As we move through another lockdown, many businesses will be finding these times equally – if not more – challenging that the first time around. Sadly, some companies may have already had to take the difficult decision to make colleagues redundant and have furloughed others for a second time. However, even for those business with time sensitive projects that need completing, productivity targets that need hitting and many other jobs that need doing in the run up to Christmas – engaging temporary staff is as an important option as ever, offering welcomed support in huge range of roles; even spe ..read more

Requesting references for new hires from their current or most recent employer has been a standard practice in the hiring process for many years. However, as references have become less about how a person has performed in their role, and more about ticking boxes to confirm that ‘yes, they worked here between those dates, under that job title’, is there really any value added to a candidate search by seeking out references? Nowadays, as people, we are a lot more visible than previous generations before us. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram – and even YouTube and TikTok – means that many people have ..read more

As an employer, you are likely aware that you hold a duty of care to your employees. This means legally; you are obliged to take precautions and necessary steps to make sure the physical and mental wellbeing of your workforce is looked after. Nothing about the workplace culture or environment is detrimental to employee health. But should demonstrating care and concern for employee health and wellbeing just be considered a legal duty, or should it be seen as an ethical, authentic way in which to build a profitable business and an excellent employer brand? Is it better to do what you are require ..read more

Every business wants to hire the best candidates on the market. However, a recruitment process that isn’t attracting a wide breadth of candidates or giving all interviewees a fair opportunity to present themselves properly could hinder your recruitment efforts and reflect poorly on your employer brand. In this post, we provide advice on how to run a fair recruitment process, finding the candidate with the right skill set, experience and the best cultural fit. Prepare well Preparation involves taking the time to identify the need for a new hire. What is the role and responsibilities in the ..read more

Acknowledging changes in employee wellbeing can be difficult. Being in a virtual workplace can make it even harder. Here we provide some advice when it comes to identifying diminished wellbeing and compromised mental health in your employees. Have meaningful conversations Too often, conversations around mental health and wellbeing are a tick box exercise for HR, or leaders apply a blanket approach. Another example of bad practice is for line managers to send a ‘how are you coping?’ message – this can be perceived as impersonal and insincere, paying lip service rather than looking to have a mea ..read more

Companies that operate in multiple sites, cities or countries may have found the transition to homeworking in the wake of Covid-19 easier, having been used to communicating predominantly via virtual channels. Smaller companies may have found it a bigger challenge, having to set up staff with laptops and other resources in order to enable them to work from home successfully. The topic of home working can be divisive, with many business leaders worried that breaking away from the traditional environment and working hours will have a detrimental impact on team morale and productivity. And how wou ..read more

2020 has undoubtedly been disruptive to businesses up and down the UK. While many companies reacted and responded quickly and appropriately, implementing remote and flexible working practices, it simply wasn’t possible for all businesses to follow suit. It’s no secret that many organisations had to close temporarily because of COVID19 or furlough staff. With employers phasing the return of these staff members, they may need to increase the number of employees to meet the immediate demands of the business and workload fluctuations. In these cases, a workforce supplemented by temporary staff can ..read more

This year the media has been dominated with diversity, equality and inclusion headlines and stories. This is a reminder that despite coming far in many ways, there is still work to be done when it comes to wholly inclusive workplaces. There are many benefits of a fully inclusive and diverse workplace. A workforce that encompasses all ethnicities, disabilities, generations, genders, and sexualities depicts a realistic representation of your customer base, and therefore greater understanding of their challenges and aspirations in life. In fact, McKinsey’s ‘Delivering Through Diversity’ report fo ..read more

Working from home non-stop, as many people have been doing for the past few months, has a multitude of benefits. Time saved on the commute. No tempting Starbucks on the way to the office, which your wallet appreciates. A quick washing load at lunchtime. Or your favourite radio station on in the background, with no one to challenge it! However, a constant merging of work and home, limited access to face-to-face conversation with colleagues and a juggling of working, parenting and home-schooling can become trying to even the most attuned home-workers among us. There are some telling aspects that ..read more

Over the last few months, remote working has been the new normal. For many businesses it was a drastic change to everyday routines and daily lives. While initially dropping the daily commute and performing Teams calls in pyjamas might have been a dream, the weeks and months truly have stretched on. Naturally, some people have thrived! But we can’t ignore the fact that the transition from usual routines to managing in the climate we’ve been faced with during the coronavirus pandemic has presented ups and downs for every personality type. For this reason, it’s good for employers to be aware of h ..read more