Christmas is coming

Ok, I know Halloween and Bonfire Night are still to come but Christmas will be here before you know it. Now is the time to give it some serious thought.

If your company is having a Christmas party it will, no doubt, already be booked. However, with increasing pressure on all of us to save money the staff Christmas party is often one of the first things to go. I strongly believe in reward management and investing in staff morale does not have to be costly. Christmas is an ideal time to generate some good will. Small gestures count for a lot and will help set the tone for the year ahead.

Britain has an increasingly diverse workforce and all companies should be mindful of the celebrations that are important to their employees. Staff who feel valued by their employer are more motivated, which can lead to improved performance and a real benefit to the ongoing success of your business. So, go on, treat your staff this Christmas.

Should this be allowed?

I know I'm not the only person who read articles in the weekend papers about Wayne Rooney with some disgust.

The Country is trying to recover from recession, the Government has announced major spending cuts which will impact on the majority of us, thousands of people in the public sector received letters last week putting them on notice of potential redundancies, however, Wayne Rooney will receive a weekly salary reported to be in the region of £200,000! Not bad for a man credited only with the ability to kick a football.

It would take someone on an average salary almost a decade to earn the amount Rooney will paid each week - so, should this be allowed?

Employment Law Myth of the Day

Myth - an employee does not begin to accrue service for the purpose of statutory rights until satisfactory completion of their probationary period.

Fact - Probationary periods have no meaning in law, so the existence of a probationary period will not affect an employee's length of service or statutory employment rights. Statutory rights, including the right not to be unfairly dismissed, that are dependent on a minimum period of service will be based on an employee's original start date, not from the date on which their probationary period ended.

Una Victoria para Chile (A Victory for Chile)

Today's blog isn't about HR but it is about people. As I left a breakfast meeting yesterday I heard that three of the miners at the San Jose mine in Chile had been successfully rescued, after what I can only begin to imagine must have been a hellish 69 days trapped under ground. When I went to bed last night 22 of the 33 miners had been brought to the surface. This morning, they are all out and have been reunited with loved ones.

Like so many people, I have been touched by these events which unfolded on the other side of the world. I can only begin to speculate on what these men have experienced. I wonder how the oldest and the youngest miners, Mario Gomez, 64, and Jimmy Sanchez, 19, coped with the psychological effects of their ordeal. And the families, who kept vigil in a make-shift village around the mine.

This is a victory for Chile. Original estimates indicated that it may be Christmas before the miners were rescued. It is a testament to Chile that they are free now, in October.

My Spanish is only basic so I had to rely on an Argentine friend for the following:

Que Dios los bendiga y los proteja mineros Chilenos
to the Chilean miners, god bless you and keep you safe from now.

Scary Figures

In July I told you that the number of claims accepted by the Employment Tribunal had reached a record high, being 236,100 cases in the year 2009-10 (an increase of 56% on the previous year). What I didn't tell you were the maximum awards. These are scary figures!

The highest award for unfair dismissal was £234,549.

For discrimination claims the highest awards were as follows:

Age - £48,710
Disability - £729,347
Race - £374,922
Sex - £422,366

However successful your business is, these are costs you do not want to be faced with. Good HR practices are the foundation of the employment relationship. Having in place contracts of employment and clearly defined policies are fundamental.

As with most situations, prevention is better than cure (and in the case of employment disputes, far cheaper!). Take advice before an issue becomes a dispute. Communication is key.

And in case you didn't notice!

Another piece of legislation became effective on Friday 1 October, relating to the National Minimum Wage. Are you compliant?

For details about the new rates click here.

The end of the office joke!

So, the Equality Act 2010 came into force last Friday, 1 October. Does this spell the end of the office joke, as reported by the Daily Mail on Saturday? Well, actually, the office joke has long been fraught with danger and all the Equality Act has really done is highlighted this fact.

Is it political correctness gone mad that you have to watch what you say at work? Possibly.
Is it fair that everyone should expect to be treated with dignity in the work place? Absolutely.
Is it likely that the number of cases taken to tribunal will increase as a result of publicising the Equality Act? No doubt.

Whatever your thoughts are on the Equality Act 2010 it is now law so ignore it at your peril.

For more information on issues covered by the Equality Act 2010 see my website or pick up the phone.