Navigating misconduct in the workplace: a lawyer’s perspective

Navigating misconduct in the workplace: a lawyer’s perspective

Recently, Lloyd’s of London has been in the news because it has proposed significant steps to address the notorious levels of misconduct in its sectorLloyd’s of London has been in the news because it has proposed significant steps to address the notorious levels of misconduct in its sector, as well as tackling bad behaviour across its network. With the Worker Protection Act coming into force on the 26 October 2024, which stipulates new proactive duties on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, precautions taken by Lloyds may have been triggered by the new duties from this Act – but have opened the floor to several questions, including how do we measure misconduct in third party situations generally? And what falls in this remit? More →

Employers need to be proactive to address problem of sexual harassment at work

Employers need to be proactive to address problem of sexual harassment at work

In today's evolving workplace landscape, the issue of sexual harassment at work and the work-related environment remains a pressing concernIn today’s evolving workplace landscape, the issue of sexual harassment at work and the work-related environment remains a pressing concern for employers and employees alike. Recent surveys have shed light on the pervasive nature of this problem, revealing that a significant portion of workers continue to experience sexual harassment at work not only from colleagues, but also from third parties such as suppliers, customers and patients. As new legislation approaches, it’s imperative for employers to take reasonable anticipatory steps to prevent sexual harassment at workplace to improve workplace culture, the organisation from expensive and damaging claims and its workforce from such abhorrent conduct. More →

Reactions to the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill

Reactions to the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill

Details of the UK's new Employment Rights Bill were released yesterday. The legislation represents what the government claims is a significant overhaul of workers' rights, offering more protections and benefits and helping to promote practices like flexible workingDetails of the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill were released yesterday. The legislation represents what the government claims is a significant overhaul of workers’ rights, offering more protections and benefits and helping to promote practices like flexible working. Key elements of the bill include granting workers access to statutory sick pay and parental leave from the first day of employment, and introducing a ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts. It also aims to curb controversial “fire and rehire” practices and gives employees the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one, rather than after two years of service. However, businesses will still be allowed to operate probationary periods to ensure fit for roles, with discussions suggesting a maximum of six months. More →

How you can help us to understand and shape the future of office design in Europe

How you can help us to understand and shape the future of office design in Europe

The results will help workplace professionals across the continent to better understand how they can optimise their own workplaces, office design and work culturesAfter four years, The Great Workplace Conversation continues apace as we try to understand the threats and opportunities presented by the shift in the way we think about the way we work in the wake of the pandemic. Now you can help us to understand the forces at work in this shift by taking part in a short survey we have developed in partnership with our friends at the Workspace Design Show. The results will help workplace professionals across the continent to better understand how they can optimise their own workplaces, office design and work cultures. More →

Over 57 and looking for work? Forget it, say HR managers

Over 57 and looking for work? Forget it, say HR managers

Millions of people aged 57 and over in the UK are being overlooked when looking for work, as employers consider this age too oldMillions of workers aged 57 and over in the UK are being overlooked for job opportunities, as employers increasingly consider this age ‘too old’ to hire, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by Totaljobs, claims that a third of people over 50 worry they will struggle to find work due to age discrimination, with one in seven reporting being rejected for jobs because of their age. The study suggests that two-fifths of HR decision-makers have faced pressure to hire younger candidates, placing older workers at a disadvantage when looking for work. In response, more than a fifth of over-50s have chosen to omit their age from their CVs, while a quarter hesitate to apply for roles, fearing potential bias. More →

Want to hold on to people? Pay them enough

Want to hold on to people? Pay them enough

In spite of all the chatter about the so-called Great Resignation whether people decide to stay with an employer still largely depends on payIn spite of all the chatter about the so-called Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting, whether people decide to stay with or leave an employer still largely depends on whether they think they are paid enough. According to a new poll from SD Worx, pay remains the number one reason employees will stay with a company or leave. For the report, SD Worx surveyed 5,000 businesses and 18,000 employees in 18 countries across Europe, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium. More →

Most people don’t feel that workplace conflict is resolved at their firm

Most people don’t feel that workplace conflict is resolved at their firm

Just over a third of employees (36 percent) who experienced workplace conflict in the past year feel it has been fully resolvedOnly around a third of employees feel the conflict they experienced at work has been fully resolved, according to a new poll from the CIPD.  According to the survey, eight in 10 (81 percent) employers feel they are doing enough to prevent and manage bullying and harassment at work, but just over a third of employees (36 percent) who experienced workplace conflict in the past year feel it has been fully resolved. More →

Third of workers admit to faking productivity

Third of workers admit to faking productivity

The poll from Workhuman claims that it is the pressure to appear busy that is driving workers to fake productivityPeople used to walk around the office with pieces of paper to look like they were working. Now a new report suggests that a third of UK workers admit to ‘pretend productivity’ by other means. The poll from Workhuman claims that it is the pressure to appear busy that is driving workers to fake activity. More →

Menopause is a workplace issue. Here’s why

Menopause is a workplace issue. Here’s why

 

Menopause is one of those things that until a few years ago, most of the population hadn’t heard of. Even if they had, it certainly wasn’t a workplace issue. Which is interesting as half the population will have one in some form. More specifically more than one in every ten people in our workforce is currently menopausal. More →

UK see largest contraction in Labour Force since the 1980s

UK see largest contraction in Labour Force since the 1980s

The final report from the two-year Commission on the Future of Employment Support claims that the UK needs ‘once-in-a-generation reform’ to boost growth and improve living standards in the face of a huge contraction in the country’s labour force. The report suggests that the UK is one of the few developed nations where employment has fallen post-pandemic. The UK has dropped from having the eighth-highest employment rate globally to fifteenth. Had the original position been maintained, the economy would be £25 billion larger annually, with public finances £16 billion better off. More →

Graduates don’t offer employers enough creativity in the workplace

Graduates don’t offer employers enough creativity in the workplace

A new report claims to reveal that UK graduates are falling short when it comes to offering organisations the creativity they need in the workplace.A new report claims that UK graduates are falling short when it comes to offering organisations the creativity they need in the workplace. The poll from Canva of around 1,000 recent university graduates, educators, and hiring managers in the UK, suggests that over three quarters (77 percent) of graduates and 66 percent of hiring managers consider creativity essential for landing a job and succeeding in the workplace. More →

Most firms have little to no idea how people get their work done

Most firms have little to no idea how people get their work done

The report suggests that nearly half of organisations (45 percent) do not conduct "employee journey mapping," leaving them uninformed about how digital friction -the difficulties people have working with technology - affects people's ability to perform tasks at workMany companies remain unaware of how their employees’ digital workplace experiences impact productivity, according to a new report by Scalable Software [registration]. The report suggests that nearly half of organisations (45 percent) do not conduct “employee journey mapping,” leaving them uninformed about how digital friction -the difficulties people have working with technology – affects people’s ability to perform tasks at work. The report claims that this limits their understanding of the challenges people face when working with tech. More →