Workplace Issues
How to get performance management working to the best of its ability
Having the talent to get the best out of employees is a management skill in itself…and having the right process to manage performance is an added bonus.
Being able to encourage workers to co...
Putting your foot in it when workplace banter fails to raise a laugh
Putting your foot in it when workplace banter fails to raise a laughIt’s no laughing matter when a questionable joke leaves you fighting to save your job.Logistics warehouse worker Dennis wor...
Employment law and the role of ACAS
Employment law is complex and understanding it and the role that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) play in it can be a job in itself.The laws that cover the workplace help t...
The benefits of having a healthy absence management system
Successfully managing employee sickness absence can help to cure a lot of serious problems that any businesses may face.Having the right processes in place to track absence trends can assist in ide...
Finding the right words to bring a working relationship to a happy end
When disciplinary allegations come to light it can often mark the end of a working relationship even if there is no substance to the allegations.
Clive had worked for a car hire company for ...
Understanding when an employer may call time on sick leave
Being forced to call into work sick can be a time of genuine uncertainty for an employee and an employer.How long the illness will last and what impact it will have on the workforce and productivit...
Looking at behaviour that can cause race discrimination in the workplace
All employers should take a zero-tolerance approach to racism in the workplace and key to tackling unlawful discrimination is understanding the cause of it.It can occur as a result of the actions o...
Changing the way of work to help manage depression in the workplace
It’s fair to say that there can be some uncertainty for employers when it comes to considering reasonable adjustments for an employee suffering with depression.Depression is a common and serious me...
Tis the season to worry about the consequences of the office party
Things can, and often do, go wrong at the office Christmas party, which can have serious repercussions in the workplace
Data analyst Kirk was delighted and relieved when he was eventually cl...
The helping hand of the trade union rep
When things go wrong at work knowing where to turn for help can make all the difference.Whether it is management or colleagues acting unreasonably, the help of a trade union representative (rep) in...
Finding the right words to resolve a disciplinary problem
Getting to truth of a disciplinary matter when employees make tit-for-tat allegations can be a problem.
Florence had worked for a telecommunications company for over eight years and was a te...
Working to fix a problem when you are not equipped for the job
It is often the case that employees get blamed for genuine mistakes and as a result end up facing a difficult fight to save their job.
As a gas service engineer for a housing association some ...
The ‘funny’ social media clip that proved not to be a laughing matter
We all do not laugh at the same things and what one person finds funny another one may find offensive.With mobile phones always to hand being caught on camera in an embarrassing situation is al...
Hiring the wrong person for the job
We all make mistakes from time to time and when employers do correcting it may not always be as straightforward as it seems.
There can be pressure to fill vacancies. When a candidate who imp...
What can HR do for an employee?
The role of human resources (HR) can sometimes be a delicate balancing act and when things go wrong for an employee it can often come under fire.The one-time view of HR was that it was just a depar...
Is it time to sack the appraisal review for its poor performance?
In recent years the feedback on the value of the performance appraisal has been very negative and it appears that employers can do much better.There seems to be a growing feeling that appraisals ar...
Failing to see the funny side of a mistimed joke
As a delivery driver Ravi was used to delivering welcome gifts to householders and he certainly had something to celebrate when he received some good news of his own in the post.Our represent...
Facing a disciplinary investigation with a lack of evidence to support the allegation
When employees leave a company it can sometimes be under a very dark cloud and it can cause problems for those who remain with the business.When one of Helen’s former colleagues left the care...
Managing absence from work, handle with care
There is an old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder… but when it comes to employment matters absence can certainly make your mind wander.What’s going on, what’s going to happen and what...
When failure to make a good early impression threatens your job security.
There was good reason for Reece to fear the worse when he was asked to attend a probation review meeting.
His employer was claiming his probation period had been extended twice previously an...
