#hertfordshirebusinesses

03 10 2023

Hunt sets out plan to shrink civil service | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Recruitment, Redundancy #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #redundancy, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The Chancellor confirmed plans to clamp down on workshy benefit claimants at the Tory Party conference on Monday, and announced plans to cut the size of the civil service as MPs on the right of the party demand an end to the bloated state. A freeze on civil service recruitment would save £1bn a year, Jeremy Hunt said, as he pledged to hunt down wasteful DEI roles. Mr Hunt also ruled out tax cuts in his Autumn Budget, arguing that they would be inflationary. Asked how the Conservatives can win the next election without slashing taxes, the Chancellor told GB News: “The way you win elections is by making promises that people believe. And we are being very honest with people, there is no shortcut to tax cuts.” Meanwhile, a group of Tory rebels have formed a block to oppose any future increase in the overall tax burden. Former party chairman Sir Jake Berry told an event hosted by the New Conservative Group that the current tax to GDP ratio now stands at 37% and that was too high.

Our HR advice comment: Hunt sets out plan to shrink civil service as pressure mounts to cut taxes | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “With the Conservatives Party Conference going on at present and the Chancellors comments yesterday regarding the clampdown on workshy benefit claimants, we wait to see the way forward and how we can help businesses and their teams to continue to work to best practice and the law for the success of the business and the team’s future careers / health.

A few of our previous blogs on this subject can be found below:

Contact us now

If you have a team and wish to find out, how best it is to create a HR strategy for the future success of the company and team, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

02 10 2023

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

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Newsletter @sg1businessclub, #consensushr, #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #HRNewsletter, #networkinbeds, #september2023, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

In our Monthly HR blog Newsletter for stories from September 2023 we have:

New Employment Law Update – 2023 /24
FCA proposes new diversity and misconduct rules
Therapy sessions start for new long-term sick
REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring & investment

Health & Safety:

Managing the risk of working from height
Take action now and make a positive impact

These are just a few of our blogs written for September 2023 and more can be seen by visiting our website.

New employment laws: update – 2023 /24 | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

A Consensus HR, we always ensure our clients are kept up to date on new and changes to current Employment Law as they happen and 2023 so far has been a busy year for employment law, with a number of new laws gaining Royal Assent. Many of these will not come into force until 2024 or beyond, however, giving employers plenty of time to become familiar with the new requirements and plan how they will be introduced and implemented into their organisation.

FCA proposes new diversity and misconduct rules | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority have set out proposals to boost diversity and inclusion across the financial services industry. The rules would require large banks and insurers to report diversity and inclusion data to regulators and set new targets to address under-representation. In a consultation paper, the bodies say firms would have to develop a diversity and inclusion strategy setting out how they will meet their objectives and goals.

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Therapists employed by the state will this week begin consultations with the long-term sick after ministers expressed frustration that the NHS is not doing enough to get people back work.

REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring & investment | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The latest Health & Safety Executive (HSE) bulletin talks about working at heights and how this is the most common kind of workplace fatality. This article provides a fantastic step by step guide for businesses.

Considering the risks associated with work at height and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely.

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

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.

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If you need support with HR and Health & Safety, give us a call now to discuss and let us take the pain away whilst making you an employer of choice.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

28 09 2023

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #workingatheights, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Considering the risks associated with work at height and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely.

Our step-by-step guide can help you control risks when working at height.

It is also vital to make sure any scaffolding is stable and safe at all times.

Our scaffold checklist explains when a scaffold design is required. It also covers the level of training and competence needed for those erecting, dismantling, altering, inspecting and supervising scaffolding

Here are a few of our previously written blogs on Health & Safety and information received from the HSE.

Contact us now

If you need support with HR and Health & Safety, give us a call now to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

28 09 2023

REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring & investment | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Recruitment #consensushr, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring and investment | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Businesses plan to continue hiring workers and investing, with a poll from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) showing confidence in both areas remained positive in the three months to August. While a reading of hiring and investment confidence came in at a net positive five points, this was down two points compared with the previous three months. The survey also shows that business confidence in the economy climbed to a net -38, up from -41. REC chief executive Neil Carberry said that while employers remain cautious about the wider economy, “they will have been cheered by dropping inflation and a pause in interest rate rises.” He added: “Throughout this year, firms have leant on temporary work to navigate the slowdown – we will be watching for a switch back to permanent hiring as growth picks up.”

The Times

Our HR comment: – REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring and investment | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is some very interesting news in ‘The Times’ today in relation to recruitment and positivity with some positive points in a poll. At Consensus HR we have helped many businesses recruit temporary members of the team as well as permanent members and continue to do so, ensuring all areas of HR are covered from day one such as Terms & Conditions of Employment, Induction, Performance Reviews and much more. Many companies still do not realise that a new employee is entitled to a Contract of Employment from day one of employment and businesses need to ensure they prepare adequately when interviewing and as part of their overall recruitment strategy!”

Here are a few of our previous blogs written on Recruitment:

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If you want to just be able to do what you know best, such as run your business and have somebody, who knows best when it comes to HR, the law and best practice, 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:

27 09 2023

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General, Health & Safety #hertfordshirebusinesses, #longermsick, #outsourcing, #sickness, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Therapists employed by the state will this week begin consultations with the long-term sick after ministers expressed frustration that the NHS is not doing enough to get people back work. Physiotherapists, mental health counsellors and stroke specialists hired by the Department for Work and Pensions will offer assessments to people claiming sickness benefits in an effort to reduce the number classed as unfit to work. Pilot sessions will begin in London and Birmingham, with the Government hoping to expand the scheme by hiring more therapists. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “Many of our claimants have complex health conditions, and this trial will explore whether they could benefit from support from medical professionals with specialist knowledge.”

The Times

Our HR comments: – Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Following recent reports and statistics in relation to increases in long term sick, it is great to see this new scheme being piloted by the Government to offer assessments to people claiming sickness benefits. It will be great for businesses to be able to seek support and advice from specialists whilst the employees affected get the support they need to return to work. At Consensus HR, we regularly help companies and employees to return to the workplace but currently consists of us either writing to their GP or seeking support from an Occupational Health Provider. All of this is a lengthy process with a number of forms having to be completed and the consent from the employee requested to seek information. Hopefully, this new pilot will prove to be a success for both the member of the team and the companies involved.”

Here are a few of our previous blogs written on the subject of Long-Term Sickness:

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If you have members of the team who are currently on long term sick leave and you wish to look and the best suitable options to be able to support 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:

26 09 2023

New employment laws: update – 2023 /24 | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #employmentlaw, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The new Laws are:

Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023
Carer’s Leave Act 2023
Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023
Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023
Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023

Our Chartered Institute the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) have written a brief summary of each of the new laws which can be seen below:

Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023

Once implemented, employers will be required to pass on 100% of tips, gratuities and service charges via a fair process of distribution.

This received Royal Assent on 2 May 2023. A commencement date has not yet been announced but is expected to be around a year after Royal Assent was given, to give time for secondary legislation to be created and put before Parliament and for a new statutory Code of Practice to be written and subjected to public consultation.

Once the Code of Practice has been released, employers can start to design and implement policies and practices on allocating tips.

Carer’s Leave Act 2023

A brand-new right, this will give unpaid carers the right to up to five days’ leave per year to provide, or make arrangements for, care for someone with a long-term care need who is dependent upon them.

This received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023. A commencement date has not yet been announced but this is not expected to be before April 2024, to give employers time to create new processes to keep track of this leave and ensure staffing levels are sufficient to accommodate it.

Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023

Protection from redundancy will be extended beyond maternity leave to include during pregnancy, or adoption or shared parental leave, and for six months after.

This received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023. Regulations will need to be put before Parliament with the finer details of this right before it can be implemented, which the Government has confirmed will happen “in due course”.

Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023

This will require minimum service levels to be met in certain industries for strike action to be lawful.

This received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. Secondary legislation is needed to determine the specific minimum service levels for particular sectors before this Act can be implemented.

Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023

New parents will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave, in addition to existing leave entitlements, to allow them to spend more time with their baby who has been hospitalised (up to 28 days after birth) and who needs a continuous stay in hospital of seven full days or more.

The Bill received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023. However, before it can be implemented, seven statutory instruments are expected to be laid before Parliament “in due course”.

Ultimately, introduction of this leave and pay is not expected until April 2025, however provisions in the Act are anticipated to commence ahead of this date.

Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023

This was given Royal Assent on 18 September 2023. Under this, all workers, including those on zero-hours contracts, will have the legal right to request a predictable working pattern.

If their existing working pattern lacks certainty in respect of the hours they work or the times they work, or if it is a fixed-term contract for less than 12 months, they will be able to make a formal application to change their working pattern to make it more predictable.

Employers will have to notify the employee of their decision within one month of the request.
Refusal is permitted provided it is on one of the prescribed grounds, which mirror the grounds for refusing a flexible working request.
It is anticipated that 26 weeks’ service will be needed before a request can be made, however, this will need to be confirmed by the regulations.

It is expected that the measures in the Act and secondary legislation will come into force in approximately a year. Acas will produce a new Code of Practice to provide further guidance on making and handling requests, to assist employers in managing this new right, the draft of which will be available for public consultation this autumn.

Anti-Slavery Day | Consensus HR in Herts & Beds.

Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023

This received Royal Assent on 18 September 2023. Once implemented, it will lower the age at which eligible workers must be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme by their employer from 22 to 18. The Department for Work and Pensions will launch a consultation on implementing the new measures in due course.

Contact us now

If you employ a team and want to ensure that your business is always on top of Employment Law and best practice, 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:

FCA proposes new diversity and misconduct rules | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

25 09 2023

UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Recruitment #flexibleworking, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #hybridworking, #outsourcing, #pandemic, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

A survey on working habits in the UK has revealed that just 40% of employees are currently working five days a week in the office. Commuting time, the cost of eating out for lunch and other expenses are the biggest barriers to working full time at the office, said researchers in the report from Ipsos Karian and Box. Younger staff members, in particular, have expressed concerns about missing out on skills development when working remotely. Nearly half of workers aged 18 to 24 said they “always” or “frequently” felt lonely if they spent half their working week at home. Additionally, they feared they were learning fewer “critical skills” necessary for career progression and promotions. The survey suggested that employees who spend three days a week in the office strike the right balance between office and remote work, enabling effective career development discussions and idea generation.

The Sunday Telegraph

Our HR comment: – UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a subject we have written about many times since the end of the Pandemic and a few of our blogs can be seen below. Many companies are now getting their teams back into the workplace with many working Hybrid and in the office at least three days a week. We have found that many employers are stating that employees must be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and working from home Monday & Friday and some requiring all the team to return to the work place full-time. Many articles are also showing that many people are finding the new working regime hard to handle and this article in ‘The Sunday Telegraph’ shows the effect it is having on the younger 18 – 24 year olds. What is the answer? This is still unknown and the consequences going forward for the business, their teams and the younger generation.

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

Contact us now

If you wish to talk to somebody about getting your team back into the office or looking at suitable solutions such as hybrid working, 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:

22 09 2023

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

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Recruitment #diversity, #equality, #equalityact2010, #equalityanddiversity, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Leading organisations in the construction industry have launched a coalition called the Construction Inclusion Coalition to tackle the lack of diversity in the sector. The group, which includes Travis Perkins, The Wolseley Group, and Ibstock, aims to address sexism and encourage more diverse recruitment. A recent poll conducted by the coalition found that only one third of Britons would feel confident their female family or friends would be safe and respected in the industry. The coalition is urging businesses to join the initiative and take the Built on Better Pledge, which outlines measures to attract a more diverse workforce. Mark Reynolds, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council, said that equity, diversity, and inclusion are vital for the future of construction. Simon Oakland, Wolseley chief executive, emphasised the importance of attracting a more diverse range of people to the construction sector.

Daily Mail

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

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Wow! What a fantastic and interesting article in the Daily Mail this week in relation to the Construction industry and tackling the lack of diversity in the sector! Diversity and inclusion is a subject we continually write blogs about and the business world has seen many examples of bad diversity in the workplace and it is great to see this initiative by members of the construction industry.

Here are a view of our previous blogs on the subject:

Contact us now

At Consensus HR, Diversity & Inclusion is just one of the areas of HR that we deal with on a daily basis and if you wish to discuss how you can ensure your business works to best practice and the law and is an employer of choice, 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:

From automation to job creation: UK firms embrace AI and robotics | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

21 09 2023

From automation to job creation: UK firms embrace AI and robotics | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General, Recruitment #AI, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Research by the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW), Imperial College London and Warwick Business school has found that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automated equipment has an overall positive impact on jobs. Of the more than 1,000 UK firms surveyed, over three-quarters said that use of the technology had created new roles within the company. Additionally, some 69% said they believed the technologies had improved job quality either a little or a lot. “This report not only highlights that the adoption of AI is well under way across UK firms, but also that it is possible for this tech transformation to lead to both net job creation, and more ‘good work’ – great news as we try to solve the UK’s productivity puzzle,” said Anna Thomas, director of IFOW.

The Guardian

Our HR comment: – From automation to job creation: UK firms embrace AI and robotics | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting story in ‘The Guardian’ in relation to AI and we have written a few blogs on the subject which can be seen below. This article demonstrates that there could be a positive outcome from the introduction of AI with the creation of more jobs rather than what was originally thought. What are you thoughts? Are you using AI more in your workplace? As discussed prior we do not use AI currently and do not see a use for it but who knows, in the future? We believe all aspects of HR need a human to ensure its success but would be interested to know other professionals opinions.

Here are some of our previous blogs written on the subject:

Contact us now

If you need any support with your HR and team within your business, 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:

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