Absenteeism rises as swine flu takes hold
Staff absenteeism due to coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms is 66% higher than for the same period last year. The news came as ministers warned that swine flu cases could soon hit 100,000 a day by the end of next month, and a 19-year-old became the fourth victim of the outbreak. The last week in […]
HR tip: Challenging doctor’s fit note
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: An employee has returned to work following a period of sickness absence, with a doctor’s certificate saying that he is now fit for work. However we have our doubts. Can we challenge […]
Abercrombie & Fitch accused of ‘lookism’
US clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch is being taken to an employment tribunal after a sales assistant claimed that she was made to work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop’s image. Riam Dean, a 22-year-old law student, is suing for disability discrimination and seeking up to £20,000 in damages […]
Summer holidays: A source of stress?
Many employees have to work significantly harder before leaving for, and returning from, their summer holiday. Melodie Gilbert outlines the measures employers can take to limit this stress. It’s that time of year when employees’ minds begin to turn to sun-drenched beaches and time out from their everyday jobs. We all look forward to a break […]
The Stringer case: Much ado about nothing?
The long-awaited House of Lords decision on the Stringer v HMRC case was issued on 10 June 2009. However the judgment did not deliver the expected outcome on long-term sickness and statutory annual leave. Pam Loch considers the case further. The background The House of Lords decision in Stringer and others (which includes Ainsworth) […]
Sick to fit: The optimistic angle to employee sickness
Simon Collingridge and Rachel Watkins provide an update and explanation on the government’s ‘fit note’ initiative, as well as clearing up the confusion between statutory and company sick pay. The practice of an employee providing their employer with a sick note has been in place since 1948. The employer’s policy will usually explain to the employee when […]
Wellbeing in the office: No girls allowed
To mark National Men's Health Week, which runs throughout this week, Jeff Archer explains why men-only wellbeing initiatives at work are getting the message across. It may seem like a step backwards in the fight for equality, but targeting men exclusively has become an effective new weapon in the fight to shape up the nation's workforce. With wellbeing […]
A business must manage stress or stress will manage the business
The current economic climate can mean an increasing number of employees feel unable to cope with tasks, find it difficult to manage others or feel frustrated about redundancies or reduced working days. Jo Ouston explains how to manage emotions in the workplace. A few years ago, a card on offer in the gift shops […]
Office de-stressing exercises
When suffering from stress at work, tension can accumulate in the most vulnerable areas of the body such as the upper back, shoulders, neck and head, leading to an uncomfortable range of physiological grumbles, aches and pains. While gin or even a bit of shouting can both often be effective cathartic techniques, they are not […]
Ask the expert: Alcohol policy and religion
An employer would like to develop an alcohol policy that takes into account employees who cannot drink due to religious reasons. Esther Smith and Martin Brewer advise. The question: We have two scenarios :- A manager may invite their team out after work to celebrate a fundraising success. We may crack open a bottle of champagne in […]
The consequences of failing in health and safety
Employers risk huge fines and even imprisonment if they fail to implement the correct health and safety duties, however the effective enforcement of this law has recently been questioned. Charles Price explains. An employer’s duties The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) sets out the basic health and safety duties of […]
Legislation update: Stress at work – ignore at your peril
A recent case has shown that the mere presence of support services is not adequate if an employer wants to avoid being held liable for stress at work. Richard White considers this case further. The leading case in the area of stress at work is Hatton v Sutherland in which the Court of […]
HR blunder of the month: Fired worker reinstated due to printer malfunction
You have probably had to repeat this HR mantra to managers and supervisors many times: Document, document, document. Here’s yet another example of what can go wrong when documentation is missing. A hearing officer has ruled that an employee from Denver, USA should get to keep his job after failing a breathalyzer test because […]
A week in HR: Is the recession the key to job satisfaction?
This week, Lucie Mitchell reports on a mass UK jobs exodus, a rise in job satisfaction, and the swine flu outbreak. The recession will cause a permanent UK jobs exodus, according to new research. A study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants has revealed that 81% of the UK’s largest multinational firms are planning or […]
Colborn’s Corner: Swine flu – a media frenzy
The media has been in a frenzy over swine flu and we are all being subjected to a government communication plan that includes telling us what to do when we sneeze. But what does it all mean at work? Quentin Colborn examines what HR professionals should be doing about swine flu. Recently, if you say that you […]
How to manage sickness absence in a downturn
Paul Avis highlights the importance of effective absence management during a downturn to ensure an expedient resolution and to protect the employer from litigation. Staff absence seriously affects the workplace as not only does it cost businesses £666 per year, per employee (CIPD Absence Management Survey 2009), it also puts pressure on those colleagues still […]
Health, work and director leadership
Geraint Day, from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), comments on HSE survey findings regarding director leadership on health and safety, including practices and influences to ensure that health and safety is addressed at board level. Workplace health is on the agenda of most boards of directors in UK organisations that employ five or more […]
Case study: Health and wellbeing at First ScotRail
The health and wellbeing programme at First ScotRail demonstrates commitment to staff and recognises the relationship between staff wellbeing and customer service levels. Becky Midgley talks to its occupational health advisor to find out more about the company's wellbeing initiatives. First ScotRail is the largest regional train operating […]
Wellbeing at work gets personal
When it comes to corporate wellbeing programmes, a discount at the local gym or a regular chair massage might be what springs to mind, but all that is changing. Jeff Archer explains. The 21st century face of wellness is a smarter one and recent months have seen a shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a […]
Ask the wellness experts: A Q&A with Bupa
When it comes to engaging employees, looking after their health is the ultimate way to prove you care about their wellbeing. Enabling them to access high quality healthcare and preventative medicine from a top quality source like Bupa says something about how you treat your employees – and you can be sure they will become […]
