Hannah Peyton, Author at Ward Williams HR Advisers

18Mar

Statutory Sick Pay

Hannah PeytonCoronavirus, Payroll Services

The Chancellor confirmed the amendment previously announced by the Prime Minister on 4 March 2020 (www.gov.uk/government/news/sick-pay-from-day-one-for-those-affected-by-coronavirus), that the requirement for three waiting days is to be suspended allowing SSP to be paid from the first day of absence as an emergency measure following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).

In addition, the Chancellor has added a range of temporary measures in respect of SSP to respond to the outbreak. These measures will lapse when they are no longer required. The precise date of implementation will be included in the forthcoming COVID-19 Bill. The full list of measures is:

employees who have been advised to self-isolate as a result of coronavirus will be eligible to receive SSP from day one rather than day four as would be the case under normal rules. This will apply even in cases where the employee has not yet presented with symptoms;
employees caring for those within the same household who display symptoms of coronavirus and have been advised to self-isolate will also be eligible to receive SSP from day one, rather than day four;
notifications will be issued to employees via NHS111 confirming advice to self-isolate, which can be used as an alternative to medical evidence for absence from work, removing the need for employees to see a doctor or to attend GP surgeries to obtain a fit note;
employers with fewer than 250 employees (as at 28 February 2020) will be eligible to reclaim 100% of the SSP paid as a result of COVID-19 for the first two weeks per employee.

The overall picture is that many more employees are likely to be either sick or self-isolating as a result of COVID-19. These measures will mean that those employees will qualify for SSP sooner than they otherwise would, and that the process for claiming will be simpler.

The Budget 2020 announced SSP help for self employed with further details to be announced.

For businesses with less than 250 employees the cost of statutory sick pay for up to 14 days will be refunded by the government in full. HMRC asked to scale up time to pay.

12Mar

5 ways to reduce your recruitment costs

Hannah PeytonRecruitment and Selection

Ward Williams HR explain five ways to reduce your recruitment costs while still attracting quality candidates to fill your vacancies.

While recruitment is crucial for business growth and remaining resilient in a changing economic climate. It also gives the business an innovative and competitive edge by having the best people working for the company.

Creating a workforce of highly skilled and ambitious people is what all companies strive for, but this takes strategic recruitment which can come with a large cost. The total cost of recruitment can vary greatly. If you include advertising, onboarding and the length of time the new employee takes to get up to speed

1. Create employee ambassadors

Employee advocacy is a powerful and inexpensive tool that can have a huge impact on your advertising and recruitment costs. Peer to peer influence and word of mouth marketing can help you reach relevant candidates for those harder to fill roles. If you are confident that you are doing the right things to make your employees feel supported, happy and engaged at work, your organisation should feel comfortable encouraging staff to share their experiences of your workplace, particularly through their social media channels.

2. Introduce a recruitment referral scheme

If you struggle to find candidates to fill certain roles, consider using existing employees to help you find the talent you need. Although introducing a referral scheme means you will need to set budget aside to give existing staff a nice ‘thank you’ bonus for successful introductions, in the long-term, it can be really cost effective. Employees will likely only refer people they know who will not only fit the role’s requirements, but will also be in tune with your organisation’s working culture and therefore likely to stay with you for longer.

3. Take advantage of social media

Social media is now an important tool in recruitment for both job seekers and recruiters. The ability and willingness to communicate socially allows an employer to provide an insight into their day-to-day operations, their vision and values, and the type of people who work there. This transparency and authenticity will help to increase the volume of applications you receive from individuals who are already confident that they will fit your culture and share your vision and values.

4. Create a clear and relevant job advert

Your job advert should be engaging, search optimised and clearly outline the job’s key requirements and responsibilities. Make sure the requirements you include on your advert are relevant and genuine. This helps to ensure you do not attract applicants that are not suitable and you do not alienate your ideal candidate. For instance, do not say candidates should have a degree if it would be more advantageous to emphasise that they have relevant knowledge skills and experience. If the role could be part-time, flexible or remote working, then the job advert should state this to help broaden the range of candidates who can apply. Making these small adjustments will not cost you anything and can make a huge difference in finding the right person sooner.

5. Reduce the need to recruit

One of the most effective ways to cut the cost of recruitment is to reduce the need to recruit in the first place. This means reducing staff turnover by improving the way you support and engage your employees, such as offering clear career paths and opportunities for growth, along with competitive pay.

If you have any questions on any of the above and how you can reduce your recruitment costs, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

12Mar

Making remote workers feel part of your company

Hannah PeytonOccupation Health Services

Remote working simply means working away from the office and it has become a key part of modern flexible working. It has also become a really attractive employee benefit. Thanks to advances in technology, companies are now able to employ remote workers from just about anywhere in the world, provided they have a WiFi connection, a laptop, and the nature of the work is compatible with remote working.

Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that, in 2015, 4.2 million people across a range of sectors worked from home, and businesses both small and large are increasingly adopting the remote working strategy into their ways of working.

Benefits to businesses and employees include:

Saving money on office costs;
Gaining access to a wider talent pool;
Increased retention and staff morale;
Greater productivity;
Lower environmental impact;
Better work – life balance;
Freedom and flexibility to work anywhere.

Remote working does come with its own set of challenges. Keeping remote workers engaged and ensuring they are ‘part of the family’ is vital to achieving brand consistency, keeping employees motivated and keeping staff retention levels high.

Keeping remote workers engaged

Utilise social media platforms such as LinkedIn to get everyone communicating. It is best to ensure everyone is using the same platforms whether office based or remote.
Use video conferencing to maintain the relationship between employer, remote working and team-mates.
Include remote workers in celebrations and team events. Even if they can’t attend, inviting them will make them feel included, and if they can attend is a great way for them to build relationships with their colleagues.
Hold face to face quarterly meetings.
Recognise and celebrate the input of remote workers as you would in person – positive feedback and recognition is a known contributor to staff happiness and motivation, this means not forgetting to feedback to your remote workers when they’ve done a great job.
Have strong brand guidelines and make sure your brand is consistent across all channels – this is an important factor to any company when trying to get staff to buy into your brand, and when you have remote workers it is absolutely vital.
Send an internal monthly/bi-monthly newsletter to keep everyone up-to-date on the latest news.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

12Mar

How to protect employees against stress

Hannah PeytonOccupation Health Services

Mental health, stress and wellbeing are all words that we are hearing more frequently and they are finally beginning to receive the recognition that they deserve. As an employer, you have a duty of care to protect employees from stress at work, so it is crucial that you are aware of both the causes and symptoms of stress so that you are able to minimise it and support an employee if they are suffering.

Ward Williams HR have answered the most common questions we hear from employers when talking about work-related stress:

Q. What responsibility do I have as an employer when it comes to work-related stress?

There is no specific law aimed at workplace stress, but employers do have a ‘duty of care’ to protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees while at work under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Q. What causes work-related stress?

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) have identified the top six main areas that can cause work-related stress if they are not managed correctly:

The demands of the job;
The control an employee has over their work;
The support they receive from managers and colleagues;
Relationships in the workplace;
The employee’s role in the organisation;
Organisational change and how it is managed.

Q. What impact can work-related stress have on my business?

If your employees are feeling stressed and its left un-recognised it can lead to:

Higher staff turnover;
Increased sickness absence;
Decreased motivation, productivity and performance;
Employee complaints and grievances.

Q. What warning signs should I be looking out for?

The signs of work-related stress can be physical, psychological and behavioural, and it is vital that you know how to spot them as an employer as work-related stress is your responsibility. An employee suffering with stress might act differently and you may notice that they are taking more time off, frequently turning up late, not appearing as motivated or committed and generally acting differently to their usual selves. They may act nervous, irrational, sensitive, and seem withdrawn.

Q. What can I do to prevent work-related stress?

As an employer, it is important you assess the risks of work-related stress in your workplace and take action to protect your employees by:

Ensure you are communicating with your staff by having regular reviews/appraisals and being aware of workloads;
Give your staff an opportunity to voice their concerns anonymously;
Always encourage your staff to use their full quota of annual leave;
Consider management training;
Flexible working arrangement;
Wellbeing/self-help encouragement.

If you would like to know more about protecting your employees from work related stress then please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

10Dec

Top 6 HR trends for 2020

Hannah PeytonStrategic HR planning for the future

As we near the end of the year, it’s time to look at the emerging HR trends for 2020. Employers will focus on embracing HR technology to their advantage, strengthening workforce capabilities, ensuring data security, improving candidate and employee experiences, and more.

1. Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment.

Artificial Intelligence driven solutions will provide immense innovation in industries in 2020. It will be used in the recruitment and hiring processes. Artificial Intelligence powered solutions will rule in the year ahead with the following advantages: 

Time saving – Chatbots are the conversational interface platforms that save time and speed up the recruitment process by answering the most common questions of the applicants. 

Faster candidate screening – Artificial Intelligence powered recruitment solutions will help in filtering high volume of CVs and pre-qualifying candidates based on the job description and skills. 

Quality hiring –screening and selection of candidates will see a more productive and talented workforce in the coming year.

2. Data Analytics

By using analytics, data driven decisions can be made by HR professionals to attract and retain top talent. The coming year will provide endless possibilities to use analytics in identifying trends and patterns on employees. Data analytics will play a prominent role in: 

Implementing best, proven recruiting practices; 

Reducing employee turnover; 

Increasing employee experience and satisfaction; 

Managing task automation and process improvement; 

Increasing workforce productivity and engagement; 

Improving workforce planning and talent development.

3. Employee Experience Platforms

Today, employees expect a lot more than just good pay and an ideal work environment. Employees do not hesitate to review and rate their company culture, work policies, growth opportunities, compensation and more on employment review websites. They share their experiences on these platforms publicly which can impact the reputation of the company.

With the rapid digital transformation, multiple HCM platforms have come up in the market, yet there are very few which provide the desired employee experience. These HR solutions are highly customisable and configurable, yet lack in employee engagement and development capabilities.

This coming year will see a shift of focus to employee experience platforms (EXP). The EXP will provide an integrated solution to manage training, career development, benefits administration, onboarding, performance management and payroll on a single platform. We will see a dramatic shift in the way employers embrace technology and manage processes to empower employees.

4. Continuous Performance Management

The approach of an annual appraisal is long gone. Employers have gone through a huge transformation in performance management hoping to achieve high productivity, improved employee engagement and talent retention. Continuous Performance Management (CPM) tools can be used to streamline their company processes in a better way and empower employees.

In 2020, adoption of CPM processes is expected to grow expansively. HR software vendors are already offering CPM tools to encourage a work culture where continuous training and mentoring, constructive feedback, holistic reviews, skill development plans, unbiased praise and recognition are prevalent.

5. On the Job Training

Employees require continuous mentoring, training and skill development to perform well in their jobs. Continuous learning improves employee skills, making employees more adaptive to the work environment and preparing them to take up different roles in their company.

Next year will see employers investing in Virtual and augmented reality, gamification, geofencing, and other techniques to impart on-the-job training to their workforce.

6. Feedback Tools to Improve Employee Engagement.

Employers will move forward with well-thought strategies to improve workforce engagement through HR technology innovations. Use of employee engagement tools and survey platforms will capture employee opinions and feedback.

Employee satisfaction surveys would help you to connect with your employees and promote engagement and profitability. These feedback tools will help management understand employee concerns and take corrective action plans to retain the best talent.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

25Nov

Employment Law Changes for 2020

Hannah PeytonHR and Employment Law Advice and Support

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay.

The right to parental bereavement leave and pay is expected to come into force in April 2020. The right will allow parents of a child under the age of 18 who has died to take two weeks’ leave. It will be available to the birth parents or those with parental responsibility for the child and can be taken within 56 weeks of the child’s death, in a block of two weeks, or two blocks of one week.

Employees will be entitled to parental bereavement leave from day one of their employment, but there will be a qualifying period of 26 weeks for entitlement to parental bereavement pay.

The government has not yet published the regulations that will finalise the details for the introduction of parental bereavement leave and pay. Once this has been finalised we will update your Company Handbook and send you a revised version for employees to access.

Changes to written statements of employment particulars

As of 6th April 2020 all workers employed on or after this date will be entitled to a written statement of employment particulars on or before their first day of employment. The written statements must contain:

• The hours and days of the week the worker /employee is required to work, whether they may be varied and how.

• Entitlements to any paid leave.

• Any other benefits not covered elsewhere in the written statement.

• Details of any probationary period.

• Details of training provided by the employer.

Changes to holiday pay calculations for workers with irregular hours.

The reference period for calculating holiday pay is changing to 52 weeks from the current 12 weeks average period, where a worker has been employed by their employer for at least 52 weeks. Where a worker has been employed by their employer for less than 52 weeks, the reference period is the number of weeks for which the worker has been employed.

This is only applicable to those workers who receive variable remuneration either because there are normal working hours but the remuneration varies with the amount of work done or the time the work is done, or because the worker does not have normal working hours.

Changes to agency workers’ rights

There are three important changes to agency workers’ rights which will apply from April 6th 2020:

1. Abolition of the Swedish Derogation (sometimes referred to as ‘pay between assignments’ contracts). Previously agency workers could agree a contract which would remove their right to equal pay with permanent counterparts after 12 weeks working at the same assignment. From 6th April 2020, these contracts will no longer be permissible, and all agency workers, after 12 weeks, will be entitled to the same rate of pay as their permanent counterparts.

2. All agency workers will be entitled to a key information document that more clearly sets out their employment relationships and terms and conditions with their agency.

3. Agency workers who are considered to be employees will be protected from unfair dismissal or suffering a detriment if the reasons are related to asserting rights associated with The Agency Worker Regulations.

If you have any questions on any of the above changes, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

13Nov

5 HR basics for small businesses

Hannah PeytonStrategic HR planning for the future

For small business, HR can seem a scary prospect. You’re likely to get the basics sorted, but when you’ve got limited time and money to deal with aspects such as recruitment, onboarding and setting up payroll, it may seem easier to let them fall by the wayside.

However, a clear and streamlined HR system is an essential part of any successful business. Not only does it help you to adhere to employment laws (and avoid any potential tribunal claims), but it will ensure your employees feel valued and cared for, helping to improve retention, output and overall company performance.

We’ve compiled a list of five basic HR processes that are the cornerstones of a healthy HR system:

1. Recruitment

For your business to grow in a sustainable way, you need to hire a strong team of ambitious, capable and talented employees. Having a supportive team around you who want to help make the business the best it can be is crucial for boosting performance and creating a great company culture.

2. Onboarding

Now that you’ve hired the perfect candidate that will help you to grow your business, you need to equip them with the training and support required to allow them to excel in their role. The onboarding process can take up to 12 months but is invaluable for building a strong team of proficient workers.

Issue an employment contract and try to make it as clear as possible, and make sure you choose the right type of contract depending on the employment status of the individual: permanent employment, or fixed-term employment.

Spreading the onboarding tasks along a timeline of the first day, first week, first month and first year will stop the new employee from feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done.

Not only will effective training boost overall performance and output, but a great onboarding experience will help new hires to feel valued. This will improve retention rates, therefore saving on the time and costs required to recruit somebody new.

3. Employee handbook

This is a comprehensive document containing everything a new employee needs to know about your business. This includes the legal policies and procedures they need to follow as well as an insight into the company culture. An informative employee handbook will communicate the values of your organisation clearly and effectively.

Make the handbook easily accessible and have everyone sign an acknowledgment form to confirm they’ve read it all. This way, you’ll be protected if something goes wrong (for example, an unfair dismissal claim is brought against you), as you’ll be able to prove you made employees aware of your policies from the start of their employment.

4. Payroll

This is likely to be the biggest expenditure for your company, but payroll is an essential part of any well-run business.

Getting to grips with the processes can be tricky, especially for small businesses who may not have a specific department to deal with it. However, a good payroll system will help to keep employee morale high, which in turn will contribute to a boost in performance and overall output.

5. Appraisals

It’s vital to keep track of how your employees are performing so that you can use the feedback to make any necessary changes to your business. Having regular performance reviews to discuss achievements and objectives will help to improve staff morale while also helping the company to operate in a more efficient way.

Clear and open communication between yourself and your employees makes it easier to spot any wider issues, which can then be dealt with quickly to improve the overall running of the business.

If you would like to find out more about Ward Williams HR, and how we can assist in the above key areas. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch 01932 830 664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

12Nov