by Emma | Sep 11, 2024 | Newsletter
It’s back to school (at last!)
Did you know that a survey of 2,000 UK adults by Phoenix Group, found that the average monthly cost of childcare and children’s activities is £1,683 higher in the holidays than it is during school time, representing 51% of the average UK monthly household income?
A lack of flexible working arrangements – such as the ability to work flexible hours, in different locations or part-time working – exacerbates costs and prevents some parents from staying in work.
40% of those surveyed who could work flexibly said they would quit if this option were no longer available. More than half (55%) said they would benefit from the ability to work remotely over the school holidays but do not have the option.
I personally have to manage this juggle during the holidays – lucky I am flexible with myself!
If you need advise on managing flexible working requests, implementing a policy or changes to terms and conditions please drop me an email.
Talking of back to school, what about your employees continuous development?
92% of employees in a survey agreed that training programmes have a positive effect on their engagement, while 68% of employees said that training and development was the most important policy.
By providing ongoing training opportunities, employees have the chance to continuously refine their skills and stay afloat of all the latest industry trends and advancements in their sector, enhancing their performance and equipping them with the tools necessary to take on new challenges and responsibilities. Not only does it help with productivity, it also helps with employee engagement and retention.
Training and development is a strategic investment in the long-term success of your business. Every organisation needs to have a budget for training and development and a plan!
Start with a training matrix – what do you have already. Then look at the future, what do you need? identify training requirements not only for the individuals but to take the business forward and build in succession planning. You need to think about training from a legal requirements point of view and training which will grow your business.
Don’t forget that I can offer training for managers and staff, here’s a few I offer:
- Menopause
- Harassment and Bullying
- Absence Management
- Grievance and disciplinary investigations
Contact me if you need a bespoke course and we can arrange a conversation.
Homework
No one likes homework, but here’s some HR homework for you…
- Review and update your company policies
- Review and update your contracts of employment
- Refresh employee training programs
- Streamline onboarding processes for new recruits
- Conduct performance evaluations and set new goals
- Boost communication and team-building activities
Now’s the time to take a look at what needs to be worked on and then engage my services to assist you.
by Emma | Sep 11, 2024 | Newsletter
“What’s up with her?”
“She is in a mood again!”
“Why are you always so tired all the time”
“It’s not that hard is it?!
Comments like these you can often just ignore or laugh it off. But we know, when you are menopausal/peri menopausal it can get harder to do this.
Instead, you may actually want to scream, argue, shout, punch or swear if you heard it!
It might make you feel better for about 30 seconds, but actually, a different response would be better… sorry but it’s true!
The hormonal fluctuations that occur during menopause, particularly the decrease in estrogen and progesterone, play a significant role in mood and energy levels. Estrogen is linked to the regulation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood.
When estrogen levels drop, serotonin levels can also decrease, leading to feelings of sadness, irritability, and fatigue.
So with this alone going on in our bodies, not to mention busy jobs, kids, partners, plus everything else we have to manage as women, it’s no wonder we feel fed up and knackered from time to time.
So what can we do?
Get in natural daylight or sun as much as possible
It is proven that Vitamin D and natural sunlight helps to lift your mood from the outside in. Natural light being absorbed into the skin on our face quickly spreads through our bodies causing us to “wake up” Feeling down and tired, get outside and notice a lovely warm sensation flow through the body. Gorgeous.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT Tapping)
EFT Tapping, is an energy therapy where you tap on acupuncture points on the body to release energy blockages. Energy can be blocked and stored in our bodies negatively. In order to feel better the negative energy needs to be moved or released. It is a fantastic way to improve motivation and increase energy levels along with low mood.
Lisa is a practitioner in EFT and has used this technique with many women over the years getting fantastic results.
Want to know more then have a look here
https://www.lisatighetherapyandcoaching.co.uk/techniques/
Connect with others
Honestly, this is a great way to feel better. Connecting with like minded women who probably feel the same as you is a gamechanger.
Yes you can decrease caffeine, reduce sugar intake blah blah blah, but sometimes what really helps is a good old get together with other women to laugh, cry, moan and shout! It can remind you that you can feel alive and that you are not going mad either!
Get the right people around you when you feel low so they can lift you up and you can feel like you again!
Come and connect at the Your Life Your Purpose Retreat in October https://bit.ly/4c5RhEB
Among the many symptoms, low mood and decreased energy levels are particularly challenging, affecting not only personal well-being but also professional performance. In our mission to create inclusive and supportive workplaces, it’s essential to understand these challenges and how we can address them.
Low mood and energy can significantly impact an employee’s work performance. These symptoms may lead to reduced concentration, lower productivity, and increased absenteeism. For many women, this period of transition can be accompanied by feelings of frustration and isolation, particularly if the workplace lacks understanding and support.
Reasonable Adjustments to Support Employees
Creating a supportive work environment is not only compassionate but also beneficial for organisational productivity. Here are some reasonable adjustments that can make a significant difference:
- Flexible Working Hours; offering flexible schedules can help employees manage their energy levels throughout the day, reducing stress and allowing them to work during their peak times.
- Remote working options;providing the option to work from home can alleviate the pressure of commuting and help employees manage symptoms in a comfortable environment.
- Access to Support and Information; facilitating access to information about menopause and mental health support can empower employees. Consider offering workshops, creating informative materials, or providing access to professional counselling services.
- Fostering an Open Culture; encouraging open conversations about menopause can reduce stigma and make employees feel valued and understood. This includes training managers to recognise and address these.
Contact Lisa or Emma for the training services they can offer your business.
If you have any questions about the contents of this newsletter or Menopause/Peri-menopause in general then please contact Lisa or Emma.
Have a great summer!
by Emma | Sep 11, 2024 | Newsletter
I can’t believe it’s August already!
July, I attended a Branding Linkedin training course with the lovely Esther Partridge-Warner and Vanda Szabo. Please connect with these ladies as they have much to offer.
My Company Linkedin page is now up and running and I will be posting regularly on there with lots of useful information. Please take a moment to visit the page and give me a follow.
There has been a real mix of tribunal cases over the last few months, I have highlighted some below:
Recent tribunal outcomes:
- A Christian social worker has partly won his belief discrimination claim after a charity rescinded his job offer following the discovery of Facebook posts he had made expressing his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
- A worker wins harassment claim because she received a birthday card! I normally say don’t be afraid of contacting staff who are off sick. But maybe contacting a member of staff 11 times in 3 weeks could be seen as harassment, throw in a birthday card and she wins her claim! The claimant was off sick for work-related stress and asked for minimal contact. The judge said:- “The effect of the repeated contact was to create a hostile and intimidating environment for the Claimant. She had said, in clear terms, that contact from the Respondent made her emotional. We have no difficulty in concluding that, subjectively, the effect for the repeated conduct was to create a hostile and intimidating environment for her”.
- A teenage baker was awarded £31k by a tribunal because she was hugged and touched on the ass by a colleague.
- A company that provides labour to farms did not have to pay workers the national minimum wage while they were travelling to work, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled. Judge Holly Stout said: “The workers while on the minibus were not working in any ordinary sense. They would have been free to talk, snooze, read and, if they had the necessary electronic devices, to listen to music, watch a film or spend their time applying for more agreeable employment. They were, in short, not working, but travelling for the purposes of the time work, which began on arrival at their destination and ceased when their poultry work was done and they awaited the minibus to take them home.”
- A head teacher who was unfairly dismissed after tapping her own child’s hand with her fingers has been awarded £102,300 by the employment tribunal.
- A mother has won more than £90,000 for sex discrimination after a prospective employer withdrew its job offer after asking how old her children were. The claimant was asked about the age of her children out of the blue in a meeting clearly designed to assess the claimant’s suitability for the post. The tribunal did not consider that a man would have been asked this same question. The tribunal found that she had been directly discriminated against because of her sex.
If you need to speak to me about any issues that have been highlighted in these cases, please give me a call on 07929506143.
Keep an eye on my Linkedin pages for further case law updates.
by Emma | Jul 17, 2024 | Newsletter
I normally say don’t be afraid of contacting staff who are off sick. But maybe contacting a member of staff 11 times in 3 weeks could be seen as harassment, throw in a birthday card and she wins her claim!
The claimant was off sick for work-related stress and asked for minimal contact.
The judge said:-
The effect of the repeated contact was to create a hostile and intimidating environment for the Claimant. She had said, in clear terms, that contact from the Respondent made her emotional. We have no difficulty in concluding that, subjectively, the effect for the repeated conduct was to create a hostile and intimidating environment for her.
I would recommend that you have a clear communication plan with an employee who is off sick. They will know when to expect communication from you and when they are expected to contact you.
If you need any help with absence management give me a call.
by Emma | Jul 17, 2024 | Newsletter
Judge Holly Stout said: “The workers while on the minibus were not working in any ordinary sense. They would have been free to talk, snooze, read and, if they had the necessary electronic devices, to listen to music, watch a film or spend their time applying for more agreeable employment. They were, in short, not working, but travelling for the purposes of the time work, which began on arrival at their destination and ceased when their poultry work was done and they awaited the minibus to take them home.”
If you need clarification on what should be paid working hours, please give me a call.
