HR DEPT Worcestershire

There are different ways of getting feedback from employees. At the informal end of the spectrum: “Heard it on the grapevine” or having an open-door policy. However, a more structured approach is the employee survey. This is a planned, well-considered set of questions, designed to yield you targeted information.

So, what kind of things may you wish to find out in an employee survey?

Read our latest blog to find out:

Employee surveys: what, why and how? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY If eight out of ten cats prefer Whiskas (at least according to advertising lore), what proportion of your employees enjoy working for you? Employee engagement is one of the key drivers of productivity. A major Gallup study into employee engagement in 2020 found when comparing top and bottom quartile...

Hiring apprentices can be highly beneficial for many employers. From filling skill gaps to capitalising on subsidies and contributing to business growth, the advantages are numerous.

It's important to stay informed about potential changes to apprenticeships under the new Labour Government and understand how these could impact your business.

Read our blog to learn more:

Hiring apprentices in 2024 - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY Since 2017, it has been full steam ahead for apprenticeships in the UK. For SMEs with a turnover below £3 million, pick the right people, and it is win-win – because thanks to the Apprenticeship Levy at least 95% of the training costs will be paid for you, and you are likely to receive a …

The polls were right. Labour has a landslide victory and that means a busy, and largely unwelcome to-do list for SME employers.

Labour’s intentions are no secret, their manifesto told us what was in store, much of it promised within the first 100 days of power. That gives them until October at the latest to deliver, although enacted legislation may take longer to come into force.

From national minimum wage rises to more power for the unions, far greater tribunal rights to statutory sick pay from day one, we have all the policy detail covered for you.

To know what areas you need to be addressing as an SME, check out our latest blog:

What now? Five things that should be on every SME employer’s to-do list now that Labour have power - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY The polls were right. Labour has a landslide victory and that means a busy, and largely unwelcome to-do list for SME employers. Labour’s intentions are no secret, their manifesto told us what was in store, much of it promised within the first 100 days of power. That gives them until October at the...

With Labour's historic win and Keir Starmer's commitment to action, what does this mean for small businesses?

Their manifesto ‘Change’ promises new employment laws within the first 100 days. From strengthened workers' rights to significant workplace changes, our latest Newsflash article covers all.

Read the full Newsflash here:

Election Result - The 'first 100 day' promises for employment law - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY After a historic win for Labour, what will our new government mean for your small business? Labour made it clear, in their manifesto ‘Change’, of their intention to introduce a raft of new employment legislation within their first 100 days of government. Keir Starmer announced yesterday, ahead o...

In any given year, it is important to review your company handbook containing your HR policies and procedures. Sudden case law pronouncements, the drip feed of legislation and even societal and technological changes all ensure that policies will get left behind if they are not maintained.

The 2024 general election gives us a particular reminder of this need to accommodate change. This July, it is time to be prepared, with the likelihood of enormous change coming!

Read our full blog to learn more:

Are you ready to update your company handbook? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY In any given year, it is important to review your company handbook containing your HR policies and procedures. Sudden case law pronouncements, the drip feed of legislation and even societal and technological changes (like the advent of AI) all ensure that policies will get left behind if they are no...

This week is World Well-being Week, a movement which promotes time to reflect on, and encourage, well-being in every aspect of our lives.

You may be thinking that, since the pandemic, well-being has rarely been far from the headlines, especially in relation to mental health. We, though, wanted to focus on another aspect of well-being: financial well-being. That is the feeling of being in control and comfortable with your finances.

To learn more about this topic, read our latest blog:

What is your employees’ financial well-being like? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY This week is World Well-being Week, a movement which promotes time to reflect on, and encourage, well-being in every aspect of our lives. You may be thinking that, since the pandemic, well-being has rarely been far from the headlines, especially in relation to mental health. We, though, wanted to fo...

As you’ll know, years into a Conservative government, there was a steady stream of employment legislation that has come to pass, or was in progress – from new right to work rules to shared parental leave.

For any legislation that was not over the line when the election was called on 22nd May, the future is uncertain; although there is more chance for some new laws than others. In our General Election edition of , we discuss this case in full.

We also discuss the new national service in practice, proposed trade union laws, the difference between 'workers' and 'employees', and much more...

To read these articles in full, and find out the latest from the world of HR, check out our newsletter here:

People Matter - June 2024 - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY What will happen to the employment law changes which were already in progress? As you’ll know, years into a Conservative government, there was a steady stream of employment legislation that has come to pass, or was in progress – from new right to work rules to shared parental leave. For any legi...

As the election campaign hots up, the five leading parties have now released their manifestos.

Regardless of who wins the election, there will be an impact on employment law. We've read through the manifestos to decipher each of their views and the impact this could have on SMEs.

To find out what each party is saying about employment law, read our latest blog:

What do the top five manifestos say about employment law? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY As election campaigning hots up, the five leading parties have all had their say on what they would do with employment law. While Labour may be well ahead in the polls, and most likely to form the next government, it is interesting to see what the others say. It gives some context to Labour’s plan...

With the hopes of nations weighing on their shoulders, football managers have a tough job this summer trying to bring home the silverware. But managers everywhere may have to perform some skilful people management too as their staff get caught up in the excitement of the tournament.

To learn five things to consider for your business, check out our full blog:

Navigating Euro 2024… for employers - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY Okay, with the hopes of nations weighing on their shoulders, football managers have a tough job this summer trying to bring home the silverware. But managers everywhere may have to perform some skilful people management too as their staff get caught up in the excitement of the tournament – hopeful...

While a productive workplace will see employees come primarily to work rather than natter, conversation is inevitable and part of your culture that binds the team together. Despite many preferring not to talk about politics in work, there's always a chance it could be brought up in conversation.

Whilst it might be overkill to ban these discussions, it's important to stay in control of the situation to prevent any lasting damage to your employee relations.

For further advice managing political discussions in the workplace, read our latest blog:

Politics in the workplace - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY After no fewer than three general elections plus the Brexit referendum in the four years between 2015 and 2019, we have had to wait another five or so years for the next election this July. While politics never goes away, the intensity of an election brings the debate into much sharper focus. It is....

For most business owners, recruitment will be one of the biggest risks they take; but it is often one that is essential for successful growth. According to a UK government report this year, three of the top five SME concerns relate to recruitment and staff, with 35% directly concerned about recruitment and retention.

For further advice managing recruitment in your business, read our latest blog:

Recruitment at different stages of your growth - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY For most business owners, recruitment will be one of the biggest risks they take; but it is often one that is essential for successful growth. According to a UK government report this year, three of the top five SME concerns relate to recruitment and staff, with 35% directly concerned about recruitm...

So, the starting pistol has been fired for the six-week sprint to a general election which will be held on 4th July. Issues like small boats, the NHS and the economy may dominate much of the headlines, but the outcome of the election will be of huge significance to employment law too, and therefore SME employers.

We already know the trajectory of Conservative policy on employment law: a restriction on trade union activity; extension of the right to request flexible working; a ticking upwards of the National Minimum Wage and Living wage in line with Low Pay Commission recommendations; and the introduction of a week’s unpaid Carer’s Leave per year have been some of the recent initiatives. The most radical thing has probably been the post-Brexit shake up of who has a right to work in the UK.

To learn more about what the upcoming election could mean for your business, read our latest blog:

What the general election may mean for SME employers - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY So, the starting pistol has been fired for the six-week sprint to a general election which will be held on 4th July. Issues like small boats, the NHS and the economy may dominate much of the headlines, but the outcome of the election will be of huge significance to employment law too, and therefore....

It is a huge fear for SME owners and managers that they invest lots of time and money into the recruitment process, only to find out down the line that they have made a bad hire.

While this has long been a danger, the rise of AI since 2023 has brought a whole new level of complexity; with candidate use of AI in CVs, covering letters and other parts of the application process. One candidate even got busted for using AI live in a video interview to help them answer the questions!

For employers, the big problem with the use of AI by candidates is that it may misrepresent their skillset. It leads you to think they will be perfect when, in fact, there were stronger candidates available. In May's edition of , we discuss this case in full.

We also discuss the new 'QuitTok' trend, being more productive, ending "sick note culture", and much more...

To read these articles in full, and find out the latest from the world of HR, check out our newsletter here:

People Matter - May 2024 - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY AI in job applications It is a huge fear for SME owners and managers that they invest lots of time and money into the recruitment process, only to find out down the line that they have made a bad hire. While this has long been a danger, the rise of AI since 2023 has brought …

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was celebrated on the 21st May. It is a day marked by UNESCO recognising both the richness of the world’s cultures and the benefits of intercultural development.

In our interconnected world, most workplaces will employ a multicultural workforce now or at some point. They can be a richer, more successful place for it.

While culture is not mentioned specifically as a protected characteristic in equality legislation, it is closely aligned to other characteristics like race and religion; so it would, in many cases, be illegal to discriminate based upon it. As with other forms of diversity such as s*x, embracing cultural diversity will open up a broader talent pool to your business, ensuring you get the best performers in each role.

Once you have got a multicultural workplace though, how do you ensure it thrives; minimising any flashpoints and making everyone feel welcome and valued? Here is a collection of Do’s and Don’ts to give you a steer from HR:

Managing different cultures in the workplace: Do’s and Don’ts - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was celebrated on the 21st May. It is a day marked by UNESCO recognising both the richness of the world’s cultures and the benefits of intercultural development. In our interconnected world, most workplaces will employ a multicultur...

After we were treated to a rare few days of warm sunshine in 2024 last week, it got us thinking (and hoping) for warmer times ahead for our summer holidays! Of course, with our HR hat on we have to consider annual leave management too, in addition to enjoying that cold drink on a hot beach.

Summer, like Christmas, is one of those crunch periods when many employees are competing for limited blocks of time away. So now is a good time to share some of our best ideas for managing your staff through the summer holidays.

To read our latest blog in full, click here:

Managing staff through the summer holidays - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY After we were treated to a rare few days of warm sunshine in 2024 last week, it got us thinking (and hoping) for warmer times ahead for our summer holidays! Of course, with our HR hat on we have to consider annual leave management too, in addition to enjoying that cold drink on a hot …

In order to maintain customer service, ensure important meetings are held on schedule or keep production lines at full capacity, you will generally expect excellent punctuality from your team. However, this isn't always possible, with childcare issues or transport delays providing common examples of factors causing lateness to work.

There are many things you can implement as an employer to manage lateness, ranging from covering it in your company handbook, to including punctuality in your performance reviews, in an attempt to minimise the issue.

To learn more about managing lateness effectively, read our latest blog:

Excuses, excuses… Managing lateness effectively - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY If an employee was to show up for work an hour late this month, claiming the alarm on their iPhone hadn’t worked you may be sceptical. That is until you picked up a newspaper and saw that the trillion-dollar company was working on a fix for a global glitch! It got us thinking about excuses, …

Most of the time, starting a family or having another child is a joyous occasion for the parents-to-be, full of optimism but with plenty of change ahead. There’ll be highs and lows.

Academic research suggests that 80% of mothers do not develop mental health issues associated with pregnancy, but for the 20% that do it can be a difficult and upsetting time.

Maternal mental health issues will not usually be caused by work but it may exacerbate it – a difficult pregnancy or birth, poorly baby or a non-sleeper are more likely to be the root cause. However, whether you are motivated by your duty of care, the business case or both, there are things you can do to help as an employer.

To learn more about managing maternal mental health, read our latest blog:

Maternal mental health - how should you manage it? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY Most of the time, starting a family or having another child is a joyous occasion for the parents-to-be, full of optimism but with plenty of change ahead. There’ll be highs and lows. Academic research suggests that 80% of mothers do not develop mental health issues associated with pregnancy, but fo...

In this month’s Preventing People Problems podcast, host Tracey Hudson welcomed Rob Harrison and David Wilson of Glued Limited to discuss the power of well-thought-out company values.

How can you find your purpose and values? Is it a useful exercise for SMEs or is it best left to larger companies? And what are the benefits? The podcast explains all.

To read our full blog summarising the podcast, click here: https://buff.ly/3w5EgMm
To view the podcast in full, click here: https://buff.ly/4b9yRCJ

Running a business, you may put a heap of effort into managing your team, leading them through the highs and lows. But how good a boss are you to yourself? When it is your own business, it is easy to be completely immersed in it all hours of day. The harder you work the better your returns is the thinking.

While this can work in the short term, it is not sustainable over a prolonged period of time. Something’s got to give and if you leave it too long it could be your health, relationships or, paradoxically, your passion for your business. In April's edition of , we discuss this case in full.

We also discuss achieving a healthy work/life balance, managing redundancies, sharing staff data in a mental health emergency, and much more...

To read these articles in full, and find out the latest from the world of HR, check out our newsletter here:

People Matter - April 2024 - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY Celebrating success Running a business, you may put a heap of effort into managing your team, leading them through the highs and lows. But how good a boss are you to yourself? When it is your own business, it is easy to be completely immersed in it all hours of day (and in extreme cases, …

In England alone, there are over 14,000 on-call firefighters. They often work another job, with commitment to respond to an agreed schedule of emergencies.

For you as an employer, you may one day interview a candidate who is an on-call firefighter, or have an existing member of staff interested in becoming one. Would you see it as a bonus? A hassle? Or not have a clue how to respond?

Here is a quick guide from HR, looking at how the arrangement works, the commitments and the benefits that it may bring to you:

Employing on-call firefighters: An interesting way to give back - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY You may not know this but there are more than 14,000 on-call firefighters in England alone. They often work another job, with commitment to respond to an agreed schedule of emergencies. Together, they provide this cover to more than 90% of the UK. For you as an employer, you may one day interview a....

You’re sure to already know that attracting good staff normally goes well beyond simply offering a decent salary nowadays.

Workplace culture has taken on much more importance; and employee benefits play a significant role in persuading people to join or stay with you.

When it comes to employee benefits, one survey found that 69% of employees might choose one job over another based on benefits. While this percentage may vary from industry to industry, role to role, it is a strong indicator of the power of employee benefits.

To read more about the types of employee benefits you can offer, read our latest blog:

Which of these four types of employee benefits are you offering? - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY You’re sure to already know that attracting good staff normally goes well beyond simply offering a decent salary nowadays. Workplace culture has taken on much more importance; and employee benefits (which we are focusing on shortly) play a significant role in persuading people to join or stay with...

Check out this April's Employment law changes here:

April is Stress Awareness Month and Health and Safety Executive statistics show that 17.1 million working days were lost to stress in 2023. With that in mind we are looking at how to spot the signs of stress and five effective ways you can manage it in your business.

To learn more about the impacts of stress at work, and different ways you can tackle stress, check out our latest blog:

Five ways you could tackle workplace stress in your business - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY A little bit of pressure in people’s work lives is generally a good thing. It creates a sense of urgency to get things done, can push people out of their comfort zone to achieve more than they thought possible of themselves, plus it makes life a little more interesting. Pressure is good, but when ...

Following the release of our latest podcast episode, we have written a blog to provide a summary of the key discussions surrounding HR in Hospitality.

Read the full blog here:

HR and hospitality - HR Dept Worcestershire WR2 4AY We recently launched a podcast, and this month our topic was HR in hospitality. Tracey Hudson, Executive Director at The HR Dept South Warwickshire, Rugby and North Derbyshire, is our host and she was joined by Debra Spurway and Vickie Shears. Debra is Director at The HR Dept London City and Central...