In this article, we explore what probationary periods are, how long they should be, and why jobs have them. A probationary period is an extremely useful opportunity to ascertain whether or not a new employee is suitable for a role. This time at the outset of an employment contract is practical for both the employer and the employee, as it enables both parties to decide whether the employee will be taking a permanent position with the organisation. Probation periods meaning A probation period is an…
As in the recent example of TV personality Greg Wallace, ’banter’ at work can cause major issues. Even matters purportedly said or done in years gone by can explode in the present. And emerging issues are not just problematic for the individual, but also potentially for those who employ or engage them. With new legislation to stamp out work related sexual harassment, and the number of claims steadily increasing annually, we consider that favourite, well-worn, employment tribunal excuse “but it was only banter”. What is…
Over the last few years organisations have been heavily influenced by external factors on the way they manage their people. In 2024 these social, political, economic, technological, and legal factors will continue to have an influence. Organisations and its people will be impacted by the upcoming election, inflation, the continued cost of living crisis and international instability, just to name a few,. But a main focus for workplaces is the driving force of employee expectations which seems to have shifted greatly since Covid. As 2024…
Usually there are ten bank holidays (or public holidays) for people living in Northern Ireland per year. Northern Ireland has the most bank holidays in the UK with ten days a year, which is more than Scotland (nine), and England and Wales (eight). Bank holidays in Northern Ireland in 2025 There are ten bank holidays in 2025 for people living in Northern Ireland. These are: [table id=187 /] Bank holidays in Northern Ireland 2024 [table id=151 /] What is the statutory holiday allowance in Northern…
There are nine bank holidays for people living in Scotland per year. If your employees live in Scotland, they'll normally get nine bank holidays a year, whereas England and Wales get eight and Northern Ireland gets ten. Bank holidays in Scotland in 2025 There are nine bank holidays in Scotland in 2025. These are: [table id=186 /] Bank holidays in Scotland in 2024 The nine bank holidays in Scotland in 2024 are: [table id=152 /] How does this impact annual leave? As a statutory minimum…
How many holidays are there in a year? For people living in England and Wales, generally there are eight bank holidays (or public holidays) per calendar year. In a usual calendar year, there are eight days counted as a bank holiday in England and Wales, which many members of the public receive as days off work. England and Wales share the same bank holidays, which are slightly different to what Scotland and Northern Ireland receive. We've seen some changes to this in recent years of…
Another day, another release, another feature. It’s no rest for the wicked, or our product team as it seems. When it comes to the little screen, they’ve been working their fingers to the bone. So, what’s gracing the stage now? Document Centre Ah Document Centre, a bang up to date version of leaving notes on someone’s desk. It’s the quick and easy way to get company policies and information out to your employees, without the illegible handwriting. And customers loved it so much, we just…
Most HR professionals will know that when a business changes owner, its employees’ rights, duties and liabilities are directly transferred under the TUPE legislation. But, it turns out this isn't necessarily true if they are on long term sick leave, according to a recent case. What is TUPE? TUPE, or Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), was designed to introduce three basic concepts into UK employment law when a business is sold: Employees employment rights remain intact Employees have protection from dismissal if they are…
Are you old enough to remember the hysteria of the Millenium/Y2K bug? Computer systems programmed to recognise two-digit year dates may fall over when 99 became 2000. Every organisation frantically reviewing and updating their systems. Roll forward to 2018 and the advent of GDPR and UK Data Protection Act. It was Y2K all over again. Scrambling round like headless chickens trying to understand horrifically complex and far-reaching legislation. Many took matters very seriously. And some still do. Others have taken their foot off the gas. …
43% of hourly workers admit exaggerating their hours. So, with almost half of your workforce taking you for a ride, what are you doing about it? The truth is you’re probably losing a pretty penny when it comes to employee time theft. That’s employees fudging their start time, slimming down their lunch break, and not even mentioning that early finish. If you’re in the pits of paper timesheets, you can add a heap of workload and human error to that to-do list. Let’s be real,…
