In the latest episode of our Employment Law Focus podcast, we look at neurodiversity, a range of conditions which affect how people think, process and interpret information. This affects around 15% of people but, until fairly recently, has not been widely considered in the workplace.  Traditional workplaces are often designed by and for a neurotypical society, which can negatively affect employees who are neurodivergent and prevent them from thriving at work. Understanding the differing needs of each person in your workplace will help to adjust practises to ensure every employee is equipp ..read more

Alongside the usual risks and issues – from seasonal bugs to Christmas parties – the “permacrisis” means that in-house legal and HR teams will face a plethora of new considerations this winter. In this episode, Jonathan Rennie and Grace Caldicott discuss everything from writing hardship policies and offering early access to wages, to the pros and cons of different kinds of flexible working policies and how to normalise conversations about money. They also offer advice on: What to do if an employee starts a second job The role of communication in health and wellbeing Avoiding bias and minimisi ..read more

In this episode, we’re joined by Bobbi Pickard, CEO of Trans in the City, to discuss how employers can improve their approach to trans and non-binary inclusion in the workplace. We explore questions like: Is the term LGBTQIA+ a help or a hindrance? What does trans and non-binary actually mean? Are gender-critical beliefs protected by law? Is the law fit for purpose, and how might it change in the future? What does best practice look like? We discuss the importance of vocalising a clear position on trans and non-binary inclusion and educating staff. We also discuss the benefits of creating a ..read more

50 years on from the Sex Discrimination Act, sexism is unfortunately still common at work. And yet studies repeatedly show that more diverse workplaces are more successful. In this episode, we discuss questions like: Do workplace policies sustain gender stereotypes? Has the pandemic successfully de-coupled gender from flexible working? Will the UK government reform gender pay gap reporting this year? Does a holiday really allow for “rest and relaxation” if the employee is suffering from menopause symptoms, menstrual pain or undergoing early-stage IVF treatment? We look at how gender equality ..read more

Can an employer really claim to have strong ESG credentials if they aren’t addressing societal issues like race equality and discrimination, and if they’re simply relying on policies and training? How can employers meet the changing expectations of regulators, investors, employees, job candidates and clients? The legal definition of race is much broader than many people realise. In this episode, Kanika Kitchlu-Connolly, co-chair of TLT’s BAME network, joins our employment team to discuss: Why this is so challenging but important for employers to get right The role of employee networks, from s ..read more

Returns to work are set to become even more challenging with the advent of hybrid and remote working, to the extent that the traditional toolkit may no longer be fit for purpose. In this episode, our employment and regulatory teams discuss five new challenges for HR and legal teams, and share their insights and advice surrounding: Occupational stress Supervision and performance management Personal injury Training and career development Long Covid There are some recurring themes, including: The risk that employers underestimate their legal obligations; The need to think about the individual ..read more

After Me Too and Black Lives Matter, there are growing signs that disability could be the next recipient of a major social media movement, not to mention new legal duties for employers. In the UK, the government has published a new National Disability Strategy including mandatory reporting for employers, the employment gap is impossible to ignore, and the Tokyo Paralympics sparked the campaign WeThe15 representing the world’s 1.2 billion people with a disability. But are employers ready for this? Disability varies wildly from other areas of equality law, and as PageGroup CEO and disability rig ..read more

Employee wellbeing has risen up the corporate agenda during the pandemic. However, this is set to become an even bigger issue in the coming months, as HR and legal teams navigate the impact of hybrid working, the right to work flexibly, the end of furlough, long Covid and more. How can employers address the stigma around mental health and wellbeing? What does proportionate support look like? And what new risks and challenges do they face?  In this episode, we discuss: The right to disconnect – what is it, how does it work, and could it work in the UK? With insights from Deirdre Lynch, pa ..read more

Should HR be more involved in the design and rollout of workplace technology? Will modern technology force us to replace roles (performed by people) with functions (performed by people, technology, robots and algorithms)? At what point do employees start to resent technology impinging on their jobs? When it can do 10%, 20% or 30% of their role faster and better than they can? These are just some of the questions we explore in this episode on workplace technology and its impact on employees. Jonathan Rennie and Sarah Maddock in our employment team are joined by Emma Erskine-Fox from our data pr ..read more

The pandemic has required many people to balance work with heightened childcaring responsibilities. For employers, this means considering the needs of working parents like never before – flexing policies, considering flexible working arrangements and other solutions and supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing. The challenges are many and varied, from changing working arrangements to managing performance issues. At the same time, the law recognises the need to be pragmatic and protect the interests of the business. This is a big topic, but in this episode, we seek to answer som ..read more