New Pope! But What About His Induction Procedure?

The Catholic church has just announced the name of the new Pope, Pope Francis.  As he starts in his new job perhaps consideration might be given to providing him with a good induction procedure so that he can familiarise himself with his new workplace using a variety of methods.  


Induction is an important process following on from recruitment and needs to be effective to avoid the “induction crisis” which is where employees do not feel comfortable with their new surroundings and decide to leave which incurs another recruitment cost for the organisation.   In recent years the term “onboarding” has crept into the language of HR and is a US term for the induction process.  

 

The length of the induction period and methods used to provide information to the new employee will vary depending on the size and nature of the organisation and the role.  However it is really important that all organisations have a well thought out induction programme.  This may need to be tailored for certain members of staff, however, eg promoted staff – such as Pope Francis, graduate trainees, senior appointments, technical specialists, temporary staff, job sharers etc.
Without a good induction programme certain problems may arise – poor integration into team, low morale, loss of productivity, failure to reach potential none of which are acceptable and damaging to the business.
Various members of staff could be involved in the process.  The line manager is very important as they will manage the employee on a day to day basis.  An HR representative, if appropriate, could ensure that certain admin duties are performed eg bank details are collected and the employee knows what to expect from induction.  The health and safety officer may explain health and safety issues appropriate to the workplace.  With large organisations often senior management do a presentation to groups of new starters on the organisation, its history, mission, values and structure. The training officer will outline any training activities that will take place.  There may be union representatives that meet with the new employee if the organisation is unionised.  Also there could be a “buddy”, an existing employee, who is assigned to provide the new employee with informal information about the company to help them settle in. 
A good induction programme contains the following elements:
  • a clear outline of the job/rolerequirements

 

  • explanation of terms and conditions

 

 

  • orientation (physical) – describing where the facilities are

 

 

  • orientation (organisational) – showing how the employee fits into the team and how their role fits with the organisation’s strategy and goals

 

 

  • an awareness of other functions within the organisation, and how the employee fits within that

 

 

  • meeting with key senior employees (either face to face or through the use of technology)

 

 

  • health and safety information – this is a legal requirement

 

 

  • details of the organisation’s history, its culture and values, and its products and services. 

 

The process should be conducted gradually  over a reasonable period of time trying to avoid “information overload”.


Ideally there should be an induction checklist drawn up that covers all the areas that a new employee needs to know about indicating which staff member will be responsible for each area.  It can then be signed off once each area is completed then held on the employee’s personnel file. 


Hopefully, the new Pope will quickly settle into his new role with a well thought through induction procedure.

www.sjbealerhconsult.co.uk

How Not to Sack an Employee

A recent newspaper article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21753342 wrote about a project manager, Paul Marshallsea, who came home from a trip to Australia to read in a letter that he had been sacked by the charity, Pant and Dowlais Boys and Girls Club, for which he had worked for ten years.

Apparently he had been seen on TV saving some children from a shark attack – deemed to be a hero.  However, whilst doing this he was, at the time, on sick leave from his job.  The charity stated that they had lost all confidence in him.  Whilst the charity may have done so, the action they have taken could lead to legal recriminations in an employment tribunal and they should have thought twice before taking such hasty action.

When suspecting an employee of misconduct or gross misconduct it is important to undertake an investigation first.  In this instance the charity should have invited the employee by letter to a disciplinary hearing with the right to a companion.  During the hearing the charity should have given him time to explain the situation faced with the video evidence of his trip to Australia, this would be part of the investigation process.

The cause of his sickness absence was stress.  An employee off with stress does not necessarily have to sit at home feeling sorry for themselves.  Sometimes on doctor’s advice they are encouraged to have a change of scenery and what a change of scenery Australia is when the UK is in the depths of winter.  As part of the investigation into the situation the charity should have gained medical evidence from the employee’s GP or more preferably, an independent occupational advisor to establish whether the trip was part of a recuperation plan.

The hearing should have adjourned pending the receipt of medical information to inform the situation along with consideration of the facts provided by the employee of his conduct.

Only then should the charity have communicated their decision in writing being sure that they were making the right decision having analysed the facts, to him providing the right to an appeal against dismissal.

This procedure follows the ACAS Code of Practice and an employee at risk of dismissal is owed the basic right to explain his actions and have them investigated to avoid any potential miscarriage of justice.

By acting in haste, the charity may come to rue the decision it took in January to dismiss by letter.  The price of its reputation with this now high profile news item may be too much. That is without any unfair dismissal compensation should Mr Marshallsea and his wife pursue an employment tribunal claim and win…..

Focus on Apprentices – National Apprentice Week

11-15 March 2013 is National Apprentice week.  It is the time when all eyes are on apprenticeships and it’s all about raising the profile amongst employers, individuals, teachers, parents and the media.



Apprentices earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff to gain job specific skills and nationally recognised qualifications.  Established sectors are manufacturing, construction and engineering however the fastest growing areas in recent years have been IT, childcare, accountancy, health and retail.  An apprentice can take between one and four years to complete and is fully funded by the government.  Apprentices are good for business.  They bring productive enthusiastic people into an organisation and demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to investing in young people.  Furthermore apprentices will be the workforce of the future so it is essential to start investing now. 

Over 100,000 employers offer apprenticeships in England, however the government has plans to increase this number and is setting aside funding whereby small businesses will be paid £1500 to take on an apprentice. However, it will be important that the young people are provided a structured programme of education to ensure this initiative is a success. 



The UK is plagued by youth unemployment which is a potential ticking time bomb for the future if not addressed.  In the UK youth employment is around 22% and increasing all the time. Young people who have been unemployed for a long time will earn less throughout their lives.  They will be less unemployable as they won’t have the skills business needs.  They are more likely to have long term health problems as well.   So hopefully a growth in apprenticeships will help to solve this ever increasing problem to benefit the both young people and the UK economy at the same time.


International Womens Day – Women in the Workplace

Today, 8 March, is International Womens Day where women and their achievements are celebrated all over the world.  It has been observed since the early 1900s annually with lots of events taking place – political rallies, business conferences, government activitie and networking events that inspire women.  The battle for emancipation and equality began in the early 1900s and us women have come a long way since then with female astronauts and prime ministers.  Women are accepted in all walks of life, they can choose to go to university, work and have a family at at the same time.

Today there are more women in the boardroom, greater equality with legislative rights and women visible as impressive role models everywhere.  However, women are still not paid equally to that of men despite the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970 and globally women’s education, health and violence against them is worse than that of men. Furthermore we still have a long way to go to smash the infamous glass ceiling that continues to exist in the UK.  

A recent report published by Counting Women In entitled Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain claims that women’s grip on positions of power in politics and public life is slipping away.  It has covered evidence that women are losing representation across politics, the judiciary, police, media and other areas.  In the police 90 percent of police constables and police crime commissioners are men; 2/3 of local councillors are male.

Other statistics show:

  • ·         UK women have slipped from 33rd to 57th place since 2001 in international power rankings
  • ·         22.5% of MPs are women
  • ·         17.4% of the Cabinet are women
  • ·         11.1% of UK bank CEOs are women
  • ·         5% of Editors of national daily newspapers are women

Apparently France has the greatest number of women board directors.  There representation has been boosted by quota legisation.  This has also vastly improved women board representation in Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, Italy and Belgium. 

Other countries use other systems to raise the number of board seats.  Finland introduced gender and board diversity in its corporate governance code. 

However China, the United States and Japan do not have proactive strategies and have the lowest percentage increase in women board members. 

A European draft directive is calling for a minimum 40% female non executive directors on the boards of listed companies with 250 or more employees by 2020.  Currently 85% of European non-exec board members and 91% of executive board members are men. 

However, the UK is opposed to using quotas claiming that diversity is improving of its own accord. Ministers have called upon firms to aim to have one woman director for every three man by 2015. 

So women in the UK please celebrate International Women’s Day.   Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding. 

Make a difference!

Changes to Unpaid Parental Leave

8 March unpaid parental leave

From 8 March the right to unpaid parental leave will be extended. The change is being made to implement a revised EU Parental Leave Directive.

Current position

Under existing law parents who have been employed for one year or more and who have, or expect to have, responsibility for a child have the right to take unpaid parental leave to care for their children in addition to any maternity, paternity or adoption leave they may qualify for.  This is currently an entitlement to 13 weeks’ leave per child, which can be taken before a child’s 5th birthday or the 5th anniversary of their placement for adoption, but, in the case of a child eligible for a disability living allowance, the entitlement is to 18 weeks’ leave to be taken at any time before the child’s 18th birthday. Although employers and parents can agree more flexible arrangements, under the statutory scheme, no more than 4 weeks’ leave can be taken in any one year and leave must be taken in one-week blocks.
What is changing?
From tomorrow, the Parental Leave (EU Directive) Regulations 2013 (the Regulations) will amend UK legislation to extend the total period of unpaid leave available to eligible employees to 18 weeks per parent per child. 

What You Need to Do?

Review your HR processes and employee handbook to incorporate this change.

10 Reasons Why Companies May Need HR Support

So many companies struggle on without the aid of an HR Manager or any form of HR support at all despite the constant increase in employment law.  However HR can provide invaluable support with so many areas of people management.  Here I have compiled a list of ten reasons why companies may need HR support.

1. Cost savings

HR can contribute to cost savings. One example is to implement an HR strategy that can support business goals making a business more efficient through the planned use of human resources.  Another example can be to introduce sickness absence management controls, the cost of sickness can be reduced which can be a huge expense to a business if allowed to get out of hand.

2. Managing performance

HR can help manage performance in several ways.  Business performance can be improved by the implementation of an integrated performance management system ie company-wide appraisal system.  With a top down approach with buy in from senior managers, all employees work towards the common goal to improve business performance through the fulfilling of their own personal objectives.  Performance management can also be about managing poor performance through a capability process where poor performers are either supported to improve or are performance managed out of the business with capability being a fair reason for dismissal.  HR can work with management to ensure that either of these processes are correctly implemented.

3. Provide guidance with employment legislation

Employment legislation is changing constantly and it is hard to keep up with the ever shifting sands that the government dictates and 2013 is no different.  However, it is the role of HR to stay up to date so that they can provide credible, practical advice to those they support.  HR should ensure that internal HR policies and employmee handbooks are kept up to date, they are well communicated to the workforce and training is provided to managers in their operation.

4. Help companies manage their staff fairly

Sometimes when the job just needs to be done, it can be hard for managers to recognise the need to treat their people fairly.  With HR guidance their obligation in this respect can be recognised.  A good manager will get the best out of their staff and that should be the norm to which all managers should work.  HR can provide much needed support when a manager is struggling with a particular employee problem.  Company HR procedures provide much needed guidance and HR can help with their intepretation.

5. Help avoid employment tribunals

HR is the guardian angel of companies and helps to keep them out of the employment tribunal through sound employment law advice.  HR procedures should always be followed and processes documented.  If a situation is getting out of hand HR can be there to help soothe the situation or can act as a mediator.  If they don’t have mediation skills they often have specialist contacts in this area.

6. Training & development

The development of skills is important for any company’s success and growth.  HR can help support training and development initiatives by assisting with a company-wide skills analysis, developing and coordinating a training plan, identifying training and development initiatives, delivering appropriate workshops or bringing in external training consultants where appropriate.  HR can work with management to ensure that training and development is both cost and time effective and help them recognise the value that training brings. strategy

7. Recruitment

A company is nothing without good quality staff and HR can provide support with recruitment processes whilst ensuring that equal opportunities employment legislation is adhered to.  HR can work with managers to draft adverts, identify an appropriate advertising medium, develop job descriptions, undertake shortlisting, develop interview processes and questions, organise assessement days and ability tests and take part in interviews.  HR can also provide all the essential supporting paperwork.

8. Employee engagement

Employee engagement is the modern buzz word.  In effect it is the wish of employers to have employees who do their best work and go the extra mile.  To do that employees need to be fully engaged with business goals and be motivated to do their best.  Employee engagement contributes to business profits so companies are highly interested in this concept.  A starting point can be an employee attitude survey coordinated by HR.  Once the results are known it will identify areas of the business that may need some improvement eg induction, reward, management style.

9. Help with change

Change is an every day part of life and companies need to change from time to time as the business world moves on.  HR can support change management processes in various ways.  With a company re-structure to improve efficiency, HR can work with senior management to develop a new reporting structure and  new job descriptions to provide strategic support.  HR can take part in operational consultations with employees affected by the re-structure.  HR can advise on redundancy and TUPE implications where appropriate.  HR can also assist with minor changes in the workplace such as a change to terms and conditions which require consultation and agreement from employees. Working with managers they can ensure the correct legal procedure is undertaken.  HR can provide the paperwork to support the process.

10. Help with reward

Rewarding staff fairly is highly important to for employee retention, get it wrong and staff will leave in their droves.  Although financial reward is important for many people, it is not the be all and end of all of going to work.  Non-financial reward can be just as important eg job satisfaction, challenge, etc. and HR can work with managers to help them recognise this important element of employee reward.  Along with pay there are employee benefits which can make up total reward eg holidays, bonus, company car and they can be just as important.  Sometimes it might be beneficial to recruit a compensation and benefits expert to help support HR in what can be a specialist area.

No – A Very Powerful Word?

One of the first words children learn is the word “no”. They use it to try and gain power over their parents.  Yet when they become adults it becomes one of the hardest words to say to anyone.  No is small yet powerful word with negative connotations however, it can allow individuals to express themselves in a positive way.

It is easy to say yes to everyone.  Saying yes makes life easy.  There is no conflict when you do, but the implications may not necessarily be easy.  Saying yes to everyone and everything leads to a stressful life.  Individuals who take on too many tasks and projects often ultimately find out they can’t cope; no one can do it all.  They may want to achieve great things, but ultimately they may then lose respect because they under deliver or can’t deliver at all.  Failure does not feel good to anyone.  Not being able to say no because you don’t know  how or you feel you will offend someone will do you no good at all.

Being assertive means you can refuse to take on extra tasks, but doing it so that it does not cause offence.  The message is conveyed to the other person in such a manner as you are not aggressive and you are not passive.  You need to appear confident yet not bullish and you should speak slowly and clearly.  Look the other person in the eye even if you feel nervous.  Assume good body language – sit up or stand tall.

It’s essential to understand what is important and to set priorities.   You need to prize your own values and be true to yourself.  Being organised means a person understands their goals and sticks to them.

Saying no allows a person to take control of their life and ensures good time management.    Saying no to your boss can often be difficult, however, they may not realise that you are under pressure.  In such circumstances if they bring along another task or project for you to undertake then sometimes something has to be said if it’s going to be too much.  If time is a priority then perhaps your boss should decide what you need to do next – so ask them to make the decision if that is the case. Saying no allows a person to negotiate and come to a win win situation.

By taking charge and undertaking good time management a person can take control back again and life becomes less stressful.

So the next time someone asks you to do something think before you say yes.  You may have to say no.

www.sjbealehrconsult.co.uk

Dress Code at Work – Does It Really Matter?

During a conversation recently the topic of clothes at work came up and whether it is appropriate to wear certain items of clothing at work.  A well known public sector employer who has daily contact with members of the public was discussed.  It had been observed during a hot spell of weather that the staff were dressed very casually with flip flops and strappy tops whilst dealing with members of the public.  Such attire begs the question what impression does it give of the organisation and should it be allowed.

Having a dress code in place can help set standards within an organisation. A failure to meet even minimum standards can lead to a disciplinary.

Some companies provide a uniform for their employees to wear which helps promotes corporate branding and so they can be identified by the public.  In these circumstances it’s important to have a clause in a dress code policy that requires the employee to take care of items of clothing that the employer has provided eg in relation to its maintenance and cleanliness.  Sometimes employees fail to do so and the provision of repeated sets of uniform will be costly to an employer so a policy outlining actions they will take in respect of failing to look after it, is important.

When developing a dress code an employer must consider that when it is applied it does not discriminate against anyone either directly or indirectly.  Restrictions on dress need to be justified.  For example tying hair back needs to be health and safety reasons or to promote a company’s image for smartness.  Customer facing roles could dictate specific type of clothes with a ban on jeans which would also enhance an organisations image.  A ban on head wear needs to be justified bearing in mind that certain religions require this be worn at  times.  In such instances some flexibility should be required.

A dress code policy should contain guidance to employees about suitable dress on MUFTI days and dress down Fridays so that staff do not dress inappropriately wearing, for example, offensive T shirts, low cut tops or very short skirts.

The main question to ask is whether what an employee wears will affect their ability to do their job.  A dress code should be non-contractual and contained within the employee handbook which would give some flexibility to make changes from time to time.

How to Deal with Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment continues to make the news in the UK and the US with so many scandals emerging.  The cost to an employer for failing to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace can be unlimited.  Sexual harassment claims can be lodged in an employment tribunal and if the claimant wins the compensation can potentially be unlimited.  In this blog there are hints and tips how to deal with sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment is very serious and organisations can be held vicariously liable for the actions of their employees.  In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to harass an employee because of their sex.  Harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.  It can also include making offensive remarks about a person’s sex.  Victim and harasser can be either a man or a woman.  The victim and the harasser can be the same sex.  Harassment can create a hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive work environment.

Verbal signs of sexual harassment include:

  • comments about appearance, body or clothes
  • indecent remarks
  • questions or comments about sex life
Non verbal signs include:
  • staring at someone’s body
  • displaying sexually explicit material eg calendars, pin ups
Physical signs include:
  • physically touching
  • sexual assault
  • rape
The first step for a person being harassed would be for them to confront the harasser and ask them to stop.  If incidents continue to occur a diary should be kept.  It the behaviour continues then the person being harassed should approach their employer with a grievance – either a line manager or HR.  They do not need a specific length of service to raise a claim of sexual harassment which is a form of sex discrimination.
Following a grievance hearing, the employer should do a full investigation considering whether to suspend the perpetrator or not depending on the severity of the circumstances.  Following a full investigation a report should be produced on which the outcome should be based.  The outcome should be provided in writing to the person who has been harassed with the right to appeal if the outcome is not favourable ie no case to answer.
If it has been decided that the harassment took place then a decision must be made whether to move the perpetrator or not and whether they should be disciplined.  Serious sexual harassment is gross misconduct which may command summary dismissal.
Employers should make sure they have a robust bullying and harassment in place and training for line managers.

Racism in Football – Lessons We Should Learn

Racism in football has long been making the headlines.  The most recent case is Nicolas Anelka a West Brom player who made the controversial quenelle gesture after scoring a goal against West Ham.  The quenelle gesture is an anti semetic sign and it is said Anelka was supporting Dieudonné M’bala M’bala an anti Zionist French comedian who has recently been in the media for his comments.  Anelka has been banned by the Football Association.  Zoopla, a sponsor of West Brom has now withdrawn its support.  Racism has long been inherent in football, but there are lessons we should learn.

At the beginning of the twentieth century Walter Tull was the first black man to play for Tottenham Hotspur.  It is believed that his glittering career was cut short by racism; he was dropped from the first team then sold to Northampton Town.

In 1914 Tull enlisted in the Footballers Battalion (Middlesex Regiment).  He was promoted three times after leading a raid across enemy lines.  He was then recommended for a Military Cross for outstanding bravery and leadership, however, he never received this.  His family were informed that he had been recommended by two fellow officers who broke the rules to do so.  According to the manual of Military Law infantry officers had to be of pure European descent.  Tull was killed in action in the Somme in 1918.  In 1999 Northampton Town unveiled a memorial in his honour.  Hopes are growing that finally he will be recognised for the sacrifice he made.  A play about his life is being unveiled at a theatre in Bolton.

In December 2012 Liverpool’s Suarez was given an eight match ban and a £40,000 fine after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Evra.  In July ex-England captain John Terry was in a high profile racism case, but he was cleared of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.  There is a long way to go to reduce racism in football.  Many management and boardroom positions are all white and all male, there is no diversity.   There is evidence to show that homophobia is a bigger problem than discrimination.

Racial discrimination is damaging to all organisations, not just the football industry.  It occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.  The Equality Act makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against other employees because of these characteristics.

ACAS describes four areas of discrimination:

  • direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of their actual or perceived race, or because of the race of someone with whom they associate
  • indirect discrimination: can occur where there is a policy, practice or procedure which applies to all workers, but particularly disadvantages people of a particular race. An example could be a requirement for all job applicants to have GCSE Maths and English: people educated in countries which don’t have GCSEs would be discriminated against if equivalent qualifications were not accepted.
  • harassment: when unwanted conduct related to race has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual
  • victimisation: unfair treatment of an employee who has made or supported a complaint about racial discrimination.
Employers should have an equal opportunities policy in place that is well communicated to the workforce.  Training should be provided for employees and managers so everyone knows how it operates.
Racism has its roots in the difference between skin colour, yet what everyone needs to realise is that there is an elegant theory that we are all descended out of Africa and we all used to be black.  Our skins became white overtime because we only need a few minutes to sunshine to manufacture sufficient vitamin D whereas black people need one hour in the sun.  This is evidence of natural selection which flies in the face of the human race judging everyone’s differences .