Opinion – Page 2
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OpinionYvonne Gallagher: Striking the balance: the effect of industrial action on pay and benefits
The most powerful tool at the hands of the employee is the withdrawal of their labour, without which the business cannot function.Typically, industrial action takes place in relation to disputes over pay and benefits, but as we have seen in a number of disputes in the last year or two, ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Engaging employees with sustainability
How engaged are employees with your organisation’s sustainability strategy? What role do they have to play in helping to achieve targets?Last week, we reported on Lego’s move to link a portion of its salaried employees’ bonus payments to annual emissions. Lego plans to expand this over time in order to ...
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OpinionAndy Williams and Chelsea Feeney: Looking after employees’ mental wellbeing at work
The turbulence of the last four years has caused an increase in mental health issues. This has translated into employers seeing rising numbers of employee absences due to poor mental health. This is why it is more important than ever for employers to not only recognise when an employee is ...
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OpinionJulian Outen: Tips on parental and carers' leave law for employers
As of 6 April, draft regulations extend further the current right of employees on maternity, adoption and shared parental leave who are at risk of redundancy, to be offered suitable available employment in preference to other employees who are also at risk, but not on such leave.The protection will apply ...
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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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OpinionMelanie Morton: Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024: How to support employees
Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 this year takes place on 18-24 March. Neurodiversity refers to the natural range of differences in human brain function. We all think, move, process information and communicate in different ways. Many people use neurodiversity as an all-encompassing term used to describe alternative thinking styles such as ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Celebrating progress
This week I had the pleasure of judging the Employee Benefits Awards 2024. This is something I always love to do as I find the insight it gives into employers’ strategies and their reward offerings to be absolutely fascinating. I always find that I learn something new and come across ...
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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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OpinionLovewell's logic: How can we inspire inclusion on International Women's Day?
“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.”As the strapline for this year’s International Women’s Day, this certainly paints ...
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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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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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OpinionLovewell's logic: What will the year ahead have in store?
A belated Happy New Year to you all!At the turn of the year, many of us will have taken the opportunity to take stock and consider what we would like to achieve this year, along with what we will need to do or change in order to do so. While ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: What will you carry into 2024?
As the festive period gets well underway and many of us begin winding up for the Christmas break, family, friends and celebrations are likely to be front of mind for the majority.This time of year, however, also lends itself to a period of reflection, as many look back on the ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Are employees' expectations always realistic?
When it comes to searching for the most desirable employment package, are employees’ expectations always realistic, or are many destined to place themselves on an eternal path searching for something that does not exist?The end of the year can be a time of reflection, as individuals assess what they have ...
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OpinionYvonne Gallagher: Supreme Court rules that Deliveroo riders are not workers in collective bargaining case
The Supreme Court has upheld the earlier decision of the High Court and Court of Appeal in rejecting the claim by trade union the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), which was seeking to compel Deliveroo to recognise it for the purposes of collective bargaining on behalf of riders working ...
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OpinionAnna Dabek: Creating a menopause friendly workplace for womens’ wellbeing
More women are citing menopause as a reason for claims of discrimination or unfair dismissal at tribunal. The number of cases which did so increased by 44% in 2021.Menopause is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. That said, over the last couple of years, women have brought ...
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OpinionElla Bond: The effects of a tribunal about dismissal regarding returning to office
In the legal case Follows v Nationwide Building Society, an employee was awarded almost £350,000 in compensation after successfully claiming unfair dismissal and indirect disability discrimination by association. The case serves as a stark reminder for employers to exercise caution when imposing mandates for employees to return to the office, ...
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OpinionAdrian Crawford: Bankers’ bonuses uncapped
The bankers’ bonus cap has been scrapped in the UK from 31 October 2023 as a post-Brexit measure reportedly designed to liberalise City pay and boost the competitiveness of the UK as a financial centre.First introduced by the European Union in 2014 in response to the 2008 financial crisis, the ...
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OpinionLaura Tracey and Rubina Kakuji: How to support your employees during Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week is held every year in the UK from 9 – 15 October and is a time for people to come together to commemorate the lives of babies lost in pregnancy or at or soon after birth.Regardless of the stage of the pregnancy that loss occurs, it ...
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OpinionAudrey Williams: How can EU equal pay regulation benefit UK workers?
The government has confirmed that it will ensure European Union (EU) derived protection under equal pay laws will remain in place for employees and workers. It is important to remember the assurances given previously, that leaving the EU would not have the effect of eroding employment rights.This has come under ...