Ask the Expert: Is posting Facebook pictures of planking at work acceptable?
The Question Two members of staff posted pictures of themselves ‘planking’ on Facebook or lying in places that put their health and safety at risk – on top of a top shelf in a backroom and above the back door at work. Comments have been made about this on Facebook, which included the manager […]
Blog: Gamification – silly name, but it could help engagement and innovation
At the end of the 80’s, Action Man was ‘Toy of the Decade’. Before the age of video games millions of kids used Action Man in real games, and the fantasy they created was as vivid and involving as pressing buttons on a Play Station. Our very own Kevin Thomson managed the ‘Action Man’ brand […]
Talent Spot: Guy Pink, HR director of Addaction
Knowing your company helps saves lives is a pretty good motivator for getting up and going to work each day. Guy Pink, HR director of drug and alcohol treatment charity, Addaction, may not be on the front line providing counselling or advice, but he plays a vital supporting role, ensuring that the charity creates […]
Ask the Expert: How sick is sick?
The Question A member of staff has been off sick for two weeks (one week self-certified, the other with a doctor’s note). While off sick, she has been posting on a social networking site that she has been to Bristol to have a new tattoo, has been out and about with friends and has also […]
Nurses’ ‘do not disturb’ tabards send out ‘wrong message’
Patients’ campaign groups have criticised the growing use of ‘do not disturb’ tabards worn by nurses in a bid to cut medication errors during drug rounds as sending out the wrong message. The tabards are being used in a number of hospitals to try and reduce the risk of personnel being distracted by either patients […]
Legal Insight: Where does long-term sick leave end and annual leave begin?
The boundaries between annual leave and sick leave and where they lie has been a growing issue in both the courts and employment tribunals over the last couple of years, points out Harriet Broughton, a solicitor at Bevans. The problem arises because the Working Time Regulations 1998 state that annual leave “may only be taken […]
Cycling staff saved employers £128 million last year
The cycling industry is worth £2.9 billion a year to the UK economy and employs about 23,000 workers, a report by the London School of Economics has found. The figure includes the contribution made by bicycle manufacturing, retail and cycle-related employment, which contributed more than £600 million to the economy in wages and taxes last […]
Blog: Got sick while on holiday?
After months of hard work you finally booked a few days off to enjoy the gorgeous (?) British summer weather. But, a day before taking your long awaited break you got really ill and had to spend all of your holiday in bed. Ouch! The good news is that you are entitled to take sickness […]
The secret to staff satisfaction
The current climate is not only affecting business profitability but also staff morale, with employee satisfaction rates at their lowest since 2009, according to a recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Further research carried out by mental health charity, Mind, revealed that 41% of people are stressed by their jobs, with […]
Ask the Expert: What to do about excessive sick leave?
The Question We have an employee who works in an independent school nursery, employed since 2005. Extra responsibilities were taken on in 2009, and they are responsible for four staff. This year she has taken 40 days absence, some of it medically certified, some self-certified. During her last absence, her manager phoned to enquire […]
Ask the expert: Employer queries ‘fit note’ for work-related depression/stress
The question: Depression/stress at work – employer queries ‘fit note’ A friend is into her 5th continuous week of absence, all supported by GP notes every two weeks, stating ‘stress at work/anxiety’ or ‘depression’. Essentially, what started as a stress at work issue three months ago has caused her lots of stress and she has […]
Just over half of staff work through their holidays
Just over half of UK staff who are not self-employed work during their holidays, with nearly one in five making a regular habit of it, a study has found. A survey among 2,009 adults undertaken by YouGov on behalf of workplace information and services provider Croner also revealed that young people aged 18 to 24 […]
Stressed!!! Companies are screaming out for HR to help.
How did last week feel for you? Were you feeling a tad more stressed out than usual? If you were, don’t worry, you’re not alone – there were millions of us in the same boat. Last week was, it seems, the most stressful 5 working days of the corporate calendar as those left in the […]
Consultation on modern workplaces
The “Consultation on Modern Workplaces” launched by the Government in May 2011 proposes radical changes for 2015 to maternity and parental leave, which could create a huge administrative burden on employers, and shifts the focus of diversity measures away from women, toward equal treatment for both parents, plus additional paid leave. Employers don’t need to […]
How to… Set up a Health at Work programme
Whether you are already running health initiatives in your workplace or just getting started, the British Heart Foundation’s Health at Work experts suggest these practical steps for a successful health and wellbeing programme. Create a support group made up of representatives from all levels and across the organisation to help plan and promote initiatives. Gain […]
Wellbeing at work: review of Fellowes office aids
You have a duty of care to your employees. Wellbeing is important and employees off sick – for whatever reason – is inconvenient and costly. So it’s important to make adjustments and practice preventative steps as the best medicine. This includes desk assessments and ensuring employees know how best to prevent any common issues caused […]
Cancer-suffering apprentice sacked
A teenage cancer sufferer was sacked from his apprenticeship because his employers did not want to have to deal with a disabled staff member, an employment tribunal has heard. Michael Ready is claiming unfair dismissal, discrimination under the Disability Act and breach of contract, although William and Tracey McManus, the husband and wife team who […]
Internal, informal hires left with no training or support
Despite the benefits that coaching can bring, all too many organisations select internal candidates on an informal basis and then fail to provide them with adequate training or support, a study has revealed. According to a survey among learning and development managers at 250 large companies undertaken by QA Research on behalf of the Institute […]
The elephant in the HR department?
Not a real one, but as good as…. The elephant I’m talking about is stress, overwhelm, burnout. Here’s an example from a recent post on the dilemmas section of an HR jobs board: "I have never been under more pressure at work. I’m an HR manager of a small firm. Two of my team members […]
Employees need holiday every 60 days
UK workers need to take a holiday every 60 days if they are to stay fresh, focused and avoid feeling stressed, according to research. A survey among 2,000 adults undertaken by Post Office Travel Insurance revealed that one in four felt the need to take a break from work every two months, with 20% feeling […]