Covid cases are on the rise again and we are seeing more of our clients experiencing cases of absence amongst their staff owing to Covid. Indeed, Government statistics to the 8th October show an increase of cases in England of over 21%. We’re not immune either at HR Champions, and have recently had a number of our own team test positive.

The increase in cases has coincided with the onset of Autumn, and as the cooler, wetter weather begins to take hold, we must expect cases to increase further as more of us stay indoors and share confined spaces. Whilst the fuel crisis may mean your employer is still holding out on turning the heating on at work, good ventilation, one of the recommended measures to fight the spread of the disease, is likely to suffer as doors and windows remain firmly shut to keep out cold draughts.

With this potential, if not inevitable, rise in Covid cases, we have reviewed the latest Government and NHS guidance. The key elements for employers to consider are:

• In all cases, the overriding consideration is an employer’s duty of care and their responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their work activities. Employers must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.
  
  
• Covid is now treated in the same way as any other sick absence and the normal sick pay rules apply.
  
  
• Guidance states that people who test positive or who have Covid symptoms should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days. They should also avoid contact with those that are higher risk from Covid for 10 days. This period starts the day after a positive test.
  
  
• If individuals feel unwell but have either tested negative or not tested positive, they should still avoid contact with people and especially those considered to be vulnerable.

Covid remains a highly transmissible disease that poses a significant risk to business continuity when it is identified in the workplace. Our advice therefore is:

• If a person has Covid symptoms or tests positive, they should work from home where this is possible to act in line with current Government guidance and for at least the 5-day period.
  
  
• If the infected employee’s job is one where they are not able to work from home, then they should not be in work and should be on sick leave.
  
  
• If an infected employee’s position is one where they are able to work from home, but they are too ill to work, then again, they should be on sick leave. Their absence should be used to rest and recuperate.

Employers who allow Covid positive individuals into the workplace potentially put their colleagues at risk (particularly the vulnerable which includes those who are pregnant) and expose themselves to having more employees being sick.

In the current economic climate, employees are likely to want to avoid being off sick. Although their intention maybe admirable, they are potentially putting their colleagues, customers, and your business continuity at risk. Equally, employers may struggle if they are short staffed.

The law doesn’t say you must isolate if you are Covid positive any more so this leads us to a grey area.

If you do allow Covid-positive people into the workplace, or if you turn a blind eye to employees with symptoms, then you should be confident that you have robust procedures in place that are preventing the risk of transmission and that your employees are fully confident and pro-active with these arrangements.

So, you wouldn’t expect a care worker in a nursing home to attend work if they tested positive, but a roofer on a building site who could work at a distance from others might be OK.

Investing in some lateral flow tests for employees to use might be a good idea if you have vulnerable workers.

Covid symptoms continue to evolve and the latest can be found at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/main-symptoms/

We’ve tried to cover all the bases here but there are bound to be cases with an anomaly or two so we’re here to help when required on 01452 331331 or drop us an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

World Menopause Day is marked next Tuesday on 18th October, the date designated by the Menopause Society. We were reminded of its imminence this week with calls for a menopause test for all women over the age of 45 in a report commissioned for the ‘Menopause All-party Parliamentary Group’ of MPs.

We first posted about the menopause and the workplace a year ago following an increase in public awareness and media attention. This has continued over the last 12 months fuelled by some celebrity advocacy and reports of a shortage in Hormone Replacement Therapies (HRT) and difficulties faced by women in getting a diagnosis.

Employers need to remain constantly mindful of the menopause because of its potential effects it can have on some members of staff. It can affect the mood and confidence of some employees and lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, ultimately affecting performance. Mis-interpreting such changes in behaviour or not understanding the reasons behind the changes, could lead to uncomfortable situations and the potential mis-treatment of the affected employee(s).

Usually occurring in women between the ages of 45 and 55, the menopause is when the ovaries stop releasing eggs and levels of hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone falls. The hormonal fluctuations cause a number of symptoms associated with the menopause. Most commonly these are hot flushes, night sweats and difficulty sleeping.

The affected age range means that for some employers there is potential for a large number of workers to be going through it at any one time. However, the random nature of symptoms can make it difficult to diagnose conclusively. Equally, individuals going through the menopause may experience difficult in coming to terms with the fact or may fear being treated differently. The proposed test could help to pave the way for a more measured approach and agreed courses of treatment.

Apart from the compelling reasons for maintaining individuals’ basic dignity, there are real benefits employers recognising the need to understand the menopause more. Not least of which is how offering appropriate support will help to retain valuable team members.

A culturally accepting environment where individuals can feel comfortable to admit to struggling with symptoms without fear of reprisal or embarrassment should be the default position of all employers. The menopause is only temporary and so some flexible working initiatives could be initiated that support employees during the time they are affected.

It has been a while since any high profile cases regarding the menopause have come to light, but the parliamentary party may make propose changes that would see the condition fall under the remit of the Equalities Act. This will of course force companies to act out of fear of expensive Tribunal claims, but as usual, we would advocate a carrot rather than stick approach and encourage organisations to implement policies now and educate all employees. After all, whether at work or at home, many individuals are likely to experience either first or second hand, the effects of the menopause.

On that point, we should also remember that partners of those experiencing the menopause may be indirectly affected. It’s not uncommon for symptoms to create stresses and strains on relationships which may in turn affect the performance of staff members who are not experiencing the menopause themselves.

We are also seeing the male equivalent, the andropause, gaining wider recognition and transgender individuals are equally likely to experience symptoms.

A wealth of information is available on the Internet and in the media and a good place to start might the International menopause society website https://www.imsociety.org/. And here we remind y6u of our list of quick wins so that you can take steps and easily implement some measures to help you create that inclusive and open culture:

1. Have a practical and inclusive menopause policy for your business. You can download one from our website here. There’s also a detailed fact sheet.
2. Ensure your managers understand your policy and are trained and confident to have sensitive and confidential conversations.
3. Consider a wellbeing or menopause champion. Someone that can be spoken to in confidence.
4. Raise awareness of the menopause across the business. This might be simply highlighting articles like this one.
5. Some simple and inexpensive reasonable adjustments can be made for individuals who may be experiencing symptoms. Think desk fans, sited near a window and close to toilets and cold drinking water.
6. Remind staff of what’s included in your employee assistance programmes. For example, taking advantage of 24/7 GP appointments or counselling services

As usual we’re here to help and advise on this topic and anything else regarding HR and Employment Law. Call us on 01452 331331 or drop us an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We’ve got a new word for you this week. Quitfluencer. In their recently released Global Workforce of the Future report for 2022, recruitment and employment agency Adecco, refer to the new term for a certain type of employee; or rather, ex-employee.

It’s probably not a new phenomenon in the world of employment but it’s undeniably one ripe for attributing a trendy, social media style descriptor to. A Quitfluencer is someone who quits their job, starting a domino effect; prompting others in the organisation to at least consider their own positions, with a proportion following suit and subsequently quitting also.

In fact, the report suggests that a quitting spree will influence 70% of colleagues to consider leaving and as many as 50% will follow through on the idea over the following 12 months. The report refers to this as quitting contagion and is markedly higher in Generation Z than in the so-called Baby Boomer demographic.

The full report (read it here) is based upon a survey conducted by Adecco earlier this year involving 30,000 employees across 25 countries. Its purpose is to shine a light on the attitudes of the current workforce to enable employers to take the necessary steps to plan their talent strategies more effectively.

The survey upon which the report has been compiled was conducted in April and May of this year. Despite the fact that Russia had already invaded Ukraine at the time, it may still have been too early to identify the full effect on the global fuel supply that the war had at that time. Consequently, confidence in job security was probably higher which we see reflected in the figures.

Whilst the effect of the Quitfulencer is global, the report indicates that a lesser proportion of fellow colleagues are affected in the UK. Even so 29% is no meagre figure, and in a business environment where the number of vacancies remans historically high, employers still need to be taking steps to ensure that they are doing their utmost to retain staff.

Regular readers of our blog and attendees of Attract, Recruit, Retain seminar earlier this year will already know that whilst remuneration is one of the most significant attracters of new talent, it falls much further down the list of reasons why people leave an organisation. This is corroborated in the Adecco report which puts salary behind factors such as flexibility and work/life balance, career progression and mental health and wellbeing when it comes to staff retention.

The current and worsening economic crisis is likely to put this current status to the test. As workers are faced with ever increasing bills, their inertia will be strained as they are tempted by the prospect of higher pay on the other side of the fence. Organisations that make themselves truly sticky will win the talent retention struggle.

There is little that is more rewarding than being part of a recognised, high performing team. We can refer back to the well trained and highly motivated soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces for a clear and current example of this.

As employers, we should immerse and smother our staff in great management and leadership that supports employees. You’ll already know that we have perfected a suite of Leadership, Management and Wellbeing training solutions, finely tuned to enable your employees to feel engaged, valued and perform at a high level.

After all. who really wants to quit a winning team?

Contact us now to discuss a tailor made training solution that supports, enables and retains talent on 01452 331331 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a high proportion of calls we receive into our helpline relate to employee performance. Managers and supervisors want to know what courses of action are open to them to either improve the performance of an individual or to exit them from the organisation. Often the person in question is a relatively new employee but sometimes it is a more established individual.

In a significant proportion of these cases, the need for our intervention would never have occurred if there was a regime or policy of conducting regular and effective staff appraisals and performance reviews.

Appraisals and reviews shouldn’t be seen simply as a ‘nice to do’ or box-ticking exercise. Executed effectively and properly planned they are an essential management tool that will maximise employee performance, increase staff retention, improve morale and establish the training needs for both the individual and the wider organisation.

Quiet quitting is a phrase that has entered the lexicon recently. A post-covid phenomenon, quiet quitting is where employees just do the bare minimum of work to get by. Just enough so they cannot be accused of underperforming and not enough to earn them praise or make them stand-out amongst other employees.

Regular appraisals or reviews enable managers to monitor quiet quitters and review performance and objectives, ensuring that they are making a positive contribution to the organisation. Keeping individuals’ performance records from regular meetings can be a useful tool should re-structuring becomes necessary and jobs need to be shed.

Considering how beneficial performance reviews can be, it’s surprising that more businesses do not make them a compulsory management policy. Not having enough time is on often cited excuse for not doing so but we would argue that the benefits far outweigh the time spent in actually carrying them out.

Some suggestions of format and frequency follow and whilst there is no universally recognised design, there are a few common elements that would be seen as best practice.

• Probationary Reviews: New recruits usually need a lot of support and regular checks of their understanding of their job roles and objectives. There is usually a lot to take in when starting a new job so little and often can be a good approach. We would suggest weekly as this also gives you a clear opportunity to fail quickly should it become clear that your haven’t recruited the right person. Don’t forget a formal probationary sign-off (or extension) meeting so that the employee’s status is clear.
  
  
• Performance Reviews: We recommend that you hold performance reviews with all members of staff at least monthly. You might want to call these one-to-one sessions and keep them relatively informal but don’t allow that to detract from their importance or use it as an excuse not to hold a meeting. A frequent meeting like this enables managers to keep on top of issues as they arise. If an employee isn’t meeting expectations then the reasons why can be uncovered and acted upon promptly. Targets can be set and evaluated or more training is required then it can be arranged. Conduct issues can be tackled quickly then.
  
  
• An annual appraisal, as the name suggests, is a once per year meeting with your employees to have a conversation about their performance over the previous 12 months. It’s an opportunity to discuss short, mid and long term plans, goals and expectations, on both sides. The annual appraisal is also an appropriate time to discuss a pay increase, which, provided you have maintained your regular performance reviews can be performance related, enabling you to reward hard-working staff more.

In all cases, prepare your meeting so that you know what you want to discuss and what outcomes you are looking for. Ask the employee to prepare too so that they are ready to present on their own performance.
Review against previous objectives and set new objectives to be attained over the coming month, quarter or year. Discuss aspirations and if there is any training support you can offer or your employee would like to help them meet their current objectives or to extend themselves.

We can provide appraisal and performance review training for managers as well as providing forms and checklists in our toolkits. We can also support your employees with their development including management and leadership. Call us for further information on 01422 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For a proportion of the UK workforce, the Covid pandemic was a catalyst to review their work-life balance resulting in them either significantly reducing their working hours or retiring altogether. This group have been dubbed the “lost workers” and have contributed to the labour shortage we are currently experiencing in the UK, thereby driving pay and benefits packages.

In addition to this group of absentees, the UK is also suffering from a high proportion of workers who are on long term sickness absence. As this group are effectively employed, they do not appear on unemployment statistics, however they are clearly not contributing towards productivity or GDP. They can be, however, a substantial drain on the resources of their employers.

Official ONS figures for sickness absence only cover up to 2021 when Covid played a major factor, but unofficial reports point to as many as a quarter of a million individuals absent on long term sickness.

Managing long term sickness absence takes a degree of effort to manage effectively made worse by the fact that each case had its own intricacies and anomalies. Because of this we often get called in to support with long-term sick cases but there are a few golden rules that apply across the board which most employers should be able to implement:

• Four weeks is the usual threshold for long term sickness however this may vary depending on your own company’s policy so make sure you activate your long term sickness policy at the right time.
  
  
• Don’t ignore the situation. The biggest problems we encounter are when no action has been taken for several months and the employer suddenly wants to do something about it.
• Ascertain the medical condition from which the employee is suffering, the nature of investigations/treatment they have had to date, and the likely time scale in which they expect to return to work.
• Regular communication is vital. We recommend every two to four weeks that the employee is off and seek to establish:
  • Is the employee recovering
  • Is there any more support they can be offered?
  • Are there company issues that he or she should be kept up to date with
  • What you are doing to manage in the workplace during his or her absence
    
    
• Arranging a medical report from the employees GP should be part of your process if the absence looks likely to be extended. However GP’s can sometimes be reluctant to release medical details to people with no medical background. We recommend commissioning an Occupational Health Advisor (OHA) who will be able to interpret the results of a medical report and recommend any adjustments required in the workplace to assist the employee’s return to work.
  
  
• Remember the employee’s rights under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 which must be explained to them, and you must get a Medical Report Consent form signed if you’re asking for details to be released.
  
  
• The results of the medical report will determine how to proceed. Whether the employee will return to work and if a support plan needs to be put in place to assist this; or if the future of the employee remaining with the company needs to be considered. Each case should be assessed individually depending on the advice from the OHA
  
  
• Regardless of the potential outcome arrange to discuss the results with the employee.
  
  
• Dismissal based on incapability might be a consideration and it can also be an option that allows both you and the employee to move on. Following the correct procedure is paramount.
  
  
• Very often, underpinning Long Term Sickness is the potential for disability and employers should ensure that every effort to consider reasonable adjustment should be taken. Disability Discrimination under the Equalities Act 2010 carries unlimited penalties so make sure you exhaust all possibilities before considering dismissal.
  
  
• Get updated Medical Reports as required. Don’t base decisions on a report that is three months old.
  
  
• As an employer you may have limits for accepting reasonable adjustments in the business, so only after all possible adjustments have been exhausted in line with ACAS best practices will dismissal be the only reasonable outcome. However, you must make sure the whole process has been managed properly; including the dismissal itself.
  
  
• Multiple short periods of absence can be as damaging to a company as a single long-term period and sometimes more so. Consider employing the Bradford Factor scoring system to know when taking action is reasonable.

If you currently have issues with sickness absence, long-term or otherwise, we’re here to help. Call us on 01452 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has truly rocked the nation, and indeed the wider world. Possibly the most recognisable person on the planet, she was also amongst the most highly respected and revered. Just as she has always been present in the lives of the vast majority of people in the UK, this also holds true for people from all countries, and from all walks of life around the globe. She will be profoundly missed.

Whilst debates persist over whether the Monarchy does, or should, hold a place in UK governance, there can be no doubt that the Queen demonstrated natural leadership qualities that many of our elected leaders and representatives can learn from.

When discussing and describing leadership, we often use words such as drive, passion and energy. However, what the Queen possessed were those subtle qualities that separate true leaders from the also-rans. Those qualities that make a difference without people consciously realising.

In honour of the Queen, we’re using our blog today to highlight some of her leadership qualities so that we can reflect on our own leadership styles and possibly take on board some her attributes.

Empathy: TV and radio coverage of events following the Queen’s passing have shone a light on individuals’ personal experiences and interactions with her; many of which have been, at times, incredibly moving. These reflections have demonstrated how Queen Elizabeth always seemed able to see things from others’ viewpoints and to communicate on an equal level. She always knew who people were. How well do you understand your team’s positions?

Consistency: The Queen knew the importance of being reliable and consistent. She knew what was expected of her and she always delivered. Her behaviour was, of course, exemplary without exception, meaning others never had to guess how to behave towards her. Can you team say the same about you?

Calmness: Perhaps the best example of the Queen’s ability to remain calm under pressure was when shots (albeit blanks) were fired at her whilst on horseback during the Trooping of the Colour parade in 1981. When the chips are down, a leader’s behaviour will often dictate how others react, thereby influencing how a situation is handled. Do you remain calm and in control under pressure?

Presenteeism/Sense of Duty: The Queen welcomed the new Prime Minister just two days before her death. She must have known that her health was failing at that time, but was clearly adamant to fulfil her duties to the last. She had even suggested that she should travel to London to perform those duties but was persuaded not to. Being the boss doesn’t mean delegating your jobs to others, even if you can. Sometimes there are tasks that re-affirm your position of authority or to which your authority adds the relevant gravitas.

Integrity: It can be difficult to define integrity but to suggest that the Queen was ever anything but honest, principled, and morally upstanding would be completely alien. Very religious and committed to her duty to her family, her country and her people, she was incorruptible.

Sense of Fun: The famous scenes of the meeting with James Bond for the opening of the 2012 Olympics and having tea with Paddington Bear for the platinum Jubilee are only outdone but the fact that the Queen kept them both completely secret, even from her own family. A reminder that even as leaders, we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously all of the time.

The country has come together in grief but also in celebration for Queen Elizabeth. She was certainly a tough act to follow and whilst we wish King Charles III the very best, she will not be forgotten.

Despite new Prime Minister, Liz Truss announcing a support plan to tackle the current energy price crisis in her first day of office, the coming months will remain a worrying and uncertain time for many thousands of households. Those who leapt at the opportunity to work from home following the Covid pandemic, may now head back to the workplace, lured in by the opportunity to switch off their heating and lighting at home to let their employer keep them warm during work hours.

Businesses will of course want to support their employees as much as possible during the looming crisis, many will find their own existence is threatened by equally spiralling, but uncapped, fuel bills. Business premises notoriously suffer high heating and lighting costs and we have already heard cries for help across a number of sectors.

A return of employees to the workplace would be welcomed by many employers under normal circumstances. However, the challenge of keeping the workplace heated during the colder months will be complicated by the fact that Covid is still lurking. Crowded workshops and offices with restricted ventilation might be a catalyst for a resurgence of Covid infections.

Notwithstanding, employers will be reminded of their duty of care to employees and should view any expenses incurred in keeping their staff healthy as investment in seeing a productive and valuable workforce. However, some compromise should not be seen as unreasonable.

We have grown used to living in affordably heated homes, yet it wasn’t so long ago that ice on the inside of windows was commonplace for many. These days, it’s a given that the office is heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the winter. Realistically, turning the heating down by a degree or two at work, is unlikely to cause so much discomfort that workers will refuse to work.

Just as in the summer, employers can relax dress codes at work in the winter too. Allowing the wearing of jeans perhaps and an extra layer and thick jumper could be a quick win. In harder to heat spaces such as workshops and warehouses, a clothing allowance for thermal base layers and gloves might work out considerably cheaper than running the heating on high all day. There might also be an economy in the business buying thermal garments in bulk and distributing them to staff.

Flexible working hours is a fairly common benefit for modern workers, however there may be a case for restricting this during the colder and darker months so that heating and lighting can be better controlled to save costs. Working overtime might be welcomed by staff who are struggling to meet their energy bills. However, this may need to balanced by the fact that it becomes uneconomical to pay overtime if the heating is running for just one or two people.

Where businesses have made a decision to enable and encourage working from home, a home heating subsidy could be an option whilst fuel prices remain so high. If an organisation is already saving rent and rates because their staff are now home workers, sharing the saving that the company is making on fuel seems a fair and reasonable thing to do.

If the company has enough liquidity, offering hardship loans to employees is also an option. These are not taxable on balances under £10,000 and you can make these interest free so that your employees do not suffer a double whammy if they need to borrow to meet their bills. As their wage payer, it’s easy for you to arrange recouping the loan through their pay when times are more affordable. You should arrange company loans formally of course and your accountant should be able to support you if you choose this option.

As the cost-of-living crisis bites, we must also be very conscious of our employees’ mental health. Many people will be under enormous stress as they struggle to make ends meet. Even if the Government does put a rescue package together, money will still be tight and the uncertainty of getting through the winter months will put a great strain on individuals’ wellbeing.

Our Mental Health First Aider course includes modules that teach delegates to spot the signs of mental health conditions and to signpost individuals to the most appropriate support solution.

For help and support with any of the issues raised here, or for any other Employment Law and HR Matters, we’re here to help on 01452 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, managing absence and attendance has taken on new meaning. Traditionally we would have associated it almost exclusively with sickness absence and unauthorised leave. Since Covid however, and the much wider utilisation of ‘Working from Home’, we are seeing a number of cases where it seems employees just don’t want to come to work.

Staff absence still exists in the more recognisable forms such as general sickness, including long-term sickness and simply going AWOL of course. And, when talking about managing absence we should also include holidays into the mix as these still have to be managed. Covid is a new element however and we should quickly establish our approach to how it is managed so that we can be clear and consistent with employees.

The Government published new guidance on living with Covid on April 1st this year. Self-isolation and absence from work are no longer a forgone conclusion. In an effort to manage the disease and reduce its impact on the economy and life in general, attending work whilst being Covid positive could much more widely acceptable.

Despite the fact that the term ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ is now no longer used, you still wouldn’t expect a care worker in a nursing home to attend work if they tested positive. However, for other roles where working from home isn’t an option, in construction for example, expecting employees to come to work where their symptoms are mild to non-existent might be OK, especially if their working environment can be managed.

For those working outdoors on a building site for example, the wearing of masks, keeping socially distanced and disinfecting common tools and equipment shouldn’t be rules that are difficult to impose. Part of the living with Covid strategy is to maintain good ventilation, so even in a warehouse, doors and windows could be kept open to enable a flow of fresh air.

Where an individual has tested positive or is living with someone who has tested positive and feels that they should not be in work as they would be a risk to others, then the NHS now offers the option of an Isolation Note. An Isolation Note is similar to a sick note in that it is evidence that an individual has been signed-off work on medical grounds.

Statutory Sick Pay and, where it is in place, company sick pay applies to those with an Isolation Note in the same way it would apply to an individual who was on sick absence. In other words, employees are as entitled to sick pay for isolating as they are for any other illness.

There’s a rule of thumb to apply in sickness absence cases, whether the sickness is Covid related or not. If the individual is too ill to work, then they shouldn’t be working at all, including working from home. Their absence should be used to rest and recuperate.

An employee who is able to work from home does not need an Isolation Note.

Employees should be supported by their employer each time they are absent due to Covid, both with moral support and with the appropriate sickness pay. However, there is a risk that some individuals who are not keen to returning to their normal place of work exploit the fact that they should be isolating to continue working from home. Asking for evidence and/or providing Lateral Flow Tests might be appropriate here, but be sure to apply such rules consistently.

There may also be an argument for applying Bradford Factor for multiple Covid absences. This is a scoring system for multiple one-off absences that accumulates as evidence when building a case for dismissal.

Ultimately, it remains the duty of everyone to restrict the spread of Covid. But businesses still need to operate and people still need to earn their living so finding a way to live with the disease that works for all seems like a good compromise.

For support with absence and attendance management, Covid related or otherwise, call us on 01452 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In the current spell of warm weather, and with a prediction that temperatures could reach potentially dangerous levels, you’ve probably already taken steps to ensure the comfort and safety of your employees. Especially if you read our blog about thermal comfort from a few weeks ago.

If you’ve introduced a relaxation of your dress code during the hot weather, then your employees are probably exposing more skin, and consequently more tattoos.

Historically, employers have wielded some control over the exposure of tattoos, and rules about what is acceptable would fall under the organisation’s dress code policy. However, the sheer prevalence of individuals partaking of some permanent body art over recent years has led to something of a rethink by some employers.

Just last month, Virgin Atlantic took the decision to lift its ban on visible tattoos for cabin crew. The move, designed to promote the company’s new ethos of promoting inclusion and ‘championing individuality’, resulted in a 522% increase in searches for cabin-crew jobs with the airline on 1st June, the day the ban was officially lifted.

Statistics vary but some reports say that 30% of people in the UK between 16 and 44 have at least one tattoo. With no signs that the fashion for tattoos is likely to wane in the foreseeable future, you can understand how Virgin Atlantic have realised that rejecting potential employees because they have a tattoo is likely to significantly reduce the available talent pool to fill vacant positions. Something that is particularly relevant in an industry that is showing some fragility since the pandemic.

An organisation’s position on tattoos will probably be a cultural one, and whilst the proliferation of tattoos may make them more socially acceptable in some circles, their visibility will still fall under a company’s dress code. Therefore, it’s important that general standards of personal presentation are clearly communicated to employees.

Notwithstanding Virgin Atlantic’s decision, it’s not unreasonable for a business to maintain that its representatives present themselves to a certain standard. Where staff uniforms are not issued, most of us would expect sales or showroom staff for example to wear a business suit and perhaps a tie or matching skirt and jacket. It would be understandable then for an employer to insist that tattoos remain covered; the effect such a rule has on recruitment is up to the individual company to consider.

Also worthy of consideration is the trend for those who suffer hair loss to have a tattooed hairline and how they might feel about a tattoo ban.

We always advocate that you should employ the most suitable person for the job based on their ability and organisational fit, so it may be more realistic to establish a compromise or an acceptable level of body art. For example, tattoos that can easily be hidden by, say, long sleeves are acceptable whereas facial tattoos, obscenities, or anything likely to offend, are not.

To date, we haven’t heard of any cases where individuals claim to have been discriminated against because they have a tattoo. We’re not aware of any religious or cultural reasons why that might ever be the case. However, studies and anecdotes do indicate that people with visible tattoos find it more difficult to find work. The change of heart by Virgin Atlantic may herald a sea-change in employers’ attitudes more generally.

Visible tattoos will probably remain a subjective topic at least in the short to medium term so your rule of thumb for whatever stance you take is to maintain consistency across all workers and ensure your policy is clearly communicated.

For further help and support about this and other employee matters, call us on 01452 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We recognise that you’re possibly fed up of hearing about the exploits of the Prime Minister this week, but with leadership so inherent in what we do at HR Champions, a closer examination of where Boris has failed in this area is probably justified. Despite multiple MP’s making reference to Boris’s failed leadership over the past few days, mostly as part of their resignation speeches, none have been specific about what’s been wrong with it.

If you’ve ever attended a leadership course or workshop, whether or not it was one of ours, there would very likely have been a discussion regarding the qualities of great leaders. Amongst the suggestions usually offered by delegates are:

• Integrity
• Communication
• Influence
• Empathy
• Courage
• Respect

These are all very valid characteristics, and no-one would argue that Boris is not a great communicator or that he does not excel at influencing others. However, whether he possesses integrity or empathy is seriously up for debate. Recent events, and in particular “Partygate” and the subsequent speculation about whether or not he lied to the Commons, certainly throws a shadow over his sense of honesty.

Another quality that we feel is vital for successful leaders, although does not always appear in suggestions, is Authenticity.

Authentic Leaders act from their values. They will process information and make decisions objectively without bias or prejudice. They are acutely aware how the outcomes of their decision-making affects others and that it must be done with integrity, consistency and clarity. Their self-belief makes them resilient.

An Authentic Leader builds genuine relationships with those they lead and work with. They do not make decisions based on their own self-interest. Honesty and openness are paramount, and they strive to build relationships that engender trust and understanding. Their genuine and selfless behaviour will reinforce the development of trust.

A powerful exercise is to take a step back and ruthlessly examine your own leadership. Are you authentic? Do you truly make decisions and act on what you believe, or are you simply going through the motions and behaving in a certain way to manipulate those you manage? Authentic Leaders will get the best out of others because it is easy and natural to follow and believe in someone who is genuine and acts on their own beliefs.

Insincere and disingenuous behaviour will leak signals that humans have an innate ability to pick up on. Non-authentic leaders will fail because their followers will see through the masquerade. They will spot the signs, even if this happens subliminally, and will gradually, and sometimes suddenly as we have seen during the week’s events, forgo their respect and admiration.

We’ll leave you to make your own decisions about whether Boris was an authentic leader and if it contributed to his demise. In the meantime, to discuss opportunities for developing your own and your teams’ leadership skills, call us on 01452 331331 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.