Health & Safety

22 09 2023

Take action now and make a positive impact | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Training & Development #diversity, #hse, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Everyone needs support at work: take action now and make a positive impact.

This is yet another great article from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) with some very useful development tools and information for your business and team and is one of the many subjects we help companies with when it comes to their teams and businesses and the world of HR and Health & Safety.

HSE ebulletin

Issued: 22 September 2023

This is a prompt for us to reflect on our collective responsibility to create workplaces where individuals are truly supported, valued and empowered.

HSE published non-statutory guidance, a set of simple core principles, to help employers create workplaces that are safe and supportive to enable disabled workers or workers with long-term health conditions to thrive.

The guidance also contains practical examples, to demonstrate how these principles can be applied in the workplace.

It’s not always easy recruiting the people you need to help your business succeed. So, keeping and developing talent in your business is important.

Monday, 25 September marks the start of National Inclusion Week 2023 (NIW). This year’s theme is taking action, make impact.

The week is a prompt to reflect on our collective responsibility to create workplace environments where individuals are truly valued and empowered.

We encourage you to think about your workplace and really consider the support available to colleagues and workers. Visit the Work Right for Everyone campaign for further information and download our Talking Toolkit, to help structure these conversations and give people a better understanding about how their colleagues experience work can remove stigma and pre-conceptions.

Here at HSE, we discussed inclusion with our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Officer, and HSE’s Network Chairs. From workplace environment to personal reflections, these conversations offer a glimpse into the experiences and perspectives of HSE colleagues who champion inclusivity in various areas of the organisation. Here’s what they said:

What does inclusion mean to you?

“Inclusion is somewhere you can call your own. You can be your authentic self, in an environment where you don’t feel judged or afraid. A space where you feel safe and empowered to speak up. A place where you feel a sense of belonging, an active part of the team in your own way. Inclusion is fundamental in building the foundations of an equitable and diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve here at HSE.”

Chess Whalley – EDI Officer, HSE

The HSE has set some core Principles to support disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions in work, which can be accessed by clicking here

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If you need support with your HR and Health & Safety, give us a call or email now.

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19 09 2023

Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #outsourcing, absence, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

New coalition aims to shatter glass ceilings in the construction industry | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

On the 18th of September 2023 our Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development wrote the following article on Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick which provides some interesting statistics. This is a subject we have written a number of blogs on in the past and full details can be seen at the bottom of the page.

Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick.

A quarter of employers have seen an increase in staff being off sick compared to a year ago, according to a new survey carried out by YouGov for Acas.

This found that while 9% had seen a decrease, 26% of employers had seen an increase in sickness absence.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “Bosses that handle sickness absences effectively can help to reduce it, prevent any unnecessary disputes at work and stay within the law. Acas has advice and training for businesses on how to prevent sickness absences and address the causes.”

Reducing sickness absence

Acas advises employers to:

put in place an absence policy that is clear on what is expected of managers and their staff if they need time off work!
create a culture at work where staff feel supported and comfortable raising problems that they trust will be taken seriously!
deal with the causes of absence such as work-related stress or workers struggling to balance work and caring responsibilities.

Good work-life balance

To help staff, employers should:

encourage them to speak up if they feel they are under too much pressure at work.
train managers to spot signs of a poor work-life balance.
offer flexible working where possible!
encourage breaks from work, including during the day and making sure employees take holidays!
regularly review workloads.
lead by example as, if managers and senior leaders have a good work-life balance, this will create a culture for employees to follow.

Our HR comment: Employers are seeing an increase in staff being off sick.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This article from our Chartered Institute demonstrates some excellent examples of how to ensure your team are kept in work and enjoying what they are asked to do for their benefit / health but also for the benefit and success of the business. The Pandemic and recent years have thrown many obstacles at businesses and their success but businesses owners / managers always need to remember the welfare of their team. At Consensus HR we actively encourage all our clients to use these methods suggested by the CIPD and have clearly written and user friendly / legal Policies & Procedures to use when dealing with sick members of the team.”

Here are a few of our previous blogs written on the subject: –

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If you would like to discuss how you can manage the sickness within your team successfully through the use of a user friendly, best practice and legal policy whilst also using modern age IT to manage, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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BP to review personal relationships following Looney departure | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

14 09 2023

New report warns of costly impact of illness on UK economy | Consensus HR- Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety @sg1, #Health&Safety, #illness, #outsourcing, #sickness, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The level of illness among the UK population is costing lives and harming the economy, according to a new report. An additional 491,433 people were off work due to their health in the three months to July, reaching a record high. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warns that the issue has become a “serious fiscal threat” to the UK. The think tank attributed the rise in illness to long NHS waiting lists and other barriers to accessing treatment. The IPPR report also highlighted the decline in the quality of healthcare in the UK compared to other European countries, and called for urgent reforms to improve healthcare services and save taxpayers up to £205bn over a decade. Lord Bethell, former health minister and commissioner, emphasized the need for action to reduce demand for healthcare through prevention. Downing Street has acknowledged the need for improvements in tackling long-term sickness and announced a £3.5bn package of measures to support people with disabilities or health conditions to enter the workforce. However, concerns have been raised that these reforms could force people into jobs when they are not well enough.

Sky News

Our HR comment: – New report warns of costly impact of illness on UK economy

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very worrying article on Sky News and we wrote about this a while ago when a similar article was published in the press. Long term sick is a problem for many companies and must be managed correctly with the use of medical professionals. This process can be very time consuming but employers need to ensure that they manage it properly for the benefit of the employee and the business along with healthy working practices helping to ensure that when the team are working, it is in a healthy environment. At Consensus HR, we have managed many ill health cases at work through the use of good practice and our Occupational Health providers to get workers back into work the best way for them and their health and the success of the business”

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If you have long term sickness within your business and would like to talk to somebody about the best way to manage it to best practice and the law, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

07 09 2023

Latest construction campaign to prevent ill health from moving and handling materials – Consensus HR

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #construction, #Health&Safety, #ill health, #prevention, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Moving and handling heavy or bulky objects on construction sites is needlessly harming the health of tens of thousands of workers every year.

Working in construction is a physically demanding job and many construction workers’ health is suffering due to pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that affect every aspect of their lives and in many cases their ability to work and earn a living.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning construction workers that the long-term impact on their health can leave them struggling to stand, walk, or sit down.

From 4 September 2023, HSE inspectors will be carrying out inspections of construction sites, focusing on the health risks of moving and handling materials on site.

Supporting the inspections initiative is HSE’s communications campaign ‘Work Right Construction. Your health. Your future’, to raise awareness of the risks when moving and handling materials on site and provide advice for employers and workers.

Inspections in 2022 found widespread methods that can protect workers such as the use of mechanical equipment to handle large glazing panes, using small inexpensive air bags to help to position heavy doors when being installed, and the use of all-terrain pallet trucks to move blocks and brick-lifters to carry bricks around site.

However, inspectors also found many examples of poor practice, some of which resulted in enforcement action, such as a worker lifting an 80kg kerb on his own without any assistance from machinery, lifting aids or colleagues, and a 110kg floor saw that had to be moved into and out of a work van by two operatives at a street works site.

The law requires employers to control the risks of ill health of their workers, which includes pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that can develop over time, known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, in the most recent period an estimated 42,000 people in the construction industry suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, which can cause years of agonising aches and pains. This amounts to 53% of all ill health in the construction sector.

If moving and lifting is managed properly, a physical job on a building site should not disrupt every part of workers’ lives.

Before work starts, moving and handling risks should be considered and prevented where possible at the design stage. Once on site, employers should talk to workers about controlling existing risks and make sure appropriate measures are in place, such as the right training, aids and equipment.

Matt Birtles, principal ergonomist at HSE, said: “It is important that the issue of manual handling is not downplayed. Serious aches, pains and strains should not be accepted as routine when working in construction. These can dramatically affect every part of someone’s life – with sufferers struggling to get themselves dressed and undressed, and unable to pick up their children or grandchildren.

“The culture of a site may mean many people feel uncomfortable talking about these issues but if your back has gone or if you’re in agony whenever you move your arms, measures need to be put in place to address the causes.”

HSE’s Acting Head of Construction Division Mike Thomas said:

“MSDs affect the lives of tens of thousands of construction workers and can lead to a lifetime of suffering. However, there are simple measures that can be taken to prevent this.

“Everyone involved in construction has a role to play in keeping people safe and healthy. We want everyone in the industry, from designers to contractors and their workers, to be aware of the risks associated with any moving or lifting task and put appropriate measures in place.

“The health of workers must be considered when planning construction work so that they can carry out their jobs without fear of injuring themselves or developing aches, pains and strains, including being provided with the correct equipment to lift and move materials safely.”

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We always like to keep our clients up to date on Health & Safety and if there is anything we or our associates can do for you, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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06 09 2023

Mentally ill to be told to work from home in benefits shake-up. | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Performance Management, Recruitment #employeehealth, #Health&Safety, #mentallyill, #outsourcing, #workingfromhome, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Ministers are to consult on a change to the rules for benefit claimants meaning that those with mobility and mental health problems will be told to look for work they can do from home. The move comes as the government looks for ways to fill job vacancies and cut the benefits bill. The reforms, proposed by Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, come as the proportion of those assessed for incapacity benefits and classed as unable to work has tripled to 65% since 2011, costing the taxpayer £26bn a year. Mr Stride said this was “holding back the labour market and the economy but perhaps most important of all, it is holding back human potential.” But disability campaigners said the changes would cause “huge anxiety” and amounted to a “cynical” attempt to reduce benefit payments. The changes would not come into force until 2025, however, due to “the need to make changes to regulations and ensure appropriate training for health assessors,” Mr Stride said.

Our HR comment – Mentally ill to be told to work from home in benefits shake-up.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting article and suggestion by the Government and whether it solves the problem it is seeking to solve, is the question. It one context it will help but is people with a mobility or mental health problem working from home the right answer. Should they not be in the workplace working and communicating / mixing with fellow workers? Could flexible working be the answer, where they work 3 days in the office and two days at home? Obviously I am not the medical professional but the HR one and as with us when we have to deal with anything medical, I always say, we must go to the professionals who have the qualifications and experience to answer these questions through the use of Occupational Health of GP reports so that we can make the necessary reasonable adjustments or a phased return to get them back into the workplace. Believe me, this is never easy for both the company or the member of the team involved.”

What are your views?

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If your company is having problems with high sickness or mental health within the workplace and would like to talk to somebody on how to get them back into the workplace, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

31 08 2023

Monthly HR blog Newsletter – August 2023 | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Recruitment, Redundancy #consensushr, #monthlyHRblog, #monthlyHRNewsletter, #Newsletter, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

In our current Monthly HR blog Newsletter – August 2023 we have:

Accountancy firms return to in-person interviews.
Office appeal is needed amid remote work spike.
Flexible Working – Are you ready?
Ensure you are working safely at height.
Hand-held power tools video.
UK employers’ resort to counteroffers to retain staff, survey says.
ITV daytime show employees allege toxic culture.
Fines to increase for employers failing to check for illegal migrants.

Accountancy firms return to in-person interviews | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Leading accountancy firms are reverting to in-person interviews for hiring as they believe it is easier to assess candidates’ characters. KPMG and Deloitte will be returning to traditional in-person interviews this autumn, while EY is looking to follow suit by the end of the year.

Office appeal is needed amid remote work spike | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The Sunday Times says that while some companies are looking to bring staff back into the office, the broader trend of working from home is proving far more resilient.

Flexible Working – Are you ready? | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Major changes are on the way for flexible working with the passage into law of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, which was given Royal Assent on 20 July 2023.

Ensure you are working safely at height | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Here is the latest article from the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in relation to working at Heights which is the most common kind of workplace fatality and a few of the Myths that the HSE have dealt with in the past

Hand-held power tools video | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

As part of HSE’s Science Review 2023, a video to highlight HSE’s research into noise and vibrations emissions in battery and traditionally powered hand-held power tools was published.

UK employers’ resort to counteroffers to retain staff, survey says | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

UK employers are increasingly making counteroffers to keep staff who are tempted by higher wages from rival firms, according to a survey of 2,000 employers by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which said human resources executives expected to increase basic pay rates by a median 5% over the coming year – unchanged from the previous two quarters and the joint-highest readings since the survey started in 2012. Pay expectations in the public sector rose to 4%, the highest recorded by the CIPD, from 3.3%.

ITV daytime show employees allege toxic culture. | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

As part of HSE’s Science Review 2023, a video to highlight HSE’s research into noise and vibrations emissions in battery and traditionally powered hand-held power tools was published.

Fines to increase for employers failing to check for illegal migrants | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, has announced plans to increase fines for landlords and employers who fail to check for illegal migrants.

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Here is our latest monthly HR newsletter with just a few of our blogs and if you find any that you have questions about, do not hesitate to contact us.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Accountancy firms return to in-person interviews | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

17 08 2023

Protecting loneworkers | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #lone working, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Lone working: protecting those who work alone

Lone workers can be at greater risk of harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong.

Employers should provide training, supervision, monitoring and support for those working alone.

Our free-to-download leaflet Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone is for anyone who employs lone workers, or engages them as contractors etc, including self-employed people.

The leaflet is supported by:

HSE’s lone working webpages which include advice aimed at lone workers themselves
a video setting out the key advice on how to protect those working alone

Our HR Comment: Protecting lone workers | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner for Consensus HR comments: “This is another excellent tool from the Health & Safety Executive in relation to Protecting Lone Workers and is key for businesses if you have any of the team working alone. This always reminds me of when I worked with retail and our petrol garages were 24 hours, 7 days a week and at night, a member of the team would at some stages be working on their own and what action we would take to ensure they were protected and knew fully what action to take if needed whilst there also being somebody fully contactable by phone. This advice also gives an excellent video to demonstrate lone working.”

Lone working: protecting those who work alone female worker alone in large greenhouse Lone workers can be at greater risk of harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong. Employers should provide training, supervision, monitoring and support for those working alone. Our free-to-download leaflet Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone is for anyone who employs lone workers, or engages them as contractors etc, including self-employed people. The leaflet is supported by: HSE's lone working webpages which include advice aimed at lone workers themselves a video setting out the key advice on how to protect those working alone

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If you would like to discuss your companies current Health & Safety, give us a call for an informal chat | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Wilko collapses into administration | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

14 08 2023

Hand-held power tools video | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #hse, #powertools, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Hand-held power tools video

This is another excellent tool / video provided by the HSE for employers who use Hand-held power tools with some great links and further PDF information such as ‘Supporting enforcement to protect the health of workers using hand tools.’

As part of HSE’s Science Review 2023, a video to highlight HSE’s research into noise and vibrations emissions in battery and traditionally powered hand-held power tools was published.

Watch the video on YouTube

You can also read the following associated articles from HSE’s Annual Science Review 2023:

Supporting enforcement to protect the health of workers using hand tools (.pdf)

Protecting angle grinder users from ill health caused by noise and vibration (.pdf)

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If you are worried about your companies Health & Safety contact us now | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

11 08 2023

Ensure you are working safely at height | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Health & Safety, Training & Development #Health&Safety, #herts, #outsourcedHR, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #stevenage, #workingatheights, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME

Here is the latest article from the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in relation to working at Heights which is the most common kind of workplace fatality and a few of the Myths that the HSE have dealt with in the past:

A few of the common working at Height Myths:

· HSE have banned the use of ladders on building sites

No, this isn’t the case. Ladders and stepladders can be a sensible and practical option. They can be used for work at height when the use of other work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and short duration (short duration means working on a ladder for no more than 30 minutes at a time); or when there are existing workplace or site features which cannot be altered.

· You need to be formally ‘qualified’ before using a ladder at work

No, you do not. You need to be competent. This means having the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to use a ladder properly for the work you will carry out, or, if you are being trained, you work under the supervision of somebody who can perform the task competently. Training often takes place on the job and does not always have to take place in a classroom. What matters is that an individual can apply what they have learned in the workplace.

· I am working at height if I’m walking up and down a staircase at work

No, you are not. Work at height does not include walking up and down a permanent staircase in a building.

Falls when working at height remain the most common kind of workplace fatality.

HSE’s annual fatality statistics reported that there were 40 fatal injuries caused by falling from height in 2022/23.

Make sure you take the necessary precautions and visit our working at height website for guidance on how you can protect workers.

The site also has a range of useful information and sources of advice for employers. They include

key messages to follow before working from height and some common work at height myths.

You can find guidance on the safe use of ladders and stepladders, which includes advice on when and how you should use a ladder at work.

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If you are worried about your companies Health & Safety contact us now | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

10 08 2023

ITV daytime show employees allege toxic culture. | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #bullying, #culture, #equalityact2010, #equalityanddiversity, #harassment, #herts, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

A “large number” of current and former ITV employees have made claims about a toxic working culture on daytime shows including This Morning, an MP has said. The House of Commons media committee has received allegations of harassment, bullying and discrimination, according to its chair Dame Caroline Dinenage. ITV said it took complaints seriously, but that it could not act unless such allegations were made directly. The broadcaster’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall appeared before the committee in June following the fallout from an affair This Morning’s former presenter Phillip Schofield had with a much younger colleague. In a letter published on Wednesday, Dame Caroline Dinenage told the ITV boss she and other committee members had been contacted by a “large number of individuals” in the weeks after her appearance in Parliament. “These individuals speak with great pride about working at ITV and are hugely positive about many of their colleagues,” Dame Caroline said. “However, they also raise claims of toxic working cultures, bullying, discrimination and harassment.” Some “have described how their decision to raise concerns within ITV has led to further bullying and discrimination, and in some cases having to leave the organisation with a settlement agreement,” Dame Caroline wrote. When she appeared before the committee, the ITV chief executive said the company had received two complaints about This Morning in five years. ITV’s Dame Carolyn said individuals could make direct contact with Jane Mulcahy KC – the barrister who is conducting an external review of how ITV handled Schofield’s affair and the fallout. “We are absolutely committed to enabling people to raise any issues or complaints they may have about working at ITV,” Dame Carolyn wrote.

Sky News

BBC News

The Guardian

Our HR Comment: – ITV daytime show employees allege toxic culture.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “All we seem to be hearing about at the moment in the press and what I am continually writing blogs about is the treatment of employees whether it be discrimination, bullying, harassment, homophobia, sexual harassment and many more. In this case, it is ITV and what many of its former employees are now saying following events that have occurred. Unfortunately, I can only say it is down to extremely poor management at all levels and all departments including HR. The comment in this article ‘having to leave the organisation with a settlement agreement’ would have raised major alarm bells with me if I was within the business and investigating fully why we were having to provide settlement agreements for members of the team and surely result in the appropriate action being taken, which in this case would of at least been training of ALL members of the team on equality to say the least and dealing with Misconduct appropriate as it happened. This would have then at least hopefully aimed to change the culture. The situation isn’t easy to say the least, but organisations of all sizes and sectors must manage appropriately or face the consequences, in this case bad publicity for a media company and I am dreading the costs involved in paying settlement agreements,”

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If you are worried about your companies culture contact us now | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Delivery riders arrested in clampdown on illegal workers | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

27 07 2023

Presenteeism remains an entrenched feature of business culture.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #herts, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #presenteeism, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

BBC Work life reports that Covid-19 may have altered our attitudes towards our jobs and how we do them, but presenteeism remains one entrenched feature of business culture that’s proved tough – and in some cases impossible – to shift. “Without a clear physical separation between work and home, individuals may find it challenging to disconnect and set clear boundaries,” says Peter Brown, who leads PwC’s Global People and Organisation practice. “This lack of separation can lead – and in many cases did lead – to longer working hours, increased workloads and difficulty taking breaks or time off, all contributing to presenteeism.” Lucy Kallin, executive director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Catalyst, a workplace consultancy that focuses on gender equality, agrees. “The overnight switch to homeworking in the pandemic undoubtedly increased some people’s workloads, as they were unable to switch off metaphorically and literally. Instead of using the commute home to wind down from work people stayed ‘always on’.” Kallin says senior leaders need to recognise the ways in which pandemic-induced changes in the workplace may have exacerbated presenteeism. Even though leaders can’t see the behaviour because it’s happening remotely, she says, they need to spearhead changes so employees feel willing and able to turn off from work.

BBC News

Our HR Comment: – Presenteeism remains an entrenched feature of business culture.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is another very interesting article from the BBC in relation to the Pandemic and Presenteeism and proves again the changes that have occurred since the Pandemic took place and how many people are finding it hard to switch off from work due to the boundaries changing since and during the Pandemic and it becoming more common for people to work from home in comparison to pre pandemic when people would travel to the office to work and when they got home, it was the end of the day and from work. Employees will have to change their behaviours to ensure they relax and unwind from the workplace whilst employers need to ensure that they manage their team and welfare appropriately with regular reviews and discussions around work requirements / load and quality of life”

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Presenteeism issues can hit any business, of any size. Update from Consensus HR, expert outsourced HR services. Herts, Beds, Cambs Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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26 07 2023

Health & Safety Update | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

One hundred and thirty-five workers were killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain in the last year, according to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive.

The industries with the highest deaths were construction (45), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21), manufacturing (15), and transportation and storage (15). Agriculture, forestry, and fishing has the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main industrial sectors followed by waste and recycling.

The annual data release published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s workplace regulator, covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries are falls from height (40), being struck by a moving object (29), and being struck by a moving vehicle (20).

The total of 135 worker deaths in 2022/23 is higher than the previous year (123) but is in line with pre-pandemic levels. The figure for 2020/21 was 145.

Great Britain is one of the safest places in the world to work. There has been a long-term downward trend in the rate of fatal injuries to workers, though in the years prior to the coronavirus pandemic the rate was broadly flat.

A further 68 members of the public were killed following a work-related incident in 2022/23. This is a decrease of 20 from last year.

HSE’s Chief Executive Sarah Albon said: “Any loss of life in the workplace is a tragedy.

“While these figures show Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, safety must continue to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

“Our mission is to protect people and places and we remain committed to maintaining safe workplaces and holding employers to account for their actions.”

HSE has also published the annual figures for Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos. The figures show 2,268 people died from the disease in 2021. This is a fall of 302 compared with the 2,570 deaths in 2020 and substantially lower than the average of 2,520 deaths per year over the period 2012-2019.

Asbestos-related diseases take decades to develop. Most people with them today will largely have been exposed before the tightening of controls and the use of asbestos was banned in 1999.

The current regulations state that where asbestos is present in buildings it must be managed, maintained in a good condition, and stay undisturbed. If this level of protection cannot be achieved, then asbestos must be removed.

These regulations have led to a significant reduction in exposure and the number of people developing asbestos-related illness is predicted to fall as we get further from the date asbestos was banned in 1999. Prior to that point, asbestos was used extensively in construction.

HSE’s approach to asbestos management is based on evidence that is constantly reviewed. HSE has recently launched a campaign called Asbestos & You to raise awareness of the risks associated with the dangerous substance.

Find out more about the Asbestos and You campaign, and visit HSE’s website for further guidance on asbestos.

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