Opinion – Page 15
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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: Should the office be the default working environment?
The working-from-home debate was reignited this week following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s comments that the office should be the default location for workers, unless they have good reason to work from home.Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce conference, Hunt said that despite the exciting opportunities offered by working from home, ...
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OpinionJoanna Powis and Alison Heaton: Is a four-day week the future of work?
Coming out of the pandemic, there has been an increased focus on work-life balance, mental health and wellbeing, and employers’ roles in supporting staff on these fronts. Employers in some industries have also seen a talent war emerge as they find it harder to recruit and retain the best employees.These ...
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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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OpinionMichelle Hobbs: Maternity protections are on their way
The Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill is expected to receive its final reading in the House of Lords imminently, and should be passed into law soon.The bill aims to extend current protections from redundancy for expectant and new mothers, and introduce new protections for those taking and returning from ...
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OpinionDavid Glennon: Celebrations like the Coronation help to further engage staff
Post-pandemic we appreciate more than ever the value of in-person connection, and as a company we are increasingly looking for opportunities to get people together in-person; to build relationships and connect with colleagues from other teams across the business.Socials are a great way to achieve this, and while there is ...
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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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OpinionPaul Reeves and Leanne Raven: Are employees entitled to the King's Coronation bank holiday?
It has been announced that there will be an extra bank holiday to celebrate the King's Coronation on Monday 8 May, which will form a special three-day weekend for many, but not all, employees.Whether an employee is legally entitled to this extra bank holiday depends on the wording of their ...
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OpinionKathy Abernethy: The correlation between menopause and stress in the workplace
April marks the start of Spring, but did you know that April is also stress awareness month? For employers, this is an important annual reminder of the modern-day stress epidemic, its causes and cures. Now is the time to check in on your own wellbeing, as well as your ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Is the UK failing on pay despite high minimum rates?
The UK now has some of the highest minimum pay rates in the world, according to a report published by think-tank The Resolution Foundation this week. Its Low pay Britain 2023 report found that, among the world’s rich nations, only France, Korea and New Zealand currently have higher minimum wages, ...
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OpinionNicholas Jervis: The rise of unfair dismissals and impact on employee benefits
The ongoing economic uncertainty and evolving labour market conditions caused by the pandemic have increased pressure on businesses to cut costs and adapt to a rapidly changing business landscape. To address financial strain, some employers might resort to dismissals that are unjust or not in compliance with UK employment laws. ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: The changing shape of employee wellbeing
When I first entered the world of employee benefits more than 20 years ago, many organisations’ approach to health and wellbeing was markedly different. Back then, the focus was on more traditional healthcare benefits, such as private medical insurance (PMI) and health cash plans. Wellbeing benefits were often viewed as ...
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OpinionAlexandra Farmer: Further protections needed for pregnant employees
The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill is well on its way through the House of Lords. Currently at committee stage - at which point every clause of the bill has to be agreed and votes on amendments can take place - the bill will give further protections ...
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OpinionRiaan van Wyk: What positive versus negative resilience means for employers
UK employees have not had it easy over the last few years. Pressures on their finances, mental wellbeing and physical health have been almost ever present since the start of the pandemic in 2020, and the last six months has seen a cost-of-living crisis amplify these pressures further.To understand how ...
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OpinionHolly Navarro: Supporting Muslim staff during Ramadan
In today’s richly diverse society, employers must demonstrate an understanding of the cultural variances of employees, and foster an inclusive working environment, ensuring multi-faith workforces are listened to and respected. An openness to making reasonable adjustments during this time will help improve employee satisfaction and embed inclusivity and diversity within ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Will the living pension overcome undersaving?
Herbert Smith Freehills, Citizens UK, Aviva, and Phoenix Group this week became among the first employers to sign up to the new Living Pension Employer standard, launched by the Living Wage Foundation. They were joined by The Good Things Foundation and Wealthify.The living pension is a voluntary savings target of ...
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OpinionMegan Parker: Could employers be obliged to pay back historical holiday underpayments?
As of now, if an employee’s holiday is incorrect, they must bring a claim forward within three months of when the deduction was made, or if a string of underpayments has been made, within three months of the last time they were underpaid for their holiday.However, this system may be ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Will the Spring Budget result in a larger talent pool?
News this week has been dominated by headlines about the numerous strikes taking place across the country, in bids to secure pay increases for junior doctors, teachers, rail and tube workers. The other big news this week, of course, was this year’s Spring Budget.The Budget contained myriad measures impacting the ...
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OpinionPaula Kathrens: How can employers support staff with the menopause?
The government's announcement in January this year that menopause would not become a new protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 was very disappointing for those who had campaigned for change. The government's view is that the existing protected characteristics of sex, age and disability already provide protection against discrimination ...