Welcome to the HR Blast!
The "go-to" library for HR, Employment Law & Business Updates.
Our fortnightly "HR Blasts" brings you a two-minute update on:
- Current HR, employment and business related topics based on the real issues that come through to our HR helpdesk.
- Pointers that can be passed on to line managers in order to minimise common mistakes.
- A pragmatic and commercial approach using plain English and straight-talking (no jargon!)
- Regular features including blog posts and exclusive special reader offers on our services and products.
We guarantee to avoid unnecessary scare mongering and over-complication of HR matters!
"Jaluch provide a clear and straightforward interpretation of the law! These are the only articles that make sense of it all for me!"
Sandra Smith, Discovery Education
Pay Review or Pay Cut?
Welcome to this HR Blast on all things related to Pay and Benefits. We will look at:
Should remote workers be paid more or should their pay be cut
What benefits need rethinking in the light of increased remote working
New jobs, new organisational...
Beware the Profit Vampires
In business, you have to be aware of the profit vampires. If you aren't looking out for them, these 'vampires' will prey on your business and have the potential to wreck everything.
The good news is that you don’t have to remain oblivious to their m...
UK Employment Law Update - October 2020
With so much change happening all around us, we wanted to provide a quick round-up of developments in UK employment law which business owners, managers and HR departments need to be aware of. Including:
Pay cuts
New jobs support scheme
...
Five TUPE Myths
Welcome to this HR Blast that aims to ‘blast’ away some of the myths around TUPE. As an employer with staff about to transfer in, perhaps you have more options than you thought? At Jaluch we have seen a considerable upswing in the numbers of mergers and...
5 tell-tale signs professional etiquette has left the building
Today I wanted to talk about online meetings. It strikes me that it's been six months since everyone went home and meetings went online but still very few organisations have been explicit about online meeting etiquette.
3 top tips for HR to avoid fines and penalties
As always, we are here to support and advise and, in this case, warn you about keeping your organisation safe.
Does your HR team (or those with responsibility for HR) really understand the various penalties for non-compliance? We worry that sometimes...
Professional Management of Remote Workers
Are the right things on your agenda?
In March businesses and their managers were thrust into remote working with no planning, no procedures and not much experience - for the most part. We can all live for a while with crisis management but our time...
During these crazy, exceptional times, how happy and engaged is your workforce?
Perhaps you are wondering whether this is utterly irrelevant given that you are just trying to stay afloat, pivot your business, educate or appease your children, care for relatives and/or worry about those who you are having to let go?
But neglect...
Diversity, Racism, Unconscious Bias ... Where Do We Go From Here?
2020 has been a year of surprises – and challenges – for everyone. No one could have predicted that just when businesses were working out how to get back on their feet, amid ongoing large scale redundancies and business reorganisations, we would be ...
3 Common Mistakes When Moving From Face-to-Face to Online Training
Welcome to this HR Blast. Not surprisingly given that 50% of our revenue at Jaluch comes from delivering training, we have had a lot of enquiries about virtual training. If you’re considering moving from face-to-face to virtual learning, there are some p...
HR updates
Latest updates: furlough, redundancy, short-time working, staff representatives & RIDDOR
Furlough
URGENT! Don’t believe all you read! There has been much in the press in recent days about the fact that if you want to continue to take adv...
Important Reminders for HR and Business Owners
In recent months, we have all been preoccupied so we thought it would be helpful to provide a few important reminders and insights, which might have been missed.
New Immigration Plans Post Brexit
Plans to replace EU freedom of movement with a new...
Effectively managing your remote workers – different approaches for different people!
Remote and home working, was a massively underutilised way of operating pre-COVID-19. Often rejected on grounds of trust, complexity, technological difficulty, productivity etc. but all those concerns were rapidly pushed aside earlier this year, given...
Managing workplace social distancing & return to work challenges
Whilst most businesses still have their employees working from home or on furlough, many are thinking to the future and working out how to get their employees back to work. We know that workplace social distancing measures are likely to still be recommended...
Managing employee consultation and representation during COVID-19
Consultation is a legal requirement if you intend to change contracts of employment, make redundancies, lay staff off, sell your business or acquire another one (TUPE). There are other times too when consultation is a legal requirement.
The current ...
Urgent Employment Law Changes from 6th April 2020
Don’t get caught out: Contracts of employment need to be changed, the processes for the issuing of contracts need to be change. Please read this important update.
Despite all the chaos caused by COVID-19, the world and businesses are still moving f...
Flexible thinking around flexibility
Not surprisingly people tend to think in straight lines but in times of crisis become a bit more innovative and creative in their thinking. This is what every UK business needs right now. We’re here to help where we can so here are some of our thoughts a...
A practical guide to conducting sensitive HR meetings during periods of remote working
Overview
You do not need to delay holding formal HR meetings just because you cannot get the relevant parties into the room.
For commercial and legal reasons it often makes sense to push ahead with meetings. Disciplinary action should not...
COVID-19 FAQs for businesses managing staff (May/June)
As coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread the UK, it has massively impacted businesses and the management of employees. We’ve been in business since 2002 so have a fair few clients we work with and we thought it would be helpful to share the typical questions w...
Top Tips for Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Welcome to our latest edition of HR Blast! This week we discuss the topic of embracing neurodiversity in the workplace, challenging ways of thinking to break down stigma and raise awareness on how neurodivergent employees are a hidden talent pool that...
The Do’s and Don’ts When Managing Discipline and Grievances
At Jaluch we often find that those newly appointed as supervisors or managers feel somewhat out of their depth when it comes to dealing with a disciplinary or grievance situation. Perhaps your managers were trained up a few years ago, but where does ...
Is your HR function sufficiently informed to manage ‘woke’ behaviours?
Managing the rise of the 'woke' workplace ...
A few months ago we wrote about the role of HR in environmental sustainability , urging HR departments to take time to fully understand their role in relation to environmental issues. Now we thought...
Driving for work - are your employees driving you into a pothole?
Whilst driving for work is one of the most dangerous activities your employees do, driving can be equally hazardous for those flying desks back at base … if you don’t get the insurance, policies and procedures right you might be in for a big fine or ...
Christmas is all about – limiting those January resignations….
As you’re building up to Christmas, let's help you dispel that sinking feeling that, come the New Year, you might be dealing with some unwanted resignations. New Year is often a time of change on the job front 'new year, new me' and while change is o...
Managing under performance in your team
Under performance is often like paint that has faded in the sun…when the colours just aren’t as bright as they used to be. Under performance is not always obvious, until you take a step back and look at the whole scene to see where the sharpness, bri...
How to prevent age discrimination in the workplace
The saying goes that “age is just a number”, or so we like to think as another year passes by! But age can have a whole host of other meanings and implications, thanks to the prejudices, preconceived ideas and unconscious biases that each one of us hol...
10 top tips on how to make flexible working 'work' in your business
Let’s explore the challenges that businesses face when accommodating part time and remote working. If you read on you can see our 10 top tips, great ideas if you are in a business that is reluctant, or struggling, to engage in flexible working practices.
...
Are your staff running rings around your managers? 6 top tips to take back control!
At Jaluch it is to our constant frustration that we see the stress, irritation and angst that comes from having one ore more employees running rings around their Manager. So here are six top tips to stop people messing you around and wasting valuable...
How to Deal with Data Subject Access Requests FAQs (SAR or DSAR)
We are seeing increasing numbers of employees and ex-employees submitting subject access requests to their employers. On some occasions they genuinely need to understand what is held on file about them. On other occasions it appears to us to be no more...
IR35 changes - will this affect you?
IR35 rules are changing in April 2020 - if you run a business using associates and contractors this will this affect you. And, perhaps more importantly, this will affect various departmental budgets in relation to staffing - or even legal - costs.
There...
What is a Settlement Agreement? In a Nutshell ...
How confident are you using settlement agreements?
Settlement Agreements are the legal tool at your disposal for parting company with an employee in such a way that leaves the organisation protected from tribunal claims. This HR Blast should bring you...
5 cost and time efficiencies you are missing out on
Our clients often get frustrated by the amount of time and money that goes into managing various processes, that with a little bit of hindsight could have been avoided. So here are a few pointers from us to minimise time and effort – and a fair degree o...
Digital literacy: Is your workplace full of digi stars or digi dinosaurs?
Digital literacy, what is it? How does it affect you? How does it affect your staff? What do you need to do about it? And where do you even begin?
There are so many questions being asked about digital literacy and the ever-evolving technological...
FAQs: managing pregnancy and maternity – employer's guide
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast where we take a look at some FAQs around managing pregnancy and maternity. So why not up your knowledge or check your facts with our guidance which is followed by a few relevant case law examples!
My employee has j...
Holding employees accountable: embedding a culture of accountability in the workplace
How important is accountability in your workplace? Do your employees take sufficient personal responsibility on a day to day basis? Do you have specific legislation or regulations that you are bound by or Governing bodies or inspectors that you want...
Workplace Investigations – HELP! (Discipline, Grievance and Performance)
Managing discipline, grievance and performance investigations are always a hot topic that we see our clients dealing with, lots of which absorbing too much time adding to the pressures of every day duties.
So, in this week’s HR Blast, see our FAQ’s on ...
Discrimination in the workplace: what you need to be aware of
A longer HR Blast than normal but Discrimination claims are rife and it’s a complex subject…
Do you keep up to date with the changes in the news? With so much going on, both in the UK and Internationally, it’s hard to know which bits are the m...
HR as a cyber security champion
Another policy has been issued from the depths of the IT function about encryption, security upgrades and phishing. So what?
If a policy has no obvious WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) or if its content is designed to make eyes glaze over, then it’s goi...
The role of HR in environmental sustainability
For many years environmental issues have been passed off to departments such as production/manufacturing, PR, logistics etc. but no longer can HR keep itself distant from such issues.
Aside from, or perhaps in spite of Brexit, environmental issues...
Preventing Illegal Working in the UK - Are you up to date with the changes?
There have been some recent changes in respect of preventing illegal working in the UK– are you up to date with these changes? Do you really know what the law says and what you actually need to do to protect your business? Please do read on as we h...
How to avoid historic grievance claims (they are more common than you might think)
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast for employers. Can employees raise grievances about stuff that happened years ago? Is there any protection for employers with respect to historical claims? Can you side step a disgruntled or hostile employee wanting to c...
Flexible working trends: innovative ways to be a 'flexible' employer
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch about flexibility in the workplace. Are you waking up to the demands to be a more flexible employer? Does the standard 9-5pm routine even work anymore? Is flexible working embedded in your business? If not, what...
Health & wellbeing - helplines and useful articles for staff
Interested in the wellbeing of your staff? Why not issue them with some helpline information? Perhaps they are struggling caring for an elderly or sick relative, have a teenager self harming or threatening suicide, have a sibling dealing with the aftermath...
HR Acronyms Confusion: Do We Really Need Them?
We were shocked a few months ago to be asked by one of the manager’s we were working with ‘what does HR stand for’? He wasn’t being difficult, he genuinely didn’t know. And this of course begs the questions that if HR’s most commonly used acronym ‘HR...
Gender Pay Gap Reporting 2019
It’s that time of year again with the 2019 gender pay gap deadline looming so we thought a brief overview would be valuable. Plus, here are a few of our thoughts on actually tackling the gender pay gap, instead of just talking about it or otherwise h...
Constructive dismissal guidance for employers: a failure to show concern can be expensive
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast! This week we’re taking a look into one of the most talked about HR topics, dismissals, specifically constructive dismissal.
What is unfair dismissal?
A dismissal could be unfair if you don’t:
have a good reaso...
The language of inclusivity
In this Blast, we focus on the thorny issue of what you can and cannot say in today’s workplace – assuming, of course, that you wish to steer on the right side of the law and your employees’ expectations.
Is language important?
An integral part ...
Fancy fining your staff?
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. Here we look at the issue of fining staff. Can you fine staff? How much can you fine staff? When might fining staff get you into legal hot water. Read on!
If the contractual relationship you have with your...
Managing long term sickness absence
In this two minute HR Blast we wanted to focus on the complex and frustrating topic of managing long term sickness absence - this topic results in more calls to our advice line each week than any other issue!
Some recent headlines
Last week,...
Control staffing costs when cash is tight - have you considered lay offs or short time working?
Does your employment contract contain a Lay Offs Clause? Does your contract include a Short Time Working Clause? And would you even know how to use such clauses? This HR Blast takes a look at a few of the options you have to keep your business stable...
Are managers increasing business risk by running scared of age discrimination laws?
In this HR Blast we discuss the subject of age discrimination and safe working... Are they too old to drive safely? Should I let them pick that up or step in and offer help? Will that weekend stock-take prove too much on top of a week’s w...
Be Colour ‘wise’ this Christmas!
There are multiple psychometric tools available: Belbin, SHL, Insights and Thomas International (which many of you will have heard of or have experience using) but one of the most effective tools we use is the Success Insights Colourwise Personality Profile....
Redundancy risks: what you need to know
We support businesses of all shapes and sizes with redundancy and restructure programmes and unfortunately, it’s a process that many organisations have to go through more regularly than they might like. However all too commonly, we also see many organisations t...
How to improve your gender pay gap
Gender Pay Gap reporting regulations require all organisations with more than 250 staff to publish data. This was first required last year on the 5th April 2017, with data having to be published for that date no later than 4th April 2018 (the dates...
The impact bad bosses can have on employees
In this HR Blast, we focus on the impacts of bad ‘bosses’ and how to make sure poor managers aren’t affecting the bottom line in your organisation.
Why is this important?
We are operating in an incredibly tight labour market. Pretty much everyone who w...
HR paperwork – a necessary evil!
In this Blast, we look at some of the essential HR paperwork you need in place when it comes to performance managing staff, investigating grievances or acts of misconduct, making redundancies or other dismissals, and of course, on-boarding new employees.
HR...
Employment Tribunals – A Broken System?
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast. As HR professionals here at Jaluch we’re often surprised and puzzled by the somewhat arbitrary decisions that some employment tribunal judges make. The outcomes of some cases seem to have little do with employment law...
Staff Reps: Challenges and Benefits
The topic this time is employee / staff reps. For over 16 years, Jaluch has been supporting organisations set up, manage and train staff representatives. Across the years, we must have worked with thousands of staff reps in a whole variety of sectors...
Disciplinary & grievance investigations; beware the Roxanne Pallett’s of this world…
Welcome to this two-minute HR Blast from Jaluch, which examines the importance of conducting thorough investigations when allegations of bullying and abuse are raised by staff members.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last couple of w...
Employing temporary workers – back to basics!
It ’ s all very well taking on temps, but are you clear on how to bring the arrangement to an end without incurring any discrimination or unfair dismissal claims? Are you fully aware of what rights your temporary worker has? Most people aren’t , whi...
Effective Employee Representation – A FIVE Way Focus
If you are trying to create an effective employee representative forum, you've come to the right place. We deliver hundreds of employee representative training days every year and have done so for well over a decade. But ... not every group we meet is...
Agile performance management – an opportunity for change?
Over the past year, more and more people are starting to talk about agile performance management . It's becoming more well known, but we find not everyone really knows what it is and whether it would be a suitable replacement for your existing...
The 10 things first-time managers need to know about
We often write articles for those who are already experienced in HR, but increasingly we have been asked to write guidance for those who are new to managing staff. If you aren't a first-time manager, no need to read on unless you have a new supervisor...
The Future of Recruitment and Retention
It is remarkable how many of us spend our lives focusing on the wrong things. A company we came across recently is busy tripling its graduate intake as a result of losing too many staff with two and three years’ service. You have to ask why they a...
Take Note! The Do’s and Don’ts of Note Taking at Formal Employee Meetings
Are you getting it right? Do your managers feel confident note taking at formal employee meetings?
In a recent Employment Tribunal claim, part of the employee’s complaint was that the notes taken by the Company during various formal meetings, both b...
Are 'Cross Functional Working' and 'Collaboration' Swear Words for HR?
Whilst some might like to think that HR is a function that works across the business, given that people are usually spread across the business, in our experience that might be a little optimistic for how some HR functions work!
Have you ever come across...
The Workplace HR ‘Tools’ That Can Be Dangerous!
We all use a variety of tools in the workplace to manage or reward staff, but some of these need to be used very carefully to make sure that you aren’t leaving yourself open to a discrimination claim. In this HR Blast we explore some of these risky t...
Troubleshooting HR - Are Your Managers in the Dock?
Welcome to our HR Blast which has a bit of a twist to it… We’ve decided to troubleshoot five issues that have cropped up in the HR advice centre this week! Read on to see whether you have any similar issues and how to resolve them!
Off-the-record (Wi...
Fines Caused by Managers Inadvertently Breaching Employment Contracts
All too commonly, we see managers either accidentally or, in a few cases, deliberately breaching an employee’s contract of employment. Sometimes the employees don’t notice or do notice but choose to accept the breach without complaint. However often wha...
GDPR - What Data Breaches Do You Have To Report?
In this HR Blast we focus on one specific area of the GDPR regulations: Reporting Data Breaches. You may have been hiding under a rock - but if you haven’t, you will know that the GDPR replaced the current Data Protection legislation on 25th May 2...
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Are your Employees Saying #MeToo? Are your Managers in Denial?
Welcome to this HR Blast. Today we look at sexual harassment in the workplace, more specifically what you can do to minimise the number of harassment complaints being brought and the number of managers saying ‘not my problem’.
What’s changed?
Wit...
HR & the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
Act Now! If you’re not GDPR compliant by 25th May 2018, you could be fined up to €20 Million Euros or 4% of annual company turnover, whichever is the greater.
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. Did that headline grab your attention? If you...
TUPE or not TUPE?
…that really is the question (!) that many organisations struggle with in today’s fast changing and complex world. Experience has shown us at Jaluch that it’s all too easy to say ‘let’s just assume it’s not TUPE’! How often have we heard that?
In t...
Without Prejudice Meetings and Protected Conversations: What You Need to Know
For many employers, the need will arise to have either a without prejudice or protected conversation with an employee. Are you clear on the difference between the two? Do you understand what you can and cannot do or say? Here is our two-minute guide ...
...
Is Microaggression Rife in your Workplace?
You may or may not have heard of the term “microaggression” but you’ve probably, directly or indirectly, experienced it. A microaggression is a subtle slight or action that leaves people (from a minority group) feeling upset, offended or uncomfortable. Often...
The Complexity of Discrimination - Do Managers Stand Any Chance of Getting it Right?
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. Discrimination in the modern world is a complex business and it’s no wonder that businesses get tripped up by it on a frequent basis.
Some of the considerations relating to this topic
Tribunal Fees have b...
Mopping Up The Mess When Staffing Issues Go Pear Shaped
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. In this Blast we take a few minutes to look at how the UK’s business corridors are often filled with the (metaphorically) mangled, angry or lifeless bodies of both staff and HR when issues go pear shaped and what y...
Tribunal Fees Ruled Unlawful - Protecting your Business Going Forwards
Since tribunal fees were introduced in 2013, there has been a 70% drop in the number of claims. This means that there have been thousands and thousands of claims not taken to tribunal; no doubt some were genuine claims and more than likely, a few vexatious.
That...
What Do You Know About Gross Incompetence?
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. Here we take a look at a few options around dismissal, particularly gross incompetence. Gross incompetence is a concept that is not widely understood by many organisations, but it can be a good option for a quick...
Top 10 Bank Holiday Queries - What You Can and Can't Do . . .
Bank Holidays . . . a topic that is always coming up in our HR Advice Centre and causes no end of headaches for both HR and Managers. So here are the top ten issues:
1. What do you do if staff pull a sickie the day before or the day after a bank...
Is your Senior Management Team Fit for Brexit?
Welcome to this HR Blast. In this Blast we take a brief look at positioning your senior team for Brexit. What have you got? What is needed? Who do you need to lose if you want to get through this? Who do you need to bring in? Who is going to lead...
Redundancy Planning: Take a Professional Approach
The Jaluch Guide to Redundancy Planning (UK).
Welcome to this 2 minute HR Blast. Currently a significant number of our clients are looking to reduce staffing numbers or otherwise to rationalise parts of their organisation in order to strengthen the...
All Change in the Workplace, in a Changing World...
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Arab Spring, China’s Babies, Brexit and ‘Trumpdom’... what's the relevance to your workplace?
This Blast is specifically for HR professionals interested in HR strategy and business planning. Unlike many of our other Blasts, it is not g...
Employed, Self employed, or Worker – What’s the Real Difference?
Welcome to this HR Blast. Given some of the recent press over Uber and Amazon, in this Blast we thought it would be apt to explore the distinctions between the status of different staff - this is critical to understanding the rights they have and your...
Managing the Kindergarten! When adults behave like kids in the workplace
In this Blast we take a look at the issue of when childhood attitudes and behaviours become workplace problems – and most critically – what you can do about them!
Employing Staff In The UK
Welcome to this HR Blast. After experiencing a few HR issues in recent months as a result of international companies not knowing how to manage their UK staff in accordance with the law, in this HR Blast we look at your obligations.
Read on if your...
The 5 Faces of Workplace Bullying
Welcome to this HR blast. In recent months, we have been supporting a wide variety of clients with numerous disciplinaries and grievances relating to bullying. We have never experienced so many claims, so we thought the time was right to use an HR Blast...
Brexit: 12 Law Changes HR Would Like
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast from Jaluch. At Jaluch we work with hundreds of organisations around the UK (and also further afield) supporting with both day-to-day HR and Training. So we thought it appropriate to use this Blast to put together our T...
Managing Intolerance in the Workplace
Welcome to this HR Blast. Today we look at managing intolerance and prejudice in the
workplace. This is not something that occasionally happens. This is live and real in many workplaces today and exacerbated by recent events including ISIS and also...
The HR Refresher
We have come across a few businesses that have been operating for many years, but working on a shoe string basis when it comes to HR.
However, those businesses are now finding that that approach is beginning to cause difficulties of one sort or...
5 Tips for Dealing With Workplace Disillusionment and Anger
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast. We look at an issue that often arises during the training courses we deliver… Woe is Me!
Some employees suggest they are victims of life. Others say the company has disillusioned them. Others say they are angry at ...
The 7 Pillars of Workplace Mayhem and Despondency
Welcome to this two minute HR blast. In recent months, we seem to have given you some pretty heavy employment HR Blasts so to lighten the mood here is this weeks blast which we have called the 7 Pillars of Mayhem and Despondency.
Have a bit of ...
Need-to-Know Legislation for Organisations With 50+ Staff
Welcome to this HR Blast from Jaluch. In this Blast, we look at employment legislation for larger organisations. This includes legislation that is already in place and legislation that is on its way. And, if you are wondering what a ‘larger’ organisation is,...
Gender Pay Gap Reporting: What You Need to Do
Welcome to this week’s HR blast from Jaluch. This Blast is on a niche topic and just for larger employers so, if you don’t employ 250+ staff, then click away now!
This Blast should prompt various actions (assuming you are not already doing the...
LGBT and Gender Terms – Confusion in the Workplace?
Welcome to this HR Blast. In this 2 minute Blast we wanted to provide an overview of the LGBT and Gender terms that are currently being used in the workplace.
In recent years, the terminology used and the complexity of issues arising in the workplace...
Are You on Trend With L&D?
Welcome to this HR Blast. Have you had a good week? All of us at Jaluch hope so, as surely life is too short to be miserable at work!
This week we take a brief look at training trends. These have changed enormously since 2010, but not all organisations...
Brexit: What it Means for HR
With Brexit being the 'hot topic' of 2016 and undoubtedly one of the most widely debated topics of the upcoming months, here is a two minute HR Blast for you to begin to consider some of the HR implications of a Brexit.
Brexit: Are we in or are we...
5 Fair Reasons for Dismissal
In this article we provide a short reminder on the five fair reasons for dismissal. All too often we find managers wanting to dismiss an employee, but unsure about what to call the dismissal (how to frame it) and what procedure to follow. And, as...
Top 10 Ways to Avoid a Grievance or Tribunal Claim
In this Blast, we take a look at how to avoid a formal grievance or tribunal claim. Not always avoidable, we know, but so often little things escalate into big things and big things cost money and time to sort out. And that’s not in anyone’s interests!
If you...
Using Artificial Intelligence to Solve Day-to-Day Business Issues
Welcome to this HR blast. In this Blast, we look at a few of the staffing issues that frequently cause grief in the workplace. We look at how we might better use some of the HR artificial intelligence tools available in order to either reduce or avoid...
Digital Literacy in the Workplace: Deciphering the Gobbledygook
Welcome to this Jaluch HR Blast on the topic of digital literacy. Not our usual 2 minutes this time, but it's an important topic so we thought you would value the extra information.
How literate are your staff? Do you check digital literacy at...
5 Common Christmas Issues in the Workplace
The Christmas season can have a big impact on business, with employers facing a minefield of potential pitfalls and challenges. In this short and sweet, two minute HR blast we look at a few of the HR issues that often arise at Christmas time ... and how...
The Key to Delivering Cost Effective and Time Efficient Training
Welcome to this HR Blast. This week we wanted to talk briefly about new ways of delivering training to staff in order to maximise effectiveness and minimise cost. Cascading training is the new approach, have you introduced it yet?
Two years ago...
UK Start-up Advice | Internal or Outsourced HR Support?
Welcome to this 2 minute HR Blast from Jaluch. This time, we offer some advice to international businesses either looking to open their first UK Office or in need of support managing an existing UK based team. It's a niche HR topic so please don't...
Hints & Tips for Managers to Curb Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is a costly epidemic, and with almost 60% of people saying that have either witnessed or been victims of bullying in the workplace, it's become a big problem. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to eradicating workplace...
Trouble at the Office: Time to Involve HR
It can be a difficult decision to know when to involve HR. Maybe you don’t want them “wading in” or maybe you think you don’t want to bother them with a “little niggle”, but the end result is that HR can be involved too late, which can cause many ...
The Living Wage – How Much Thought Have You Given It?
Welcome to this HR Blast. This week we focus on the important issues of money and staff. We've been looking at The Living Wage and potential NI cost savings if you use self-employed workers. Why not scan through what interests you and skip over what...
Short Service Staff With Serious Ill Health Issues
Welcome to this HR Blast. In this two minute blast, we look at the issue of managing staff with very short service but with serious health issues.
Over the past 12 months at Jaluch we have found our advice team frequently dealing with the issue...
The Need-to-Know Bits When Dealing With Employment Contracts
Employment contracts are not the most exciting topic in the world, but understanding your options and knowing what to do and when to do it, ensures things are managed quickly and efficiently, without exposure to employment claims. It is important...
Top 10 Irritations in Open-Plan Offices
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. In this Blast, we are looking at the top 10 irritations in open-plan offices and then focusing on how to create and manage a successful, harmonious open-plan office environment.
If you have worked in an open-plan...
Managing Difficult People in the Workplace
Welcome to this two minute HR blast. In this Blast, we look at the challenging topic of how to manage difficult people in the workplace. If you have a workplace full of saints and angels, we suggest you move on to more pressing matters! If however, ...
Five Common Errors When Managing Redundancy
Whilst many organisations are growing rapidly, there are also organisations that are down-sizing, "right-sizing" and re-sizing! Whatever you want to call it, all this activity inevitably results in redundancies.
The mistakes organisations make...
They've Refused my Holiday, so I’ll Pull a Sickie
Welcome to this week's HR Blast. Our two minute update on an HR topic that frequently is the cause of ‘office rage’... when your employee phones in sick but isn't really sick!
If of value, please do share this update with your line managers.
The typ...
Managing the Virtual Workers
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. We are working with an ever increasing number of organisations who have more and more of their staff regularly working from home or on the move, it is after all, a growing trend. So we wanted to share some of our...
When the Workplace Stress gets Stressful
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast from Jaluch. In this Blast we look at the tough issue of stress management in the workplace.
What causes stress?
You don’t have to look far nowadays to find someone at work who is stressed. They might be stressed:
...
When ‘Other People’ are the Barrier to Improved Performance
Welcome to this 2 minute HR Blast from Jaluch. Managing poor performance is one of our regular topics, but we have never focused solely on how the people in an organisation can actively create barriers to improving performance.
Poor performance...
Contractors, Discipline and Suspension
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. This week we look at how for the past few weeks the UK has been a hotbed of Jeremy Clarkson/Marmite fever – if we can call it that! Love him or hate him...either way he always makes the headlines.
With our HR h...
Managing Employees During the Probationary Period
Welcome to this week’s HR Blast. Most companies add a probation period to their contracts of employment, but as an employer do you know what rights you have with regard to probation periods?
We’ve outlined our top tips for managing probationary peri...
Top 5 Challenges for First-Time Supervisors
This week we focus on the challenges often faced by those stepping into first line management roles. Never an easy thing to do, but it is important for everyone involved to make the transition smooth. Get it wrong and these might be some of the consequences:
...
10 typical mistakes managers make
Welcome to this HR blast. This time we take a 2 minute look at how managers often expose their organisations to risk of litigation, walking you through 10 typical mistakes that managers make. You could even create a very valuable training course out...
L&D - How wisely are you spending your money?
In this two minute HR Blast I wanted to touch on the thorny and emotive topic of money...equally relevant for those in HR with responsibility for L&D, as for L&D professionals.
To start with let’s take a brief look at e-Learning, coaching a...
Getting it Right When People Exit your Business
Welcome to this 2 minute HR Blast. In recent months we have supported a fair number of clients with large scale redundancy programmes, a few early retirement situations and a number of ‘friendly’ dismissal situations all of which have involved pro...
It’s Pension Time – Don’t Leave it Too Late.
Welcome to this 2 minute HR Blast.
If you have a pension scheme already and your existing provider has said the scheme will continue to be supported by them under auto enrolment, you can click away now. This Blast is predominately for those in businesses...
Intrapreneurship… Are You Heading for Failure or Success?
Welcome to this 2 minute HR blast on Intrapreneurship.
As we travel around we come across increasing numbers of organisations interested in developing a culture of ‘Intrapreneurship’. In other words entrepreneurship inside an established company! In ...
Don’t Let Staff Mess up When Managing Domestic Workers
Welcome to this HR Blast. In this blast we look at HR matters for those of your staff who employ people at home (carers, cleaners, nannies, gardeners and even drivers at times). You will probably also have staff who employ people indirectly as a result...
Holiday Pay and Paid Overtime
Welcome to this HR Blast. Given last week’s ruling, holiday pay has been making press headlines, but at times the messages have been quite confusing. We therefore thought you would value a summary. This should enable you to identify if this affects y...
Shared Parental Leave
This time we turn our attention to shared parental leave which is causing some concern in organisations. If you look at what is involved, it shouldn’t just be causing concern, it should be giving you serious nightmares… Sorry about that.
It might be t...
Blow your Retention Targets out of the Water
Welcome to this two minute HR blast.
With the job market hotting up and organisations looking to move forwards, it must surely be time to start reminding managers how to keep hold of their valued staff.
Some employees and even some leaders,...
It’s the Final Straw - Disciplining Long Serving Staff
Welcome to this two minute HR blast. In a previous Blast we have looked at how you can manage under performing staff with very short service . This time we look at the complex issue of managing the performance or behaviour of those who already have...
Managing Staff...On the Right Side of the Law
Often in the UK we find that when new laws come in there is a flurry of activity that includes training and advice for managers. But as the years fly by, we find that companies just assume that managers now know all that they need to know. The reality...
Line Manager Confidence
In this two minute HR blast we wanted to look at the issue of manager confidence.
Over the years, the issues that have come across our desks, in the Jaluch advice centre are often exacerbated by a lack of confidence on the part of the line manager....
A Cloud of Confusion Around Dismissing Short Service Staff in the UK
Over the past year the search term that has month on month, generated the most traffic to the Jaluch website is 'how to dismiss a short service employee'. It's clearly an area of concern for many.
We have covered this topic before but, as managers...
Holiday Headaches for HR
Welcome to this HR Blast. We are well and truly in holiday season so it’s time for a few HR Headaches. But help is at hand if holiday issues are vexing you!
Take a read for some tips and advice:
Holiday pay and sales commission arrangements ...
A Deafening Silence…What Legal Advisors are Not Telling Employers
Urgent - a must read legal update for anyone dealing with employee dismissals
Settlement agreements or early conciliation? A deafening silence...what legal advisors are not telling employers.
The Background
Since May this year (2014) employers...
App ideas for HR departments
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. In this Blast we thought we would zap and blast you with a few of our favourite apps. The theme of course is HR and Training. We have chosen a variety of apps for all types of smartphone and tablet, covering a...
Flexi attitudes with flexible working
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. With changes to flexible working effective from 30th June 2014, the topic this time is all things flexible! Please do circulate this to your line managers as the more they know, the more confident they will be...
HR and Mobile technology…are you keeping up to date?
Welcome to this HR Blast. In this two minute update we wanted to focus, for just a short while, on the phenomenal surge we have all seen in the past one to two years in the use, and availability of, mobile technology in the workplace. Whether we love...
2014 – 2020: Managing staff in changing times
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast.
In the UK we are just coming out of a pretty tough six years. In employment terms 2008 – 2013 have not made for that many great memories. However we have come through and now with the upturn looking a...
Too senior to manage?
Welcome to this two minute HR Blast. This time the topic is managing your senior staff. At Jaluch, whilst we advise on hundreds of HR issues every month involving employees, we don’t often get asked to support with the management of senior staff. T...
E-cigarette mayhem in the workplace
As e-cigarette usage is increasing, so are the issues relating to e-cigarettes. We’ve had a whole spate of enquiries about the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace, so we have put together a few facts, figures and guidance on the acceptance of, and u...
What Is Unconscious Bias
This week our topic is unconscious bias. For the past five years we have been delivering training on this topic, but since the start of 2014 we have been inundated with enquiries from a whole array of organisations for training, workshops, presentations...
Tips for employers - effective interviewing
In this two minute HR blast we wanted to focus on interviewing skills and more specifically, making sure you get more of the right people to join your organisation. This follows on from a previous blog that raised a couple of comments about what you...
Sickness, affairs and plumbing...informal homeworking
In this two minute HR Blast we focus on informal home working. Home working can be a tough topic for line managers to deal with; full of trip hazards and pot holes! Fortunately, we’ve put together a brief overview of issues and solutions that c...
Zap and blast the irritations! It’s all about productivity…
In this two minute HR Blast our focus is on making easy tweaks and changes to how you operate in order to get significant gains in productivity. Now that’s got to be good for business!
If you have a seven hour day, how easy is it to waste 50% of y...
Managing change against the tide
In this two minute HR Blast we share some of the issues we are seeing businesses face around ‘change’ and some of our ideas about how to manage change successfully. Please feel free to share this with your line managers who are responsible for the...
Massive surge in use of interns. Time to take advantage?
In this two minute HR Blast we consider a topic that more and more organisations are asking us about: the use of interns; the advantages they can gain by taking them on and whether or not to pay them. First, let’s take a quick look at what’s in it...
The Over 50s’ – On the way up or on the way out?
In this two minute HR Blast we take a quick look at employing older workers.
Diversity has been much talked about for decades. Often the focus is on what non compliance or downright naivety might cost us in a tribunal. This HR Blast is not about ...
Halloween horrors
Welcome to this spooky HR Blast, in just two minutes we look at unravelling the myths behind some of the Halloween horrors in your team!
Medusa
Problem
Medusa is your customer services team leader. She runs a tight ship. But one ...
Lean, mean HR machine...
In this two minute HR Blast from Jaluch we focus on ‘waste’ in HR. We don’t think that HR is often subjected to a ‘waste’ assessment (have you ever done one?) but if HR expects other functions to operate efficiently, then there is no reason why the HR...
Employee appraisals – managing awkward conversations
In this two minute HR Blast we focus on employee appraisals – top tips for dealing with the difficult stuff! We thought you would also like to see our light hearted take on ‘how not to fill in an appraisal review form’ ... this is at the end if yo...
Safeguarding against rogue employees
In this two minute HR Blast, we thought we would tackle the often frustrating issue of protecting your business from employees who want to take your clients, Intellectual Property or staff with them to their next venture or next employer!
Is this...
Raised temperatures with redundancy
In the UK in 2008, we experienced an incredible spike in numbers of employees being made redundant and Jaluch supported many clients with redundancy projects. Although we never expected that from then until now, redundancy activity would...
Unravelling employment law
If you feel a little confused at the moment about employment law changes and what is happening when, don’t panic. You are not alone! In this two minute update we hope to blast some of that confusion away!
It has been a funny couple of years with a...
Why bother with diversity and inclusion?
If you are one of those who read this title and then immediately decide to click away, then this HR Blast is particularly relevant to you! If you are serious about the job you do that is. Go on… have a read. It should only take a couple o...
Performance or misconduct?
A challenge for many managers is identifying and differentiating between misconduct and performance issues. Some don’t know how to, others choose not to.
In this two minute HR Blast we take a quick look at an issue that continually confounds m...
Dismissing staff with short service (under two years)
New to the organisation, but giving you grief? Here is our two-minute blast on dismissing staff with short service, or under two years).
Many of you feel comfortable with disciplining and dismissing staff who have more than two years service and therefore...
Bullied or whingeing?
In this HR Blast we take a brief look at workplace bullying: what we see at Jaluch and what you can prevent in your organisations. Feel free to copy this on to your line managers to raise awareness of the issue and limit your exposure to potential...
Compromise agreement whiplash – how to avoid it!
In this two minute HR Blast we will update you on how to mess up Compromise agreements… ignore this at your peril!
Compromise agreements are the legal agreements that are used when you are seeking to part company with an employee without the p...
Are you turning a blind eye to employee fraud?
In this two minute HR blast the information comes to you courtesy of one of the Jaluch Partners, Andy Mileham, who owns private investigative agency Aston Covert .
A recent report by CIFAS claims that fraud by insiders (including employees) rose ...
When errors compound errors
Every employee makes errors from time to time. It’s inevitable. However, this two minute HR Blast is about highlighting how these initial errors can snowball, resulting in even greater damage or cost than is necessary.
Recruitment errors
Despite a...
Spotlight on managing absence
In this very first HR Blast of 2013. In no more than two minutes we will put the spotlight on absence and attempt to update you on some of the key facts, figures and ideas for informed and successful absence management in 2013!
Some facts and figures...
Self employed workers - a legal risk to your business?
In this two minute HR Blast, we ask what church organists and lap dancers have in common. Not a lot you might say. But you would be wrong! And into this musical mix you might add cleaners, IT consultants, trainers, business consultants, accountants,...
Can't sack him he's stressed
In this very first “HR Blast” from Jaluch, designed to take you no more than a couple of minutes to skim read, we take a look at an issue that is all too common for many of our clients – the employee who goes off sick with stress when faced with ...
