Opinion – Page 2
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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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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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OpinionChristopher Hitchins: The impact of The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
In a bid to address the new types of working patterns that are associated with the gig economy, the government’s long-awaited private members’ bill entitled The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 has received Royal Assent in the House of Lords.The bill, which forms part of the government’s 2017 ...
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OpinionAmanda Trewhella: Supporting employees with menstrual health and menopause transition
Women’s health, and in particular the menopause transition, is a topical issue that has finally received significant coverage in the media during the last year or so.In the UK there are currently no legal regulations specifically requiring employers to provide support to people affected by menstruation issues or the menopause. ...
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OpinionNeha Lugg and David Lorimer: How to make work events that involve alcohol more inclusive
Alcohol-free is fast becoming not only a religious or cultural choice, but a lifestyle choice. There have also been a significant number of alarming headlines demonstrating the role that alcohol has played at workplace events, resulting in harassment or other inappropriate behaviour, and significant reputational harm.Employers should look at workplace ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: It's good to talk
When was the last time you spoke to each member of your team? And how about colleagues from other departments across the business?This week, it was really brought home to me how easy it is to feel that you have been in touch with colleagues and friends, without actually speaking ...
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OpinionStephen Morrall: How flexible working trends have developed since lockdown
With the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill moving closer to becoming law, employees are set to benefit from a positive reform of employment rules which reflect growing trends toward flexible working across the UK.Under current legislation, a person who has 26 weeks of continuous service with their employer can request ...
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OpinionLaura Tracey: New guidance on reasonable adjustments for mental health
Mental health problems are and continue to be a significant concern and employers have not only a moral, but a legal obligation to help protect and support employees who may be suffering from such issues.Employees may find mental health conditions difficult to talk about and even try to conceal them, ...
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OpinionSubecca Sheikh: How can employers support staff going through a divorce?
A year has passed since the introduction of the no-fault divorce. The idea behind it was to pave the way for amicable collaboration, easing negotiations and overall reducing the mental health impact of divorce. It was a way to make the process manageable and approachable.The law was set to forge ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Why dying matters
This week (8-14 May) was Dying Matters Awareness Week. Part of Hospice UK’s Dying Matters campaign, the week was launched with the aim of encouraging people across the country to come together to speak about death, dying and grief in the workplace.According to research by Marie Curie, Respecting and supporting ...
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OpinionShireen Shaikh: The right to request predictable work patterns
Casual, temporary and agency workers will have new rights and protections if a government-backed private member's bill, the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill, becomes law. In particular, the right to request a more predictable working pattern might relate to the number of hours they work in a week, the ...
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OpinionOliver Topping: What do employers need to know about pensions dashboards?
Pensions dashboards will give employees more visibility than ever before regarding their retirement savings. All pension pots, and the state pension, will be shown digitally in one place.What does this mean for employers?Dashboards will take a lot of work to get up and running. But it’s pension schemes, not employers, ...
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OpinionDanielle Ayres: The changing face of flexible working
The number of people working flexibly has increased drastically since the pandemic; however, as we move on from that, it seems more employers are asking staff to return to workplaces on a regular basis.Many employees have become reliant on not having to travel into work, or deal with the costs ...
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OpinionJoanne Frew: Open communication is key as employees given more flexibility
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published the government's response to the consultation ‘Making Flexible Working the Default’, confirming that millions of employees will receive a day one right to request flexible working, empowering them to have a greater say over when, where and how they ...
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OpinionSyma Spanjers: What support should employers provide for menopause in the workplace?
There is growing momentum among employers to support employees affected by the menopause in the workplace.In July 2022, the government produced its response to the Independent report on menopause and the workplace. For employers, the key recommendations include promoting open conversations and training line managers to recognise symptoms of the ...
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OpinionLaura Tracey: How employers can support staff with the loss of a child
Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is when many who are affected by the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or termination for medical reasons, come together in remembrance and support in both their personal and working lives.Employees who suffer from a miscarriage before 24 weeks do ...
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OpinionRichard Kay: How will the four-day week trial impact workplaces?
This week, thousands of UK employees started the world’s biggest four-day working week trial. Over the next six months, employers and employees involved in the trial will embrace a 100:80:100 model of working, meaning staff will work 80% of the time for 100% of their salary.Understandably, the four-day week pilot ...
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OpinionAida Rehmatullah: It is never too early for staff to engage with pension decisions
Our purpose at the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) is to protect the financial future belonging to millions of people throughout the UK who belong to defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. As a large asset owner, it’s critical we consider all the potential risks over the entire time horizon of our ...
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OpinionPhil Crowe: How the war in Ukraine highlights the value of employee benefits
When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the world looked on in shock and wondered how this would reverberate around the globe. An important issue facing employers right now is how to best support employees who are directly affected by the war, whether they have family in Ukraine, or whether ...
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OpinionKate Bishop: How technology improves benefits delivery
If you turned the clock back two decades, the employee benefits technology portfolio would have been much more limited than it is today, with employees informed of offers via notice-boards or generic emails. There was little flexibility, personalisation or two-way engagement.Today, that has all changing. A survey carried out by ...