We've seen the volume of employees paid by Faster Payments rise rapidly through the first months of 2021. Since November last year, we’ve almost doubled the number of monthly transactions. And in the same period, the monetary value of transactions has increased by almost 120%. What’s more, the overall number of Faster Payment transactions in the UK increased by 22% in March 2021, compared with March 2020. I’m keen to explain what Faster Payments are and the main benefits payroll teams see when using them.…
Everyone deserves to be paid fairly for the work they do, and minimum wage is in place to protect employees from exploitation. However, it wasn’t that long ago when huge names in retail, hospitality and entertainment failed to pay their employees basic minimum wage. So, what was their downfalls? And how can you as a business avoid the same mistakes? In 2017, the government named and shamed more than 350 big name employers who failed to pay some of their employees the national minimum and…
IR35: a thorn in the side of many in 2020/21. And with costly fines looming, it pays to get it right. If the thought of IR35 miscalculations and contracting is keeping you up at night, then we have some simple ways to sense check if you’re on the right track. Check who falls inside & outside of IR35 If you’re still worried about whether the new legislation will affect your contractor, you can use the GOV.UK checker. This allows your contractor to check their employment status. Remember, as the employer it is your responsibility to…
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…
