Opinion – Page 2
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OpinionVicky Schollar: What is the potential impact of changes to the fit note system?
It was announced in April that GPs may no longer be required to sign off fit notes and that responsibility will be passed to an unspecified healthcare specialist. What do the possible legal implications of this look like and what will be the impact on employees?A sick note, or fitness ...
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OpinionRena Magdani: How does flexibility help with recruitment and retention in a challenging climate?
With recruitment difficulties set to continue, businesses need to attract applicants and retain staff as best they can. Embracing flexible working could make a business more attractive in a difficult climate. Flexible working is one element employers can control in terms of the talent pool; the time to act is ...
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OpinionSamantha Dickinson: How to build and support a healthy workforce
Stress is an inevitable part of life. In the workplace it can build resilience, pushing individuals to adapt and perform under pressure, which leads to personal growth. However, when stress becomes overwhelming it leads to decreased productivity, burnout and debilitating health problems. Recognising and managing employee stress levels is crucial ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Is the government right to reform the fit note?
What is your view of the government’s plans to reform the fit note system?In a speech on 19 April, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced that the government will take steps to transform the sick note culture in a bid to reduce the number of individuals that are deemed unfit for ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should we be concerned about employee wellbeing levels?
How well is your workforce? While minor illnesses are a fact of life, what does your workforce’s health look like overall? Have absence rates improved or declined in recent years?Several pieces of research published in the last couple of weeks suggest that, overall, employees’ health and wellbeing levels have fallen ...
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OpinionSarah Tahamtani: Advice on menopause as a potential disability
Over the years, menopause has often been stigmatised and seen as a taboo both in and out of the workplace, leading to many women facing discrimination. This group represents a significant proportion of the workforce and attention needs to be paid. While there has been progress, more can still be ...
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OpinionClaire McCartney: What are the benefits of supporting staff with specific conditions such as endometriosis?
Despite menstruation being a normal part of life, and the prevalence of menstrual health challenges, these issues are often shrouded in stigma and silence in the workplace. This taboo is linked to broader societal attitudes around menstruation and menstrual health issues, but also because dedicated menstruation and menstrual health policies ...
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OpinionAmanda Lowe: What are the benefits of supporting staff with specific conditions such as endometriosis?
With a predominantly female workforce, around 75%, we launched a women’s health policy in June 2023 to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees.This policy focuses on two of the most common issues affecting women’s health: endometriosis and osteoporosis, and it supports those who ...
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OpinionSally Hulston: EHRC guidance on menopause in the workplace
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published new guidance on menopause in the workplace and set out employers’ legal obligations. The guidance reasserts the fact that women experiencing menopausal symptoms, particularly in severe cases, have certain protections under the Equality Act 2010.While the menopause is not itself a ...
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OpinionMusab Hemsi: When it comes to baby loss, employers should not forget about fathers
As progressive workplaces move towards a more open and supportive culture, the impact of baby loss, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, is becoming more widely talked about. However, employer support is often focused on mothers, with less consideration given to the fact fathers are suffering too. As men ...
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OpinionHannah Mugleston: Rights and support for employees undergoing IVF treatment
Pregnant women have a legal right to paid time off from the workplace to attend antenatal appointments. MP Nickie Aiken is campaigning for the same rights to be extended to those undergoing IVF treatment. Her private members bill regarding this will have its second reading in March 2024.Aiken is also ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should employers be legally required to support employee health?
The role of employers in supporting employees’ health and wellbeing was brought sharply to the fore this week with the announcement of a new government occupational health taskforce and the publication of guidance around supporting menopause in the workplace.Headed up by Dame Carol Black, the government’s newly appointed occupational health ...
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OpinionSarah Bogues: How to become a fertility-friendly employer
Employers play a critical role in the fertility journey of their employees. When employers get it right, the loyalty they can cultivate among their staff is immense. As the Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill makes its way through Parliament, it is an opportune time for employers to reassess their approach ...
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OpinionNabila Mallick: Employers must take menstrual health in the workplace seriously
While there is no specific protection in law, there are various provisions that indirectly protect women from discrimination or harassment relating to periods and the menstrual cycle. These include protections from disability discrimination where women have diagnosed medical conditions related to menstruation and protections against sexual harassment, such as where ...
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OpinionDawn Moore: How can reward and benefits contribute to happiness at work?
It has long been recognised that reward and benefits, as part of an overall employee experience, are a key part of happiness at work. A good reward and benefits package demonstrates that an organisation cares for its employees, particularly where it is clear that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach ...
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OpinionNeil Goodwin: How can reward and benefits contribute to happiness at work?
The old adage that a happy worker is a good worker is nothing new. However, the advantage to businesses of having a happy and engaged workforce, and the things that affect this the most, are becoming a key focus like never before (cue obligatory reference to Google’s chief happiness officer).Looking ...
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OpinionJennifer Roberts: How can reward and benefits contribute to happiness at work?
At Central Co-op, our colleagues are the difference makers. Our society is built on strong cultural values dating back to the original Co-op pioneers focusing on the difference we make within the communities we serve. Our reward and benefits offering is also built on these strong values, aiming to make ...
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OpinionEmma Clark: Will 2024 see a focus on women’s health in the workplace?
Employers are waking up to women’s health and our legislation is not keeping up with the workplace. In light of that, 2024 will likely see renewed focus on the need to support women's health in respect of menstruation, menopause and fertility.The younger generation seems less embarrassed about informing colleagues that ...
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OpinionBen Daniel: How can employers help solve absenteeism in the office?
In the UK, tackling absenteeism in the office requires employers to understand and fulfil their legal obligations regarding the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. The law mandates that employers must do what is reasonably practicable to protect their employees' health, safety and welfare, including mental health, as well ...
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OpinionAnna Schiavetta: Supporting menopause in the workplace
There remains a considerable lack of awareness or understanding of menopause. With menopausal women constituting the fastest-growing demographic in today’s workforce, it is fundamental for employers to be aware of the ways they can support their employees who are going through the menopause. There are crucial considerations for employers and ...