Newsletter

How to handle bereavement in the workplace

Often you may be told to expect the unexpected. But expecting your employees to be faced with difficult or terrible news isn’t necessarily on the daily agenda.

Technically, the law doesn’t require employers to grant bereavement leave to their staff.Staff do however have the right to take a reasonable amount of time off to make funeral plans and other necessary arrangements in the event of the death of a dependant; but there is no right to be paid.Your compassionate leave policy is there to spell out your position on providing bereavement leave – paid or unpaid. If you do not have one of these please get in touch with The HR Dept and we can help you to set one out.

Having said all this, that’s just the law, so your compassion is absolutely key here. Showing you’re a caring and supportive employer is crucial to supporting affected staff and their colleagues. Businesses that empathise and show their staff compassion and leniency during such turmoil will invariably benefit through an improved employment relationship, as well as preventing any ill feelings upon their return.

Of course, most SME business owners would go above and beyond in tragic circumstances, but it’s important that your compassionate leave policy is set out and clear. First, to be consistent and second to manage expectations. Remember that there are different religious beliefs and customs for funerals which may affect the time needed as leave. Don’t leave yourself open to accusations of discrimination.

How to accommodate Ramadan

26th May to 24th June is Ramadan, a religious period observed by Muslims. Those participating in Ramadan will be fasting – from dawn until sunset every day. Employers should acknowledge this and makereasonable adjustments so they do not fall foul of the Equality Act 1998-2015.

You may want to consider a few issues that could arise. These could include fatigue caused by disrupted sleep patterns. Fasting can also reduce blood sugar levels, causing lethargy and irritability. And participants may be required to pray more often than usual throughout the working day.

One way to be accommodating could be to schedule demanding work for the morning. It is a good idea to inform other employees that Ramadan is taking place, and if you are arranging any social events, don’t be offended if people participating decline an invite!

Spotting an unhappy employee

In any organisation, however well run, sooner or later employees may want to leave for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it might be for the best – which is not an issue. But other times you may be at risk of losing a talented team member.

Holding regular appraisal/feedback chats can help you spot signs of unhappiness but an appraisal that discusses their career ambitions can identify risks. Even then, make clear that the door is always open to discuss issues.

If you know there is a problem you can see if you can fix it but encouraging openness can give you more notice time to plan their replacement. But ultimately, if they do resign you have to respect their decision.

Health and safety gone mad? Are you sure?

Health and safety (H&S) often finds itself on the receiving end of jokes and gags. To many it’s viewed as just another form of red tape.

But despite “’elf and safety’s” jobsworth reputation, it’s crucial to keep your employees safe and prevent work-related injuries from occurring.

Company policies and procedures are often  rightfully attributed to the health and safety requirements of the business. But that’s not always the case, it’s often used as an easy excuse for a business having and exercising particular policies in the workplace.

A prime example from the Twitter feed was when the Daily Mail reported that, due to H&S, a young girl had been put into isolation at school for having beads in her hair. The HSE tweeted, “’H&S regulations’ for beaded hair? @DailyMailUK are you sure? #bustedmyth”.

Taking health and safety seriously has major benefits for businesses, such as reduced costs, lower employee absenteeism, less likelihood of legal action, improved reputation of employee care and corporate responsibility, and (through all that) higher levels of productivity.

In 2015/16, an average of 25 working days were lost per 1000 people as a direct result of workplace-related injuries. So not only will your employees benefit from health and safety rules, so will your business. Win-win.

And if you get it wrong? There is the risk of fines, compensation and even jail.

We have a dedicated health and safety team at The HR Dept, so if you need help with this important area, get in touch.

How to remunerate sleeping shifts

On first thoughts, sleeping whilst working might sound cushy. But a recent BBC news article revealed that council-employed care staff working sleep-shifts might not be getting paid the statutory minimum wage.

Despite many of these shifts lasting up to 10 hours, some workers were paid just €39 for the whole shift. This meant it was likely some carers would only reach the equivalent of the National Minimum Wage each month if they worked additional hours on top of their normal rate.

In accordance with minimum wage legislation, employers must pay workers for the entire ‘sleep-in’ shift, if they are liable to be woken to deal with incidents.
We recently wrote a blog on working time and pay. Although it does vary case by case, if you get it wrong it will cost you!

If you are uncertain about pay legislation and working hours, get in touch and speak to one of our HR specialists.

References. How reliable are they?

Last year, Aussie radio hosts Hamish & Andy uncovered “the best bloke in the world” who was perfectly happy to give a job reference for a stranger. And (not knowing he was live on air) what a reference he gave!

Funny though it was, it drew attention to the validity of CV references and how much you can rely on them. As recruiting the right staff is crucial to the success of SMEs, it is certainly a concern.

Whilst we always recommend taking up written references, previous employers are often far more forthcoming about an individual on the telephone than they are on paper.

The HR Dept can help with all aspects of the recruitment process. If you need any help, get in touch.

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Terror attack guidance

Across the Irish Sea, the UK government recently announced new guidelines that include how employers should prepare for, recognise and respond to a terrorist attack. They were published two days before the shocking events of the Westminster terror attack, which serves as a stark reminder of why we must all be prepared for the worst. Let’s take a look at what is included.

The new guidelines are comprehensive, covering a range of threats through 14 different sections. These include:

Weapons and firearms attacks where details of the “Run, hide and tell” tactics are provided.How to deal with suspicious items, the threat of attack through incoming mail and bomb threats. For suspicious items, the four C’s are recommended – Confirm (it’s suspicious), Clear (the immediate area), Communicate (call 999) and Control (access to the cordoned area).The danger of suicide bombers, vehicle bombs and other vehicle-based attacks. Notably, the National Police Chief Council has approved wider use of roof markings on HGVs to assist airborne police units when tracking stolen lorries.Chemical, biological and radioactive threats.How to protect against insider threats and cyber-attacks.The guide, available on the UK government website, is intended for use by the public as well as organisations. For employers, considering and acting upon the advice could form an essential part of their duty of care towards employees.

Often an HR department will be one of the key parts of an organisation responsible for delivering recommendations. If you would like help implementing anti-terrorism measures, particularly if you are in a sensitive industry, for instance a haulier, then get in touch with your local HR Dept.

Science in seating plans

How much thought do you put into where employees sit? If the answer is not much, then you could be missing a trick. Mixing things up can have a dramatic effect on productivity. Flexi-desks, also known as hot desks, are one way to ensure that people do not get too cosy in established spots.

However, if you want to get more scientific, research from Cornerstone On Demand – a US-based consultancy – will be of interest. They categorised workers into three camps:

High productivity, low quality Average productivity, average quality Low productivity, high quality

They found that if you sit 1’s and 3’s together it helps them bring out the best in each other – improving quality in 1’s and productivity in 3’s. The same benefit was not seen in 2’s, so they are best seated together. They found that adopting this method could lead to a significant 15% boost in organisational performance. Worth investigating!

What’s causing the absence?

It’s essential for a well-run organisation to manage absence effectively, and often helpful for employees’ well-being too. However, the cause of absence may not always be down to the employee. When examining absence data, it’s helpful to look for patterns beyond the behaviour of individuals. For example, do people from one team display more absence than average? That could point to a bad line manager, causing absence through poor management technique. Where this, or other factors, might be the underlying cause, the quicker it’s identified the better. We run training courses on manging absence. Get in touch for more information.

Making HR a walk in the park

We all know what a challenge HR can be at times, especially dealing with a disciplinary or managing performance. So here is a top tip to help with the lighter side of HR.

May is National Walking Month, when charities, employers and other organisations will be encouraging people to get out for anything from a light stroll to making some serious strides.

With many roles in the modern workplace leading to workers being sedentary for most of the day, getting people to walk more is a sure-fire way to increase productivity and job satisfaction.

There are numerous health benefits to walking, which can boost the mind as well as body. These include:

Releasing endorphins to boost your mood and act as a natural energiser.Helping you lose weight and tone up muscles in your lower body. A half-hour walk can burn between 75-150 calories, which soon adds up if you make it habitual.It reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and other serious conditions. For instance, the risk of stroke can be reduced by 27% with a daily half-hour walk, whilst the chances of getting type 2 diabetes are said to be cut by 60%.It’s even said that dementia can be warded off by walking at least six miles a week.That’s a big thumbs up for walking and clearly will benefit employers as well as individuals. So what could you bring in to promote it?

Some companies implement challenges to get staff walking: taking the stairs instead of the lift or setting competitions to see which teams can walk the furthest (technology can help here, with the rise of Fitbits and other pedometer devices).

Why not team up with a charity as well, you may as well raise some money for a good cause whilst you’re at it!

Encouraging walking is a great proactive HR policy that contributes to employee well-being, team spirit, and even a bit of positive PR through association with a charity. For help with your first steps contact The HR Dept.

Sickness absence falling, but not for everyone

Sickness absence has fallen considerably since records began. Especially in the public sector. In just one year the rate of sick leave across the service fell by 0.4% to 3.9%. That means on average each employee is taking around 8.5 days of as sick leave each year. It’s continuing to fall steadily following a marked decrease after the 2008 financial crisis. The over 65 age bracket tends to buck the trend, being higher than any other demongraphic. With an ageing population, Irish businesses will have an older workforce on its books, so making sure you’re prepared to deal with sickness absence issues is important.

So this data presents an opportunity for businesses to support them with targeted occupational health support which will also help control absence levels.
These could include devising return to work programmes, making reasonable adjustments and identifying workplace issues that may contribute to absence. The statistics suggest this will be a growing issue, so if you need support call The HR Dept.

Ties out, slippers in?

Relaxed dress codes are now common in some sectors. Will the latest fad from Sweden catch on? That is, taking your shoes off at the workplace door and donning slippers. The idea being that comfortable staff equals productive staff.

Your dress code will be influenced by many factors, including the industry you’re in, the day-to-day activities of staff and the image you want to portray.

Perhaps a financial services firm may want to retain a strict code to demonstrate professionalism, trust and accountability, while a digital agency may go relaxed to show creativity.
Even if your dress code is smart, bear in mind the seasons. With summer coming, many companies relax dress codes so things don’t get too uncomfortable in hot weather.
Whatever you do, get it down in a proper policy and apply the rules consistently.

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New ECJ ruling

The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that workplace bans on the wearing of “any political, philosophical or religious sign” need not constitute direct discrimination.

At this time of heightened religious awareness, it is important that employers do not take the ECJ ruling at face value it is far more complex than that.

The ruling was clear that the court will only support a ban in limited circumstances. The ruling, which is more nuanced than a straightforward ban, could sow confusion about which religious symbols can be worn at work and could breed discrimination from colleagues and customers if not handled properly.

The ban must be based on internal company rules requiring all employees to “dress neutrally” and the ban must encompass ALL signs of a religion like wearing a cross and not just a headscarf. This ruling applied to a customer facing role where the neutrality of the company was demonstrated.

The courts ruled that if it is an employer’s desire to project an image of neutrality towards its customers then banning religious insignia is legitimate.

Therefore employers must make sure that this policy bans other religious insignia such as crucifixes, skullcaps and turbans.

But employers should be extremely careful when considering applying bans on religious dress. You will still have a duty to show that you have not enabled indirect discrimination against your employees. There must be clear legitimacy of the policy and necessity for the business, applied appropriately.

Campaign and religious groups have voiced concerns that this ruling could allow employers to discriminate against employees and potential employees on the grounds of religious belief.

Gender pay gap

International Women’s Day, in March, was an opportunity to celebrate the progress made by women in the past year. And also a time to reflect on the challenges yet to be overcome. One of these is the gender pay gap: it is still there and it is substantial.

In the UK the recent introduction of legislation forcing companies to publish the gender pay-gap is coming into force, and in Iceland, recent legislation has resulted in companies being forced to prove they are paying men and women equally.

Equal pay is a legal requirement and it is best practice for companies of all sizes to ensure they have an equality policy and to actually live by it.  Half the population are women, do you really want to discriminate against them and earn a bad reputation for the business you have built up?

Unfair dismissal

€30,000.

That’s the amount that the Workplace Relations Commission awarded a woman, dismissed from her place of work post revealing that she was pregnant. According to her, the atmosphere at work changed immediately from the point she notified management of her pregnancy.

She hadn’t been the subject of any disciplinary procedures prior to the dismissal, the employer simply failed to follow the proper process. Employers can take two things from this, don’t discriminate and always follow a consistent process.

To get your disciplinary procedures in place please contact The HR Dept.

The office move

Using April to do more than the usual Spring Clean? Whether by choice or necessity you may be in a position this year to move office. Needless to say amidst the excitement comes a Pandora’s Box of operational, administrative and HR issues. You’ll need to prepare for these. Here are 5 jobs for your list.

1. The ones that don’t want to move
For those with longer and potentially more expensive journeys, the move may not be popular. Having the right mobility clause in your contracts should protect you, allowing you to move with your staff without issue, as long as the move is within the limits outlined, and isn’t deemed totally unreasonable.
The key to preventing a dispute is to keep staff in the loop of your plans well in advance, and ensure they have time available to make adjustments.

2. Getting the little things right
Seating plans, losing a rest room, having a smaller desk, being too close to the kitchen, not having a window… Just a few things there that can change your staff’s attitude about the move. Talk to your team and make sure you’ve got their needs covered within reason, as things will go a whole lot smoother.

3. Productivity
A small drop is to be expected, as staff clear their desks and sort through their stuff. Bite the bullet and get this done by Friday for a weekend move, so everyone’s ready for business come Monday.

4. Smooth transition
If the internet isn’t working and the phone lines are down for too long, you’ll leave customers in the dark and your team will be stuck twiddling their thumbs. To the best of your ability get everything ready for that Monday for a truly seamless move.

5. Health and safety!
Your staff need to know where the fire exits are, where extinguishers are, the assembly point for a fire alarm, where the first aid kit is, have a new computer assessment and know who their Health and Safety contact is.

This list isn’t exhaustive but it does give you five key considerations to focus your planning on.

Flexible working

Working from home is a great perk. Although sometimes we can get distracted – perhaps the TV or the cat wanting to be fed.

For viral sensation (20 million YouTube views in a week!) Professor Robert Kelly, the distraction came from his two young children.  And, comically, they did their thing during a live Skype interview on BBC News.

Moments into the interview Professor Kelly’s two young children burst into the room, strutting about like they owned the place!

Hilarious for millions around the world, but it highlights the challenges of flexible working.

That said, 38% of millennials believe they do their best work outside the office. And as for employers, flexible working enables them to demonstrate compassion for employee needs – particularly for those with families or a difficult commute.

But to be effective, flexible working must be managed properly. We can help. Contact The HR Dept for advice

Don’t shoot the messenger

It has been revealed that Parcelforce charge self-employed drivers significant amounts per sick day they take without finding a replacement driver.

Approximately 25% of Parcelforce’s couriers are self-employed and, as you can imagine, this has not gone down well.

This is only the latest in a long line of “gig economy” stories where the balance of the relationship between the company and person doing the work seems to have tipped too much in favour of the company.

There are two issues here. First is legal compliance. Here the waters are muddied by confusing variances in different worker statuses and the rights that go with them. At what point is someone considered self-employed, a worker or employed? Second is treating people decently, which is one of the hallmarks of a good employer and one that we believe will add value to a business in the long run.

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Twit on Twitter

An interesting Tribunal case in January brought social media misconduct back into sharp focus.

The case, Creighton v Together Housing Association Ltd, centred on tweets sent up to three years previously.

The longstanding employee, a heating engineer, was being investigated for bullying. During the investigation, the employer uncovered historic derogatory tweets posted about the company by the employee. We can’t print them here but, rest assured, they were full of profanity!

After carrying out a disciplinary process, the employer threw out the bullying charges but dismissed the employee due to the tweets. They judged that they constituted gross misconduct.

The case ended up in a tribunal, which ultimately found in favour of the employer. The judge dismissed the employee’s arguments that the tweets were posted two to three years ago, were assumed to be private and that he deserved to be treated sympathetically for 30 years’ service.

The case highlights several points for businesses to recognise. First, that private social media use should be on organisations’ radar. We strongly recommend having a social media policy. It not only educates employees about what is and isn’t acceptable, but also gives employers a clear framework to take disciplinary action. Second, it highlights the importance of following due process. The judge noted that the organisation had given the employee the chance to explain his tweets, and he had not come up with a satisfactory explanation. Third, the age of the tweets was not material to the dismissal.

Emoji fail

Hunting for jobs isn’t easy. Setbacks are to be expected, but rejections rarely come via text as they did for this applicant. Moments after leaving her interview, she received a text message telling her that she’d been unsuccessful in her interview, sounds OK? It was also followed up with a highly insensitive laughing face emoji and a comment that they found the applicants interview answers ‘basic’.

After a very unprofessional encounter with the recruitment team the restaurant eventually apologised. The restaurant has ensured that this incident won’t happen again and that the recruitment team do act with the upmost professionalism and strive to give constructive feedback to all who apply.
If you want to avoid a situation like this, with The HR Dept we offer a comprehensive recruitment service which can provide your business with interview questions, job descriptions and much more to help you through the recruitment process. For more information, please get in touch!

Shared Parental Leave: Is it coming

With the introduction of Paternity Leave last June and with a further two weeks being added to it in September, could Shared parental leave may be on its way for Ireland? The Taoiseach has only yet suggested that companies should adopt a Shared Parental Policy. Doing so would help both parents share the responsibility of child-rearing, promoting gender equality in the workplace. Is this something you want to implement? The HR Dept is there to help you put together the policies you’ll need.

Tipping point

Prominent players in the restaurant industry have come under fire recently. The reason? Various perceived underhand, or even illegal, practices when it comes to paying staff. Let’s take a look at some of these cases with our HR hats on.

How tips are allocated is one issue. Prominent chains such as Las Iguanas and Turtle Bay require waiting staff to pay 3% of sales each evening to their managers – regardless of how much they are actually tipped. Employees have equated this to having to pay to work a shift.

There are several issues here that we would be looking at as HR advisers. Considering the law first, there is a chance that taking money from staff could result in their overall pay dropping below the National Living or Minimum Wages. This could lead to fines, naming and shaming and the awarding of back pay. Even if contracts were worded to cover this eventuality, it’s essential to ensure that what happens on the ground reflects the contract.

Then there is the question of employee morale and motivation. If you get your remuneration package wrong or inflict perceived injustices, you may find it difficult to hang on to good staff, or to get decent productivity – not good for the long-term prospects of a business.

The restaurants in question explain that the funds collected go back into incentive schemes for non-waiting staff. This may be fair enough but, as with all policies, it is important to communicate these effectively to employees to ensure they are understood.

It is not just tipping that has landed restaurant owners in a pot of hot water! Celebrity chef Michele Roux Jr got into trouble for paying staff below the minimum wage at his acclaimed La Gavroche in Mayfair. How did this come about? Because of the long hours that staff worked beyond their normal shifts. It highlights the importance of keeping on top of payroll as well as staff time and attendance.

For help complying with the law and putting effective remuneration packages in place, call The HR Dept.

A coffee a day means productivity is here to stay

Want a 7% increase in productivity? Get a coffee machine! That’s according to Survey Partner ONE. And there are plenty of other indications that coffee can be the lifeblood of the workplace:

It fights off sluggishness – It’s well-known that caffeine is a stimulant that enables employees to remain focused for extensive periods of time.
It can lower the risk of depression – Of course it is a serious condition, but a Harvard study found that women who drink four or more cups of coffee per day have a 20% lower risk of developing depression.

It improves employee relations – A chat over a coffee is the perfect way for employees to develop good relationships – and that’s according to MIT.
It could even maintain integrity – Fortune reports that employees are less likely to adopt unethical practices if they are awake and alert.

Sniff-sniff

…Or in Japanese: KunKun! It is also the name of a new gadget that you can plug into a smartphone to create a body odour smelling device.

It was invented in Japan to by-pass awkward conversations with ‘whiffy’ colleagues, by allowing them to monitor themselves using technology. Ultra-polite manners in Japan make such conversations difficult. But let’s be honest – they are not the most fun ‘chats’ to have here either.

So could KunKun spare blushes in the UK? Body odour can certainly be a workplace issue: unpleasant for colleagues, but also a cause of tension and bullying. Of course, managers should be proactive. But if not handled correctly, conversations addressing the issue can cause offence and damage professional relationships.

It’s a big leap to imagine KunKun catching on over here. So, for now, a professional approach to the awkward conversation is what’s required.

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Modern slavery under the microscope

Operation Magnify was introduced in 2015 to crack down on the employment of illegal immigrants. It puts into sharp focus the need for all businesses to carry out proper background checks at the start of the employment relationship – whether it seems necessary or not.

Specific industries are being directly targeted, including construction, care homes, food and hospitality, and agriculture. Among the stated intentions of the operation are to protect legitimate employers, and provide more job opportunities and better prospects for UK citizens and legal migrants.

Just last month, 100 people were found to be working illegally in UK nail bars and were arrested.

This crackdown is also intended to tackle the ‘barbaric crime’ of modern slavery and victims of human trafficking. Many traffickers lure their victims to the UK via the Internet, promising a good job and a better quality of life. But instead these victims arrive illegally and become exploited and forced to work.

As part of the activity last month, warning notices were delivered to 68 businesses stating that they will be fined £20,000 per illegal worker if they have not performed the appropriate background checks.

In a high profile case last summer, burger chain Byron Burger was caught up in a furore for employing illegal immigrants – a result of not performing the necessary background checks.

It is of paramount importance to check the right to work of each prospective employee before you take them on.  Employing illegal immigrants or failing to carry-out the vetting process and keeping a solid paper-trail could ultimately result in £20k fine per employee and even up to five years in prison.

Six Nations sweepstake

The Six Nations is back! The fortunes of the teams are bound to be a popular topic of conversation in many offices. Fortunately, this is one sporting event that is largely confined to weekends,so most employees won’t face distraction during working hours.

That said, some businesses do employ weekend staff. If you are one of them you may want to plan ahead and think about shift patterns, or set out rules of how people can or can’t follow the games whilst on duty. While they can cause productivity issues, popular sporting events can be a great way to bring teams together, too. Staff may get together informally to watch a game at the pub. Or you could set up a sweepstake to inject a bit of topical fun into your workplace  – if you do make sure you’re not in breach of the Gambling Act!

Unfair dismissal?

A Tesco security manager who was dismissed for removing a toy from one of the stores without paying has appealed against the decision and has received damages of €18000. He bought the toy home to see if it was suitable for his child to play with and did state that he had every intention of purchasing the toy. He tried to get hold of Tesco on numerous occasions after his dismissal but they refused to engage with his solicitors which led to his ill health and he ended up having a heart attack. Make sure that you have policies in place to ensure a Tesco disaster doesn’t happen to you, if in doubt give The HR Dept a call!

Tinder-the new workplace matchmaker

Despite only establishing itself in 2012, Tinder has become one of the fastest growing digital apps of all time. On average it records one billion ‘swipes’ per day, and has paved the way for other instant-match dating apps like Bumble and Happn.

Having permanently changed the landscape of online dating, Tinder has also transformed the daunting prospect of finding ‘the one’ into a fun game to play whilst waiting for the bus or for your tea to brew in the office kitchen.

For the uninitiated, the app works by taking note of your location, and then allowing you to upload photos of yourself and a short bio. Then Tinder does the rest, finding suitable matches in your area.

The distinguishing feature of this app is that you judge your potential suitors on a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ basis once you have viewed their images. You swipe left or right depending on whether or not you think they’re a suitable match.

Although this platform makes the formal dating process far less pressured, potential issues can arise when two people match with each other at work.
If this does happen, what’s the next step? If they don’t talk to each other, this could become a source of awkwardness in the workplace. Yet if they do talk, this could lead to a relationship in the office.

Although workplace relationships are not necessarily a bad thing, they can cause many a problem while they last and after a break-up – both for the couple, and their colleagues. Some companies go as far as having policies that cover such relationships.

And what if it never gets as far as a match? One swipes left and the other right, but unwanted attention is still given! In a healthy workplace culture, you will make it clear to staff that they can raise any issues with you if a co-worker has become inappropriate.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, love will likely be in the air with or without the help of Tinder. Make sure you’re prepared to manage romance in your workplace.

Exit in style

Barack Obama’s departure from The White House got us thinking about business exit strategies.

We all know we can’t run our companies forever. For many, the dream will be to step back and leave a profitable business that someone else can manage. So how do you ensure you leave your company in safe hands? Here’re a few thoughts from us:

Train up your managers – give people the skills they need to run your company.
Don’t disappear – The best way to maintain morale is to steadily reduce your hours, rather than leaving suddenly.
Become a consultant – Be available to pass on your experience.
Incentivise the next generation – make them motivated to grow your business.It’s also important to communicate with staff to let them know what’s likely to change and what will stay the same. And, if you can pull it off like Obama, don’t forget to mic drop!

Clocking on to dishonest employees

Trust between yourself and your workforce is essential. It’s difficult to run a profitable and productive organisation if you can’t rely on the people who help you operate it. Having robust policies and systems helps big time – discouraging bad behaviour in the first place but also in catching and dealing with any misdemeanours that do happen.

Clocking-in systems are one area that employees can exploit. This was highlighted when one fast-growing company discovered an employee was also clocking in for a mate, thereby exaggerating the hours they were working.

While this is a clear case of dishonesty, it was facilitated by the company’s clocking-in system. Sadly, if you invest in a poor system, it could end up costing you much more in the long run if it is ineffectual.

Clocking-in is an age old problem, but we have a cutting-edge solution which allows employees to clock in via smartphone or even fingerprints.

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Are you a good manager?

We hope it goes without saying that you’re not a Mr. Burns character with a complete disdain for employees (and humans in general). Or like David Brent and his cringing yearning to be popular rather than take management responsibility. Or Sacha Baron Cohen’s Dictator: General Aladeen, whose HR process boiled down to ‘disappearing’ anyone who displeased him.

There are of course notorious examples of bad management styles in the real world too.

There’s many a story about J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of the FBI. One that tickled us concerned his penchant for scribbling unintelligible notes on the sides of memos. One such memo had very thin margins – his scribbled rebuke: “Watch the borders!” was misunderstood by baffled staff, who were too afraid to ask for clarification.

At, no doubt, vast expense they set up extra border patrol checks with Canada and Mexico. It was later revealed that he was demanding bigger margins so he could scribble his darned notes! There’s probably more than one lesson in there.

Good management technique is a fine balance, and best practice changes over time. At one level, big set-piece events like a conference with a free bar and keynote speech have a place, but in doing things on that scale there’s a danger of being too generic to truly engage employees.

Simple things like taking a new joiner for lunch and asking how they have found the induction process. New joiners often spot things that can be improved but we take for granted because we have always done it like that. Getting staff involved by letting them know how the business is doing and the plans for the future. If decisions can involve their feedback and ideas so much the better particularly when solving the age old problems of parking and keeping the kitchen tidy!

Work – life balance at Christmas

This Christmas advert features a cartoon man, struggling to juggle work and family at Christmas. It has struck a nerve as it trumped the heavy-weight John Lewis marketing machine by racking up the most YouTube views.

Work related stress costs millions in lost days annually, not to mention the toll of individual suffering of stressed workers. The advert’s solution isn’t practical (creating toy versions of oneself to handle the ‘work’ bit, in case you haven’t seen it). So how can a proactive employer help staff (and themselves) with Yuletide work-life balance? Some businesses send staff home early on Christmas Eve, and whatever else you do it’s a good idea to have a fair system to manage holiday requests. More generally, an employee assistance programme (EAP) is an excellent employee benefit to offer.

2017 Resolutions

After all the mince pies and Christmas cheer it is a good time to reflect on your business’s progress during 2016 and decide where you want to take it in 2017.

If you have been working too hard making a few New Year Resolutions to change will be good.  Plan to build the skills of the team, setting realistic goals not pipe dreams and then monitor their performance along the way.

Make time for you and you’ll not only feel better but have more energy to put into your business and make it the success you deserve!

Is your pay freezing this winter?

Aer Lingus hit the headlines in December, with unions representing 3,000 workers demanding a significant pay increase.

First off, it’s not unusual to be considering pay rises now. Many companies traditionally award cost of living increases at this time of year. But for a while, pay in many sectors has been frozen or seen little growth. The impact of the 2008 financial crisis started that, and there have been numerous geo-political headwinds since that have damaged business sentiment.

For companies that have been feeling the pinch during these difficult times, there are some creative ways that you can show employees you care. Think of the other employee benefits you may be offering. Could these be promoted more to staff to help them understand what you are already offering? Or could you add a little something more that would be appreciated? An extra day’s holiday or a health cash plan are possible ideas here that could be cost effective.

If there is nothing that can be done, honesty is the best policy. Face to face meetings with individuals will let them know they are valued and respected enough to be kept apprised of things. A truthful assessment of when you foresee future pay rises kicking in, is bound to help too.

Such conversations are of course not at all appropriate if the company is in rude health. In the case of Aer Lingus, the Union’s demands are based upon a backdrop of long term suppressed pay contrasted with current executive bonuses and profitability.

Without getting drawn into the finer detail of this case, a disparity in remuneration growth between those at the top and bottom of organisations can cause all kinds of cultural problems for a business. These can include the full range of low morale, poor recruitment and retention, ill will and industrial action, and reputational damage. And when remuneration practices go really wrong, legislation such as that covering minimum wages or discrimination can be breached. This could lead to a whole other level of trouble.
For expert advice on remuneration, call The HR Dept.

Actor “ghost-busted” for fluffing lines

An Actor in Dublin who was fired for fluffing his lines on the Dublin Ghost Bus Tour has won an unfair dismissal case against the Tour Company. The Actor was hired to deliver a ‘journey of hair-raising frights’ which did not meet the expectations of the customers. The Founder of the organisation went to review the actor’s performance, concluding afterwards that improvements had to be made. However, the performance didn’t change, the actor was subsequently dismissed.

The decision came back to haunt them. No clear dismissal process was followed The Labour Court found that the Dublin Bus Tour followed no clear process when dismissing the actor. The Labour Court awarded the actor €7,500 in compensation.  This is a nightmare that would help put any SME owner into an early grave! Top tip then for small businesses, always follow a clear process, contact The HR Dept for advice and support, we deal with employment issues from Actors to Zombies.

Bah Humbug HR

At the HR Dept we do get increasingly frustrated by all those miserable so called politically correct practitioners and Councils who proclaim that you cannot say Merry Christmas, have a Christmas tree or a Secret Santa for fear of offending someone.

Apart from the fact that the last time I checked a tree is not a religious icon and Santa is just a fat old man with lots of toys, hum maybe he is worrying!

Of course at parties you do need to provide food and drink appropriate for all staff taking into account their religious views and Secret Santa presents must not be offensive so no jokes that could end up with a discrimination claim.

Parties are working time so a reminder that good behaviour is expected won’t go amiss but at the end of the night wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Then during the year wish people a Happy Hanukkah, Blessed `Eid  and a happy Diwali!

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