Amongst the plans for worker reforms proposed by the new Labour Government and announced in the King’s Speech last week is the party’s “right to switch off from work”. The plan will see workers empowered to disconnect from their jobs outside regular working hours.
Under new rules to be introduced by the Labour government, workers will be able to ignore work-related calls and emails and outside of their contracted hours and refuse to take on extra work in the evenings and at weekends.
The plans are also expected to extend to workers’ annual leave, so managers would not be allowed to ask employees to carry out work-related tasks, which might be answering emails, calls or queries, whilst they were on holiday.
The new plans, believed to be brainchild of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, come amongst a raft of new measures including a ban on zero-hours contracts, full worker rights from day and making sick pay available from the first day of absence without waiting days.
The idea of spending less time at work and having more quality time to share with family has long been seen as a vote-winner for Labour and appeared in the party’s manifest during the previous General Election.
Employee wellbeing and work/life balance are phrases that have appeared in the workplace with increasing regularity over recent years. Being able to request flexible working arrangements is now a statutory right for employees and employers must be seen to give all such requests due consideration. Indeed, employers need to present a strong business case to deny flexible working requests.
Currently in the UK, there is no official right to disconnect from work, but employers can implement their own policies. Legislation does state that a working week should be no more than 48 hours on average, however, if a boss wants to contact their employee outside of these hours, they can.
There was some discussion a few years ago over how to determine when an employee actually started their working day. In a world of electronic communication, many workers would choose to “triage” email on their mobile phones during their commute so that only the important ones were left to deal with by the time they reached their desks. Whether the commute should therefor be classed as work time was bought into question.
The concept of being able to switch off is a good one in principle, however ensuring that an employee is not bothered during their holiday may come down to how well a workload handover to colleagues is implemented, or how well they have tied up any loose ends of business they are dealing with before they leave.
There is also the enormous impact of company culture to consider. Even if bosses and managers uphold the ideology of not contacting staff outside of work, employees may find a great deal of peer pressure. This may make it feel impossible to leave work without putting in a reasonable dose of extra time in order to meet targets or complete projects to schedule.
Furthermore, a restriction on contacting employees outside of work hours may cause more employers to insist on their pound of flesh during designated work time. This may lead to more organisation removing the option for employees to work from home and may impact wider decisions around flexible working requests.
Unlike other measures, the right to switch off is unlikely to be enshrined in law but will more likely become a code of practice for businesses. Notwithstanding, there are bound to be employees who will apply the new rules as strictly as they are able so it’s worth making plans about how a policy will be communicated sooner rather than later.
HR Champions will of course support you with this. Call us on 01452 331331 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recent news stories regarding President Joe Biden facing calls to step down from his presidential election campaign owing to concerns about his cognitive and physical abilities highlight the issue of an ageing workforce on a global stage.
We tend to accept that with age often comes diminishing health. It's an unavoidable fact that as we get older, we may become less supple, lose muscular strength, and are increasingly affected by worn joints and connective tissue. Such physical changes can significantly impact job performance, particularly for manual workers. Businesses operating on tight margins may face difficult decisions if an older worker's productivity falls below a profitable level. Additionally, health and safety considerations must remain paramount.
Dementia and other cognitive decline have also become considerations for employers in recent years. At HR Champions, we have encountered cases where employers have had to manage employees showing signs of senility. As a mental health issue, dementia is potentially covered by the Equality Act 2010, meaning employers must make reasonable adjustments for affected employees. However, dementia is notoriously difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages, complicating any such adjustments.
The default retirement age in the UK was abolished in 2011 so there is no longer a set age at which employees must retire. This change acknowledges that many people are capable of and wish to continue working well past traditional retirement ages. However, it also raises the question: who decides when someone should retire?
Without a default retirement age, it is up to the individual when it is time to step down. This flexibility supports the rights of older workers but also requires careful management to balance business needs with employee rights.
We are continually promoting staff appraisals as an effective management tool and employers might consider applying an appraisal system throughout an employee’s career to assess their ability to perform their job effectively continually. While this approach seems practical, it has inherent flaws. An individual might not agree with the feedback and measurement of performance, leading to conflict. There are also legal and ethical issues to consider when exiting a loyal and long serving employee on the grounds of capability.
Age discrimination contravenes the Equality Act, posing significant risks for businesses that attempt to force older employees to resign based solely on age. It also comes into effect at recruitment as job candidates cannot be refused a fair crack at a job application just because someone on the recruiting team thinks they are too old.
Another layer to this issue is the proposed changes to the National Minimum Wage by the new Labour Government, which aims to set it equal for all adults. While this move is designed to ensure fairness and reduce exploitation, it inadvertently reduces the financial incentive for businesses to hire young people. When the cost of employing a young, inexperienced worker is the same as hiring an older, more experienced one, employers may lean towards the latter, potentially exacerbating youth unemployment.
Despite these challenges, there are significant benefits to employing an older workforce. The experience and skills gap often seen in younger employees can be mitigated by retaining older workers longer. Their knowledge and expertise can be invaluable, offering opportunities for mentoring and skill transfer to younger employees. Additionally, older employees tend to be more less transient, preferring job security and work-life balance over career advancement and higher salaries.
Employers should engage in strategic workforce planning, which includes having open discussions about career planning regardless of an employee's age. These discussions allow employers to make informed decisions about recruitment, development, and promotion at the appropriate times, ensuring a balanced and effective workforce.
Managing an aging workforce requires a delicate balance between legal obligations, ethical considerations, and business needs. By recognising the value of older employees, implementing fair appraisal systems, and planning strategically, businesses can navigate these challenges effectively. Age should not be the sole determinant of an employee's worth or capability, and with careful management, the benefits of an experienced workforce can be fully realised.
For help and support in managing employee issues and developing a succession plan, contact HR Champions at 01452 331331 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
It may have been brought to your attention that England are in the final of the European Cup on Sunday night following a gripping semi-final win over the Netherlands on Wednesday evening. Win or lose, we think it’s a good idea that employers are pro-active in managing the potential consequences of England reaching their first ever major tournament final on foreign soil.
By way of comparison, when England won their first round match against Tunisia in the 2018 World Cup, the media reported that staff absences rose by 36% the following day. On Sunday, fans will no doubt be taking their seats early in pubs and clubs, and even at home with friends, in order to enjoy the build up to the 8.00pm kick off, and potentially indulge in a drink or two.
We’ll then have a 90 minutes game potentially followed by 30 minutes of extra time and possibly a penalty shoot-out. If England win, fans will want to remain immersed in the elation for as long as possible. Or to put it another way… it could get messy.
UK employers are therefore presented with a unique challenge for Monday morning, as we should expect employee attendance and productivity to be impacted. Here are some key considerations and options for managing this situation effectively. And whatever you decide, put a communication out as early as possible so that everyone is appraised of the position you are or will be taking.
Failure to attend work: Employees who fail to attend work claiming to be ill can be at risk of disciplinary action up to and including dismissal if their employer has evidence that they are not actually sick. Of course the employee may well be genuinely sick, albeit that sickness is self-inflicted as a result of drinking too much the night before.
In agreeing a contract of employment, employees are committing to make themselves available for work at the times laid out within the contract. They must therefore make every effort to present themselves fit for work. Overindulging in alcohol in the evenings to the extent where it compromises attendance and/or timekeeping is clearly breaching the contract and so subjects the employee to an investigation and potentially disciplinary action.
Re-communicating your absence policy in advance can set expectations for employees. Inform them of the procedures for taking leave or reporting absences due to the previous night's celebrations. Encourage employees to plan ahead and request leave if they anticipate needing it.
You may already be processing a high number of holiday requests. If this compromises your required workforce number you may have to draw lots amongst those who request it, to establish who is allowed to take holiday if you are pressed for resources and need to open.
Whatever you do, ensure that you exercise fairness, equality and offer choices to all members of your team. Falling into the trap of assuming it’s just the men that want to go to the pub to watch the football could easily get you into trouble for discrimination.
Flexible working: Another approach could be to offer flexible working hours on Monday. Allowing employees to start later in the day can help accommodate those who might have stayed up late and need additional rest to recover. Being flexible can prevent the risks associated with tiredness and hangovers.
If feasible, allowing employees to work from home can mitigate the risks associated with commuting while under the influence of alcohol. This option also accommodates those who may not be in the best physical state to commute but can still be productive from home.
Plan for low productivity: Depending on how your workforce is comprised and what industry you are in, you may have to accept that productivity might dip on Monday, so plan accordingly. Non-critical tasks can be scheduled for later in the week, and team leaders can be briefed to manage workloads flexibly. This approach ensures that essential operations continue smoothly without putting undue pressure on employees.
You may even decide to give everyone the day off. We suggest however that if you take this very generous option you do so whether England win or lose. Losing a penalty shoot-out has lots of effects on individuals but it doesn’t make someone who has been drinking all evening immediately sober.
Duty of care: Employees who drive as part of their job responsibilities are of particular concern. Driving under the influence of alcohol is obviously illegal, and the morning after can pose significant safety risks. Employers must ensure that these workers are fit to drive. Failing to do so could result in accidents, serious harm to employees and others and legal issues up to and including corporate manslaughter.
Even for employees who do not drive for work but must commute, there are clearly risks associated with driving under the influence. Encouraging responsible behaviour is essential to prevent potential road incidents.
Perhaps a reminder about the dangers of drink driving and the importance of health and safety to reinforce responsible behaviour is in order. Highlight the legal implications and potential consequences of driving under the influence to ensure employees are aware of their responsibilities. Encourage moderation so that employees can enjoy the game without overindulging.
Arranging transportation alternatives for employees who might be at risk of driving under the influence could be an option. This could include organizing carpooling options, offering taxi reimbursements, or providing information about public transportation schedules. But if staff aren’t fit enough to drive, do you really want them in the workplace, especially if their intoxication could affect their ability to work safely, in a factory or on a building site perhaps.
A reminder of your company drugs and alcohol policy before the weekend might be a good idea.
The European Cup final is a momentous occasion, and it's natural for employees to want to enjoy the atmosphere of England making it to the final. By taking proactive measures, UK employers can manage the potential impact on attendance and productivity. Flexible working arrangements, clear communication, and promoting responsible behaviour are key strategies to ensure that Monday morning runs as smoothly as possible.
Make a decision on the stance you plan to take and communicate it to your entire workforce today or tomorrow so that no-one can say they weren’t forewarned or hadn’t thought about the consequences. By showing understanding and adaptability, employers can maintain a positive work environment while upholding safety and productivity standards.
And remember there are plenty of people who won’t be interested in the football. Make sure they are not disadvantaged in favour of those who are interested, especially as you might be relying on them to keep your business afloat on Monday.
We’re available as usual for help and support on 01452 331331 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. However we hope you’ll act on the recommendations outlined in this post and we won’t be inundated with phone calls on Monday for dealing with a rash of absence and intoxication at work issues. Good luck England.
Recruiting staff is expensive. Whether you advertise vacancies and manage the full process yourself, or you use the services of a recruitment agent or consultant to find and shortlist prospective candidates, there’s a whole raft of costs. Advertising, commission plus your own manager and administrator time.
So we find it frustrating that after the expense of recruiting, businesses invest so little time and effort in implementing robust and effective induction programmes or properly managing the probation period. The first days and weeks for a new recruit are arguably the most crucial. However, high attrition and staff turnover, especially in the early stages of employment, can become a perpetual financial drain for businesses; and one that can be so easily avoided.
Now that labour have won the election, we know from their previously published 'Work Plan' that they intend to abolish the rule that means workers do not accrue rights for the first two years. This has been something we have relied upon when the need has arisen to dismiss staff. Potentially now, the probation period will be the only option to dismiss underperformers so employers will need to make sure they are managing these with purpose. If that alone isn't reason to ensure your inductions and probations are in good order, here are a few more.
Integration into Organisational Culture: A properly-crafted induction programme is essential for integrating new employees into the company's culture. In a competitive job market, businesses must ensure that new recruits align with their values and goals. Comprehensive induction processes provide an overview of the company's mission, vision, and values, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose from day one. This alignment is crucial for retaining employees and reducing turnover.
Reducing Employee Turnover: High employee turnover is a significant financial burden, not only due to recruitment and training costs but also because vacancies necessitate temporary coverage by existing staff, diverting them from their primary responsibilities. A thorough induction programme helps new employees understand their roles, reduces initial uncertainty, and sets clear expectations. By making the transition smooth and welcoming, businesses can significantly reduce early resignations and dismissals, thus saving on associated costs.
Enhanced Productivity: A structured induction process accelerates the time it takes for a new employee to become productive. Instead of spending weeks or months figuring out their roles, accessing resources, or understanding company systems, a guided introduction allows them to hit the ground running. In an environment with high vacancy rates, businesses cannot afford prolonged periods of sub-optimal productivity. Better-trained managers can ensure that inductions are efficient and comprehensive, boosting the productivity of new recruits from the outset.
Improved Employee Morale and Engagement: Entering a new organisation, especially one with high vacancy rates, can be overwhelming for new employees. A well-thought-out induction programme acts as a crucial support mechanism. By connecting new recruits with peers, mentors, or ‘buddies’, businesses can help them feel valued and engaged. Higher engagement often leads to improved morale, better performance, and increased loyalty. Managers trained in effective onboarding techniques can facilitate these connections and foster a positive work environment.
We should also comment on the negative impact on staff morale that high turnover has. If there is a revolving door of new recruits, existing employees may feel insecure in their own positions and choose to leave an organisation that has the reputation of being a bad employer. We have also heard of those responsible for the training of new recruits to become ‘fatigued’ by the fact that they seem to be constantly training new staff who never stay; diminishing their own morale and self-esteem.
Competitive Advantage in Talent Acquisition: In today's social media-driven world, word spreads quickly about company practices. Organisations known for excellent onboarding and induction processes have a competitive advantage in attracting talent. Prospective employees are more likely to be drawn to companies where they believe they will receive proper training and support during the initial phases of their employment. Your managers play a critical role in enhancing the company’s reputation as an employer of choice through ensuring that new recruits have a positive start; yet another reason to train them well.
Compliance and Risk Management: When positions have been vacant for a long time, the urgency to fill them can sometimes overshadow the importance of compliance training. Effective induction programmes ensure that new recruits are aware of the company's policies, legal obligations, and safety protocols from the outset. This is particularly important for compliance with health and safety in certain roles and for regulations such as GDPR. A thorough induction not only protects the company from potential legal issues but also ensures a safer and more compliant working environment.
In a competitive jobs market, businesses that invest in training will reap benefits in productivity, loyalty, and reputation. Not only should inductions and well-managed probation periods be standard, but managers must be trained to implement them effectively. By focusing on these areas, businesses can ensure a smoother transition for new employees, ultimately leading to a more engaged, sustained and productive workforce.
HR Champions can support the design of an effective induction programme. For assistance, call us on 01452 331331 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Now that we have had a taste of summer over the last week, and the traditional holiday season is upon us, so we thought we would go over the basic rules around holiday and annual leave. It’s been a while since we touched on this subject in the blog but staff holiday is one of the most consistent subjects we give advice about on the helpline, so perhaps you can bookmark this page for future reference.
There is a raft of legislation that governs how you must deal with staff holidays, but staff morale and productivity are equally compelling reasons to get policies and procedures correct and to do the right thing. Keeping on top of your staff’s holiday bookings, especially as we enter the more popular school holiday period, will help to avoid clashes or overlap of holidays, and also you to monitor whether staff absences leave any skills shortages in the business.
Statutory holiday, the legal minimum that employees, including part-time and most agency and free-lance workers, are entitled to, is 5.6 weeks per year. That equates to 20 days annual leave plus eight days for public holidays. We’ve had extra public holidays in the last couple of years for the Queen’s funeral and the King’s Coronation, but these are discretionary.
You can choose how you describe holiday entitlement in your staff handbook or employment contracts as either 20 days plus 8 public holidays, OR as 28 days including public holidays. We recommend the latter as it generally makes it easier to calculate holidays, especially for part-time workers, but also because in many industries such as hospitality, retail, leisure and care, employees are required to work on public holidays. By rolling annual leave entitlement up into a single figure, workers in these industries won’t miss out on any holiday.
Part time workers get a pro-rata amount of holiday measured against a standard full-time employee. For example, an employee who only works three days per week would get three fifths of the statutory amount; so 16.8 days, which we would round up to 17. You cannot round down. Note that a part time worker who worked, say, 10.00am to 2.00pm five days a week would still get the full 28 days because the time they would be absent would only be counted against their part time hours.
An anomaly of employees who work compressed hours, eg, the hours of a five day week worked in just four days, is that their annual leave seems to be reduced. In reality, their holiday is compressed also. As in the above example, someone who worked a standard 37.5 hours but over four days, taking Fridays off, would only get 22.4 days statutory leave, but these would only need to be taken against Mondays to Thursdays because the Fridays wouldn’t count.
You holiday year, the annual cycle upon which you calculate holiday, can begin at any time but it can be complicated to change. Some companies choose a standard calendar year whilst others align it with their financial year. This can also cause complications if this is around March/April owing to the variable dates that Easter falls meaning, strictly speaking, a company could have two or no Easters in the same holiday year and therefore two extra or two less public holidays in Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Employers are permitted to dictate to employees when they must take their holiday provided they give adequate notice. This must be at least twice the period of leave. So, if an employer wanted an employee to take a particular week as holiday, they would need to give them at least two weeks notice.
The period between Christmas and New Year is a good example of when many companies might insist that employees reserve some of their holiday allocation. If it happens every year, we would expect to see it stated in the company staff handbook. Some factories still operate shutdown periods two or three times a year, effectively dictating exactly when staff must take their holiday; although high absence rates at other times of the year can prove to be an issue under such conditions.
Employees should always confirm their holiday time with work before booking holidays, flights etc. as employers are not obliged to give employees specific dates if they have good reason not to; resources for a new contract are required for example. We would say though that employers should have clear and fair rules around holiday bookings amongst their teams. Taking terms to have preference when booking holiday will probably see as more diplomatic than a simple first-come first served basis. This is especially true if a high proportion of your workforce have school age children and are restricted or confined by term times.
Annual leave entitlement can be enhanced but not reduced below the statutory amount. We usually see extra leave granted as a reward for long service so an extra day or day might be given after working for a company for five years.
Finally, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all employees take their annual leave, dictating when it must be taken inf necessary. It is not permitted to carry statutory leave into the following year. This was permitted during Covid, predominantly designed to benefit NHS staff, but it has since been rescinded.
Specific holiday entitlement is a contractual term and so should be included in everyone’s contract of employment. We would normally expect to see the rules for requesting and taking holiday in the staff handbook. When an employee leaves, they should be paid for any holiday they have accrued but not taken, and the employer is within their rights to withhold from final pay, any time the employee has taken off but not accrued in that holiday year.
This covers the essential rules of annual leave but there will always be a nuanced question about specific individuals so we’re here to help on 01452 331331 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Do you want to upskill your managers and get money back?
Is your company based in Worcestershire or do you have employees that live in Worcestershire? If you do, then you might be eligible for the SkillsBoost Worcestershire programme. This is a new funding scheme to help organisations with the costs of upskilling and training your employees.
Your business can upskill its employees for up to £12,000 and claim 50% of the costs back (up to £6000) from the SkillsBoost programme.
SkillsBoost is funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, distributed via all the District Councils within Worcestershire and delivered in partnership between Worcestershire Growth Hub and Worcestershire County Council.
Help your employees to drive business growth:
- For businesses based outside of Worcestershire, the employee must live in either Bromsgrove, Worcester City, or Wyre Forest
- For businesses based in Malvern or Wychavon, the employee can live anywhere
- For businesses based in Bromsgrove, Redditch, Worcester City or Wyre Forest, the employee must live in Worcestershire
- The grant supports accredited, non accredited and bespoke training
- All businesses of any size is eligible
- No one individual employee can have more than a £1500 funding grant
- The business maximum grant is £6000
- Available for one year between 1st April 2024 - 31st March 2025. Please note that training can start after 31st March 2025 but needs to be invoiced before 31st March 2025.
What training can you undertake?
This exciting funding programme does not exclude any type of people management or soft skills training. Here is a flavour of what your team can do:
| Accredited ILM Training | Mental Health & Wellbeing | Remaining Compliant | Practical HR Skills for Managers | People Partnerships & Bespoke | Team Skills |
| Our suite of leadership and management courses accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management are designed to fulfil the requirements of modern management. Courses, from Levels 2 - 5, are available online via Zoom or we can discuss in-house courses for your team. | As employers, our approach to mental health should be the same as any other health condition. We have a duty of care to our employees. That's why our suite of mental health training will support managers and team members to identify and deal with the early signs of poor mental health. | The introduction of the Worker's Protection Act in October 2024 will place onus on the employer to protect employees from harassment. Understanding what they can and can't say with training is a good place to start. Equally, having money back whilst doing it is an even bigger bonus. | Equipping managers with essential HR knowledge and Employment Law know-how empowers them to deal with issues effectively or prevent them from occurring in the first place. This allows the HR team to get on with the bigger picture. Moreover, work operations are streamlined ensuring productivity. | We can work with you to develop your team and help your business grow. We can align training with business objectives to create a confident and capable team. A customised learning plan will aid job satisfaction and staff retention. At the same time, you can address workforce planning and long term training needs. | Ensuring your team is not only compliant but also capable of working collaboratively to achieve business goals is a must. From team building exercises like Insights Discovery to Dignity at Work, you will foster an environment of growth, empowering employees to reach their full potential. |
"The training was delivered in a good working environment. There were opportunities for my team to ask questions and have insightful discussion. My team were able to apply their new knowledge within their role immediately" - HR Manager, Roxel Propulsion Systems
Get in touch today to upskill your team and get money back. Email info@hrchampions.co.uk or call 01452 331331.
By now, you will know that an accidental manager is someone promoted to a management position without necessarily having good leadership skills.
With the General Election coming up, it’s worth noticing the parallels of accidental managers within the private and public sector.
Employees find themselves promoted into a management role more for their technical strength in their junior position rather than their people management abilities. More importantly, they are now people managers who do not have the required skill set nor have received training to develop their people management skills. The Chartered Management Institute believe that some 2.4 million of 3.4 million managers are ‘accidental managers’. This means that 70% of managers are then let loose on the workforce.
Of course, accidental managers can harm productivity, employee engagement and create a toxic workplace.
However, what is the true financial cost of having accidental managers in the workplace?
Employee Retention Costs
When employees feel inadequately supported or led, they are more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Ineffective leadership creates dissatisfaction amongst employees. Accidental managers may struggle to provide the essentials of leadership i.e. coaching, direction and effective communication resulting in disengagement and attrition. For the business, replacing an employee can cost between six to nine months of their salary. According to PwC, 1 in 5 employees are job searching. Take a team of 10. By not training accidental managers, a business risks wasting two employee’s salary for six months trying to replace them.
The Cost of Communication
Accidental managers often lack the communication skills necessary to convey expectations, provide feedback and resolve conflict effectively. As a result, miscommunication and misunderstanding become common leading to decreased productivity and morale. According to a Linkedin report, UK companies spend 17 hours per week clarifying communication. That means that half the working week is wasted on trying to communicate effectively rather than being spent on business output. Projects are slow, deadlines are missed, and frustration increases due to accidental managers not having the confidence to communicate.
Productivity Costs Engagement
Accidental managers create uncertainty and inefficiency which impacts on the team achieving their goals. Without clear direction and support, employees are unsure of their roles, how to prioritise and the business vision. Gallup states that organisations with highly engaged employees are 17% more productive. Ultimately, that would create a 17% increase on the company’s bottom line at the end of the year. Accidental managers need to receive training on increasing their confident to inspire and motivate the team.
The Lack of Leadership Cost
Leadership goes beyond simply overseeing tasks. It entails inspiring, motivating and empowering teams to achieve success. Accidental managers, lacking in essential leadership skills, may struggle to direct, coach and support the team. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), poor leadership costs UK businesses £84 billion annually. This is manifested in employee attrition, low customer satisfaction and a lack of innovation.
The Cost of Mental Health
Accidental managers lacking fundamental leadership skills can create a toxic work environment characterised by stress, anxiety and low morale amongst the team. Employees may feel undervalued and unsupported leading to increased unexplained absenteeism, burnout and a mentally unhealthy team. According to Mind, poor mental health can cost UK businesses £1,300 per employee per year. The combination of sickness absence, low productivity and low morale manifests into serious financial implications for a business.
The commercial cost of accidental managers within a business is substantial. Recognising the signs of accidental management and investing in leadership development are essential to mitigating these costs. By spending a little now, you save a lot in the future. Employee engagement, productivity and innovation dictates a business’ success.
If you are conscious of accidental managers within your business, come along to our free one-hour seminar on Thursday 27th June via Zoom where we will discuss the solutions for identifying and overcoming the accidental manager trap. Click here to book your free place.
And, once you have attended the seminar, you will no doubt identify accidental managers within your business, book them on to our ‘First Time Manager’ workshop. This one-day course provides the essential leadership skills including communication and confidence to all accidental managers. Click here to find out more.
Whether it be accidental managers, employment law following the general election or a burning HR question, we are here to help and guide you. Give us a call on 01452 331331 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Liberal Democrat Launched their manifesto on Monday this week. Often considered the middle ground of politics, it’s probably fair to say that in terms of employers and business, their manifesto lives up to that same status with what we would consider to be some pluses and some minuses. Whilst they admit they are unlikely to win a General Election, it’s worth paying attention to their manifesto as they will be in a position of influence should they regain the third political party standing as they predict.
We’re pleased to see some suggested reforms to the apprenticeship levy and SSP payments for small businesses but some of the proposed changed around zero hours contracts might be more than some businesses can bear. Below we’ve pulled apart these and other controversial recommendations.
Replacing the apprenticeship levy with a broader and more flexible skills and training levy: A big thumbs up from us for this one. The apprenticeship levy is currently only paid by businesses with an annual payroll of over £3million. It is refunded to employers but only if it is spent on apprenticeships, which is over restrictive and means employees who just need some general training could be missing out. If the underlying aim is to improve employee skills, it makes far more sense to give more freedom on how the money is spent, providing it is in some form of training.
Also note that the way the levy is set up, employers with less than a £3million payroll currently get relief from the levy; so don’t be surprised if the relief threshold is reduced at some stage and employers with payrolls of £2million and eventually less are required to pay it.
Boosting the take-up of apprenticeships, by guaranteeing they are paid at least the National Minimum Wage: Whilst this move would undoubtedly make apprenticeships more attractive to those taking them, meeting the minimum wage will make them less attractive to employers as they would be paying the same as any other worker on minimum wage but would have the restrictions and obligations that apprenticeships bring. The jury is still out on this one.
Creating new Lifelong Skills Grants for adults to spend on education and training throughout their lives: We like the sound of this but there’s pretty much zero details that we could see in the manifesto.
Modernise employment rights to make them fit for the age of the ‘gig economy’: We’ve spoken about the Gig Economy a lot in the past and how it needs some proper attention. Law makers have tended to move too slowly to keep up with the way this type of worker has evolved. Some proper guidelines for employers and workers alike would be welcome.
Setting a 20% higher minimum wage for people on zero-hour contracts: Zero hours contracts are being targeted by both the Lib Dems and Labour, the latter pretty much categorising them as ‘evil’. No-one has looked at them from the employees point of view as for some, people Zero hours is a perfect solution and banning them would cause more problems than they solve. With a 20% uplift on minimum wage, I suspect people would be queueing up to sign a Zero hours contract. Not sure they’ve thought this one through.
Shifting the burden of proof in employment tribunals regarding employment status from individual to employer: We’re not sure what exactly they mean by this but quite frankly we already waste enough time on tribunal applications that don’t stand much chance of being won and only submitted to cause more noise and nuisance. Employers don’t need any more hassle in this department.
Expand parental leave and pay, including making them day-one rights: We understand the sentiment here but this would open leave the system open to abuse as individuals could try to get a job solely to benefit from parental pay.
Align the Statutory Sick Pay rate with the National Minimum Wage: As the burden of SSP is carried by employers rather than the Government, this would be crippling for many employers. And where is the incentive to return to work?
Make SSP payments available from the first day of missing work rather than the fourth: The same as Labour. Again, this would be overly burdensome on employers and getting minimum wage for throwing a sickie might be too tempting for some employees.
Supporting small employers with Statutory Sick Pay costs: Again, this policy lacks any substance or detail in the manifesto but some help for small businesses in reclaiming SSP costs is a winner. It would be much needed too if SSP was paid at minimum wage levels.
A bit of a mixed bag the from the Liberal Democrats from an employer’s point of view. Of course, business and employment is one of many areas of policy upon which voters will be making their decisions this general election. As champions for employers however, we’re wary of the policies that will cause our clients, and ultimately us, more problems and headaches.
Whatever the election outcome, we’re expecting any new Government to want to make an impact within the first 100 days of office, so we’re likely to be busy making sure clients are compliant with any new legislation. Make sure you’ve got our number on speed-dial, ready to call us on 01452 331331 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Labour Party has said that their manifesto for Government will be published and available before the election on July 4. In the meantime, we have taken a look at the party’s “Plan to Make Work Pay”, which is a reasonably detailed document outlining Labour’s strategies for economic growth and proposals that will affect workers and employees.
Among the proposals outlined in the document, the ones that grabbed our attention the most are: the abolition of the two-year qualifying period for employment rights, making flexible working a day-one right, and paying statutory sick pay (SSP) from day one of absence. We’ll explore the potential impact of each of these proposals in more details below and their potential impact on UK businesses.
Abolition of the Two-Year Qualifying Period for Employment Rights: Despite best intentions and a desire to maintain best practice whilst employing individuals, we rely quite significantly on the two-year rule when advising clients regarding dismissals. Currently, employees need to have worked for two years before they can claim unfair dismissal. Whilst we would never recommend an inappropriate dismissal, the two-year rule does provide something of a safety net against tribunal claims.
The Labour Party’s plan to abolish this qualifying period will extend immediate protection to all employees from day one. While this change is designed to enhance workers' rights, it poses significant challenges for employers. Potentially, the removal of the two-year qualifying period will mean every dismissed employee would be eligible to make a claim for unfair dismissal, potentially leading to more employment tribunals. This will necessitate more rigorous documentation and justification of employment decisions to defend against potential claims.
Businesses would need to sharpen up their HR practices an particularly during probation periods, probably making six months of probation the default as this might be the only opportunity to dismiss an underperformer. There would be no room to forgo regular meetings on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis for workers on probation. Managers would need to be confident in setting strict goals and objectives and of measuring the new recruits performance against these. A structured plan for benchmarking achievement milestones to measure progress would also be a good idea.
Flexible Working as a Day-One Right: Labour’s proposal to make flexible working a right from the first day of employment reflects changing workplace dynamics and a push for greater work-life balance. Current legislation extends as far as workers being allowed to apply for flexible working from day one, which is already seen as controversial. Labour’s proposal however, could create recruitment challenges, particularly for roles that require full-time, on-site presence.
We fear that workers will be able to apply for, and be offered a full-time role, only to be able to demand a flexible working pattern from day one. Employers may then find it harder to ensure consistent team collaboration and maintain productivity levels, especially in industries where physical presence is critical. This in turn may affect the ability to meet customer demand.
There may be a need for businesses to rethink their approach to job design and employee engagement. Offering hybrid models that balance flexibility with necessary office time could be a solution, but it requires a cultural shift and investment in technology to support remote work effectively. Job roles may need to be made more flexible from the outset and interviews could become more of a negotiation exercise to determine days and hours worked and from which location.
In addition, for smaller employers who are less profitable, the provision of extra equipment and technology for multiple employees may be prohibitive.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from Day One of absence: Labour’s plan to make SSP payable from the first day of absence aims to provide immediate financial support to employees who fall ill. Currently, SSP is only payable after three consecutive days of absence, easing the financial burden on employers for short-term sickness.
Introducing SSP from day one means employers would bear the cost of sick pay for even a single day’s absence. Remember, UK employers cannot reclaim SSP from the government, which could lead to increased financial strain, particularly for small businesses with tight margins. It’s a great attention grabber for voters and one that comes at zero cost to the Government because they’re not footing the bill.
There is also a concern that this policy might encourage higher absenteeism rates, with employees more likely to take short-term sick leave knowing they are financially covered from the outset. Employers would need to implement more stringent sickness monitoring and support systems to manage absenteeism effectively whilst maintaining an adherence to disability discrimination laws and being cautious of not harassing truly ill employees.
With the knowledge that some pay will come, even if it is just SSP, the temptation to “throw a sicky” after a night out or sleeping through the alarm may prove very tempting for some.
Furthermore, those businesses and organisations that offer periods of full pay for sickness absence may find further financial burden through paying for more sick days as there will be less incentive for workers to attend work. Enhanced sick pay schemes would not be able to be simply revoked. A period of consultation would be required, and the benefit is so significant, to remove it would probably need to be bought out. Affected organisations would also include many already cash-strapped councils and the NHS.
Labour’s plan to beat immigration by training UK nationals to do the jobs for which we currently employ foreign nationals deserves some applause. This is likely to be through more specific training and apprenticeships in what are considered key subjects such as the STEM topics of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. We hope some provision will be made for managers and leaders.
Unpaid internships are also facing the chop under Labour. Designed to give graduates the opportunity of work experience, employers also benefit from the fresh ideas and energy that interns bring. Labour will insist that interns are remunerated for their time in post, we suspect at least at the National Minimum Wage, which we think is only fair.
In all, the Labour Party’s Work Plan, which we expect to partly form their manifesto, whilst aimed at enhancing worker rights and well-being, presents several challenges for UK employers. A copy of the plan is downloadable at https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/a-new-deal-for-working-people/
Employers will need to be ready to proactively adapt their HR practices, invest in effective management and support systems, and explore innovative ways to attract and retain talent. While these changes are aimed at creating a fairer and more supportive work environment, they necessitate careful planning and strategic adjustments from businesses to mitigate potential negative impacts.
If you want to get ahead of the curve with your policies and practices we’re here to help. Call us on 01452 331331 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.