Timely, accurate payroll delivery is arguably one of the most fundamental parts of your business. Payroll has a key role to play in maintaining morale, productivity and trust. Issues small businesses may face with their payroll Unfortunately, in-house payroll functions are as reliable as the people doing the work. There's always a risk you may lose one of your key members of staff that do your payroll and they take all that knowledge with them. If this happens you could find it extremely difficult to…
How to keep employees engaged has always been a hot topic among HR professionals. But what if we were to tell you that a lot of businesses are doing it all wrong? Everyone knows by now that creating a happy workforce leads to more successful recruitment, retention, and productivity levels, which saves your business money. You hear of more and more of extravagant initiatives that employers are implementing to get their employees excited about working for them. From the humble Christmas party, to (paid) designated…
This case concerns the appropriate rate of pay for a worker when completing a ‘sleep-in’ shift and being on-call for the purposes of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (‘NMW’). The Facts Mrs Tomlinson-Blake was a care support worker employed by the Royal Mencap Society. In addition to her day care duties - for which she received a salary (salaried hours work), she did sleep-in shifts working specific hours receiving a flat rate allowance of £22.35 plus one hours pay of £6.70 (time work). She was…
Ever get the feeling there must be a simpler way to get those painful payrolls processed? Now we can't grant you three wishes, but we do have three simple steps set to alleviate the strain on even the most hectic payroll department! Employee self-service How much of your time is spent dealing with the ‘who, how, what, and why’ questions from employees? Pesky detail changes, chasing incomplete data and general tasks that not only drive you insane, but tarnish the relationship between payroll staff and…
There are many reasons why stress occurs at work. Having crazily tight deadlines and a horrifically heavy workload often trigger it... The last 12 months have been so different from anything we’ve known before, there are now a whole host of new things causing employees to feel stressed. Which is why addressing how to manage stress at work must be something all companies prioritise in 2021. And given April is Stress Management month, now is the perfect time to focus your efforts in this area.…
Over 40% of women experiencing the menopause said it's affecting their mental health. But three quarters of women feel they can't tell their employer about their symptoms. This has to change. Talking about the problems a woman can have whilst going through the menopause is still a topic of stigma and taboo in the workplace. In fact, a survey carried out by the BBC found that 70% of women would not tell their employer about their menopause symptoms. With more women than ever over the age…
More employees are asking for flexibility with their work schedule to juggle life's competing demands. But as valuable as this is, if you need to refuse a flexible working request what are valid reasons to do so? Striking the right balance between work and home life is a very important aspect of modern life. However, flexible working doesn’t necessarily suit every business, and in some circumstances, it may not be possible to agree to a request to work flexibly. Use this article to check if…
'How can I automatically move data from one system into another?’ you ask, brimming with concern that you're doomed to an eternity of entering it all manually. Your tech savvy colleague frowns at you and says ‘Err... We can just use an API.’ You nod vigorously and say ‘Of course, yeah, yeah… obvious now you’ve said it.’ There’s uncomfortable laughter... You immediately return to your desk and ask Google: 'WHAT IS AN API?' But all the articles thrown up by your search are written in…
The Gwynedd Council v Shelley Barrett case provides clarity on the new competitive interview process when choosing which employees to make redundant. Due to the impact of COVID-19, many businesses are considering redundancies. Employers have a duty to consider alternatives to redundancy, including finding suitable, alternative roles. How they select who will be offered an alternative role from those who may otherwise be made redundant, is crucial. The traditional approach of using selection criteria applied in a selection matrix can seem artificial. The Employment Appeal…
Keeping good Health & Safety records is essential for legal compliance. But which records should you keep, and for how long? Certain records must be kept to comply with the company’s Health & Safety policy and specific legislation. Keeping good health and safety records is important for several reasons: Retrievability: Ensures key information is easily accessible and can be passed on, ensuring consistency and continuity. Compliance: Demonstrates (internally and externally) compliance with legal duties under health and safety law. Efficiency: Makes the job of Health…
