life, with money, work and relationships the biggest causes of anxiety, according to research published to coincide with National Stress Awareness Day. Nearly half of UK workers have felt more stressed since the onset of the financial crisis, finds the […]
Blog: National Stress Awareness Day – How to deal with stress in the workplace
We may be officially out of recession, but the market is still tough, and many businesses are suffering from its consequences. We have seen redundancies across a range of sectors, and often companies have been forced to diversify into different areas to compete with rival firms. Changes such as these can create anxiety and be […]
Ask the Expert: Do staff have to attend grievance appeals if off sick?
The question After a decision to overrule a grievance raised against another member of staff, the originator of the grievance is now on sick leave due to the stressful situation at work. What are their rights in relation to refusing an invitation to an appeal hearing while they are signed off by a doctor […]
News: Smokers cost employers £1.4bn in absence and lost productivity
While smokers cost their employers £1.4 billion per year in sickness absence and lost productivity, a growing number of workers are also worried that they drink too much. According to a report in the journal ‘Addiction’, current smokers take on average 2.7 more days off sick than non-smoking colleagues and are 33% more likely to […]
News: BBC to investigate harassment claims after journalist’s suicide
The BBC has appointed a third party to investigate whether complaints about sexual harassment by a journalist who later committed suicide were handled properly. The family of Russell Joslin has accused the broadcaster of failing to act on the complaints of sexual harassment from a female colleague made by the reporter for BBC Coventry and […]
Legal Insight: Working with the Working Time Regulations
The coalition government has expressed its commitment to “deregulating” employment law. As part of this approach, the Home Secretary, Theresa May, is specifically targeting European Directives and has pledged the government’s commitment to negotiate UK domestic law out of these obligations. Her concern is that directives passed down from Europe, which must subsequently be […]
News: Eight ways to cope with the clocks going back
As the clocks go back this Sunday and the days continue to darken, millions of workers will once again find themselves suffering from the winter blues as British summertime officially ends. The short days can have a significant impact on some employees’ health and wellbeing, but the time change can also lead to short-term complications […]
News: Afternoon naps boost staff health and productivity
Allowing employees to take an afternoon nap is not only good for their health, but also improves their ability to concentrate and learn, a study has found. A review of US and European research revealed that if workers took a 30 minute siesta three times a week, they were 37% less likely to die of […]