Managing stress in the workplace
We ran our annual SME Business Survey back in November and asked what the most important aspects of Health and Safety over the next 12 months were. Mental health came out top, with 85% of SME business leaders stating that mental health will be their biggest health and safety challenge in 2023, an increase of 6% […]
COVID – 19 – managing the workplace safely
The government’s COVID-19 announcement yesterday (21 February 2022) confirmed the end of all COVID-19 restrictions which will gradually take effect between now and 1 April. It will mean that moving forward the responsibility for how to live with the virus will be placed on individuals rather than the government and their interventions that we have […]
SSP and Covid – Reimbursement Scheme Reintroduced
The Chancellor announced last night that he is reintroducing the SSP reimbursement scheme for SMEs who have employees off sick with Covid. The full details of the scheme are yet to be announced, however the government updated has updated its guidance on gov.uk with the message: “This scheme will be reintroduced from mid-January 2022. Further guidance […]
Highest Health and Safety Executive fine for 2021
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued its highest value fine for 2021 to rail operator W.H. Malcom Ltd. following a boy’s death. The company must pay £6.5m after it was found guilty of negligence after an 11-year-old boy was fatally electrocuted in 2017. The boy managed to get into the Daventry International Rail […]
Employers, HR and the new COVID variant and rules – what you need to know
Further to the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, the government has introduced precautionary measures to slow the spread in the UK until more can be understood about the potential impact. Although there is much still to be learned about the variant, it is understood that it spreads ‘very rapidly’ and can be spread […]
November – Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Raising awareness about employee risks of lung cancer November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Its principal aim is to encourage people who display symptoms to see their GP. Symptoms can include persistent cough, chest pain as well as becoming out of breath either when doing normal daily tasks or at resting. A high percentage of […]
How to retain your best employees
When staff members decide to leave, it can be a huge and expensive inconvenience, especially if you are a small business. Employees can leave for all sorts of reasons, from not getting on with their manager or colleagues to struggling with their workload. Whatever the reason for their departure, each time an employer replaces a […]
Protecting young workers from bullying and harassment
This week is Anti-Bullying Week, a campaign coordinated by the ‘Anti-Bullying Alliance’, an organisation that specifically focuses on stopping the bullying of children and young people. Bullying and harassment in the workplace Young people in the workplace can be more vulnerable to workplace bullying and harassment compared to other workplace groups for many reasons: Firstly, […]
Health and Safety in the News
Health and Safety accident results in £20,000 fine A manufacturing company has been fined in excess of £20,000 after a health and safety accident. A worker’s hand was drawn into a roller and crushed after the company had not correctly assessed the risks involved. At the time of the accident, Chris Ellor, a director of […]
The launch of HR Solutions’ ILM Training Centre
We are always looking to expand on our training packages and have therefore increased our management training course offering after becoming an accredited ILM approved training centre. All of the management training courses are accredited externally, and the new status adds ILM – the UK’s leading provider of leadership, management and coaching qualifications to our […]
Survey set to reveal biggest challenges facing businesses
UK businesses are being urged to reveal the challenges they expect to face over the next 12 months in our 2021 SME Survey which launches on Friday 5th November. We are launching the survey for small and medium-sized enterprises with chartered accountants Nordens so that we can support firms as they negotiate the changing economic […]
National Minimum Wage to Increase in 2022
National Minimum Wage Increases for 2022 The Government has announced the National Minimum Wage (NMW) increases for next year. The top band, known as the National Living Wage, will increase from £8.91 to £9.50 per hour from April 2022. This band applies to those aged 23 and over and is an increase of 6.6 per […]
UK employers facing staffing squeeze as number of vacancies hit record high
Employers face the worst candidate shortage on record as Brexit, and a post-lockdown surge in the economy are impacting recruitment. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) reveals that employers are growing increasingly frustrated as vacancies reach 1.66 million, with that figure expected to rise in the next few months. The staffing squeeze has been made […]
HR consultancy director scoops prestigious award
Helen Astill, managing director of Cherington HR, has scooped the HR Consulting MD of the Year 2021 award in Acquisition International’s Influential Businesswoman Awards. Cherington HR was acquired by HR Solutions in July 2021, broadening the range of services available and adding additional experienced staff to be able to continue to provide excellent service to […]
What is garden leave and how can it affect your business?
‘Garden leave’ describes a period when employees are serving out their notice period but are not required to attend work; either because there is no work for them to do or because the employer is concerned that their attendance at work could cause problems. Garden leave originated with employers that wanted their employees to adhere […]
What can the UK do to tackle the HGV driver shortage?
The UK is currently experiencing a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified drivers. According to a survey by the Road Haulage Association, this shortfall includes thousands of skilled drivers from EU member states who previously lived and worked in Britain. Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic have caused thousands of drivers to leave the UK. Meanwhile, […]
Employer Meesho allows new parents to take gender-neutral leave
Meesho, a social e-commerce platform, has introduced a 30-week gender-neutral parental policy that enables all employees to take parental leave regardless of their gender, sexual identity or marital status. Bangalore-based Meesho wants to ensure that its employees are entitled to the same benefits that let them spend quality time with their children. Gender-neutral parental leave […]
Menopause Awareness Month: managing the menopause in the workplace
The menopause is a taboo subject, especially within the workplace. We know from research that those employees who fall in this demographic are, in general, treated negatively because of it. October is World Menopause Month, and 18th October is World Menopause Day – created to raise awareness and provide support to those going through it. […]
Deadline Announced for Care Workers to be Vaccinated
From 11 November 2021, all care home workers will be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, unless they are exempt under the regulations. The new guidance covers anyone entering to undertake care work. Workers must have received the full course of the vaccination. The vaccine offers the best protection against the virus for staff […]
Expedia named top place to work in 2017
Expedia is one of the best places to work for the second year, according to employees. The Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Awards also saw ARM, HomeServe UK, and Mott MacDonald and Hays named in the top five. Voted by employees The Employees’ Choice Awards is in its ninth year and recognises the best places to work […]