• Workplace Bullying

    Workplace bullying

    The theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week is ‘Choose Respect’. Although the focus on the week is aimed at children and adolescents, the message is equally relevant within today’s workplaces. If more organisations concentrated their efforts on establishing and maintaining supportive and respectful cultures, the risks of bullying going on unchecked, or even happening in the first place, would be significantly reduced.   What is…

    » Read more
  • Workplace Loneliness

    workplace loneliness

    What is Loneliness? Throughout evolution, social bonds have been essential to human survival. Loneliness is an important natural emotion to help make people seek out the company of others. Loneliness occurs when there’s a discrepancy between the quantity and quality of social relationships desired and those actually possessed. However, it also carries a stigma in the modern world, preventing people from talking openly about loneliness and…

    » Read more
  • Wellbeing, Mental Health at Work, Childcare Vouchers and the Gender Pay Gap

    CIPD Shropshire Well-being Event and Exhibition

    CIPD’s Shropshire Branch Well-being Event & Exhibition (10th October 2018) This Event is being held in response to an increased demand from local businesses for more information and practical support to help improve the health and well-being of their workforce. There will be an opportunity to hear from top speakers and take part in a series of well-being themed workshops. Kay’s comment: The Event is open to members and non-members of…

    » Read more
  • Technology, Long Hours and Well-being at Work

    Well-being

    We live in a fast-paced, ‘always-on’ culture where modern communications preside over the way we live our lives both at work and at home, affecting our health and well-being. The increased use of communication technologies is blurring the lines between work and non-work hours and making it harder to switch off from work. Research is also showing a clear link between technology, longer work hours and health problems. People’s access to too…

    » Read more
  • Small Businesses HR News: GDPR, Childcare Vouchers, Wellbeing Event and IR35

    What’s in Store for Small Businesses under the New Government?

    General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Compliance The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is unlikely to impose its biggest fines on small businesses. However, a reported data breach could cause reputational damage to a company’s brand and the ICO has regulatory authority to suspend or shut down data processing activities, if deemed particularly dangerous or unsafe, causing potential operational problems. Kay’s comment:  It is most…

    » Read more
  • World Cup 2018 Employee Engagement

    For small businesses, World Cup 2018 can either be an opportunity for employee engagement and motivation or a scheduling headache creating tension and bad feeling. For a positive experience, avoid introducing lots of new rules and overly prescriptive absence management policies for your die-hard football fans. Instead, invest some time in a bit of forward planning and good communications, to help avoid a lot of problems and make the most of…

    » Read more
  • IR35 Consultation

    IR35 Lessons to be Learnt from the Public Sector Just over a year since the government introduced its controversial changes to off-payroll rules, known as IR35, within the public sector, it has opened its consultation on similar reforms planned for the private sector. These off-payroll rules apply to contractors working through their own personal service companies (PSCs), who would otherwise be considered employees if directly engaged. In April…

    » Read more
  • Hormonal Health

    Hormonal Health – the last Workplace Taboo? Hormonal health has traditionally been seen as a private matter and so is rarely discussed. Not surprisingly many managers will have no awareness of the scope and nature of the issues involved. This means employees spend a lot of time and energy hiding their symptoms. In a survey by Nuffield Health, two thirds of women revealed they were suffering from hormonal issues that were having a detrimental…

    » Read more
  • Small Business HR News: GDPR and Statutory Rates

    Covid News, statutory rate changes and Work-Life Blend

    General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (25th May 2018) In preparation for GDPR, all businesses should have carried out an Information Audit and be working through a plan of action to ensure the personal data they process and store is kept secure at all times. Here are 8 practical steps you can take to ensure you are looking after the personal data of your employees and workers: Introduce GDPR to your staff and let them know how you are using…

    » Read more
  • Neurodiversity at Work

    mental health awareness week

    Neurodiversity is a collective term that refers to people who have neurological conditions such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD or dyspraxia. These are known as spectrum conditions, with a wide range of characteristics, but which nevertheless share some common features in terms of how people learn and process information. Some of these conditions are referred to as Specific Learning Difficulties. However, Neurodiversity is a broader term used to…

    » Read more