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 […]
Planning the Christmas Party
The Christmas party is a great opportunity to thank staff for their efforts over the last year, relax a little and get to know people outside of work. However, it’s always a concern when the alcohol starts to flow and your employees let their hair down. Romances, punch-ups and offensive jokes can be par for […]
How to deal with bullying in the workplace
A survey of over 2,000 UK employees found that more than a third (37%) have been victim to bullying in the workplace. While it’s a challenge to find up to date statistics on the state of bullying in the workplace in the UK, there is an interesting survey that was conducted for solicitors Slater and […]
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 […]
Nicknames and Discrimination in the Workplace
An Employment Tribunal has awarded more than £63,000 to a salesperson nicknamed “Gramps” by his colleagues. The Tribunal found that Mr Dove suffered discrimination in the workplace and was ultimately dismissed because of his age. Mr Dove was a long-serving salesperson for a jewellery manufacturer before his dismissal at age 60. The Head of Sales […]
Tipping Point for Flexible Working in 2017
Next year will see the tipping point for flexible working in the UK, according to new research. Lancaster University’s Work Foundation indicates that over half of UK businesses are likely to adopt flexible working practices by 2017. The paper, ‘Working Anywhere: A Winning Formula for Good Work?’ aimed to estimate when flexible working will become […]
Starbucks Loses Workplace Dyslexia Case
A dyslexic employee has won an Employment Tribunal against coffee retail chain Starbucks. Meseret Kumulchew, a barista at a Starbucks in Clapham, London, suffered discrimination in her role after she was wrongly accused of falsifying documents. Ms Kumulchew made mistakes in her role due to her difficulties with reading and writing. Yet instead of making […]