#hybridworking

23 01 2024

UK judge rules against FCA manager who wanted to work from home | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General #bedfordshirebusiness, #consensus hr, #consensushr, #flexibleworking, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #herts, #hybridworking, #outo, #stevenge, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

This case took place in Croydon – Case Number: 2302739/2023 and the full Judgment can be ready by clicking here.

Elizabeth Wilson, a senior manager at the Financial Conduct Authority, has had her demand to work from home full-time quashed by a judge, who said the regulator was within its rights to deny the request. Judge Robert Richter wrote in a judgement made last month and only just published: “It is the experience of many who work using technology that [remote working] is not well suited to the fast-paced interplay of exchanges which occur in, for example, planning meetings or training events when rapid discussion can occur on topics.” He also pointed to “a limitation to the ability to observe and respond to non-verbal communication which may arise outside of the context of formal events but which nonetheless forms an important part of working with other individuals.” Lawyers said they expect more legal disputes over the issue as employers increasingly demand staff spend more time in the office.

Our HR Comment: UK judge rules against FCA manager who wanted to work from home | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting story and we wait to see what affect it has on other people wishing to work from home full time since the Pandemic and now businesses wishing their teams to come back to the office. At Consensus HR, we have worked with a number of clients and their teams who have put in flexible working requests to work from home full time or for a few days a week and companies need to ensure that they manage these requests correctly to best practice and the law – Flexible Working Application pursuant to s.80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended) (“the Act”). “

We have written a number of blogs on this subject which can be accessed by clicking on the link below:

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08 01 2024

Businesses believe that hybrid working is here to stay |Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

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

Fewer than 30% of firms expect their workforce to be fully in person at their offices and workplaces over the next five years while 16% expect them to be mostly remote and 8% fully remote.

These are the findings of new research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Insights Unit and technology firm Cisco which covered over 1000 businesses, of which 96% were SMEs.

The research found a clear divide between different sectors, with business-to-business (B2B) services firms (such as the finance and legal sectors) more likely to expect remote working. Only 17% of B2B services organisations expect fully in person working, while the figure for manufacturers is 38% and 37% for business-to-consumer (B2C) services.

BCC Deputy Director Public Policy, Jane Gratton, said: “Our data shows that hybrid working is now part of the fabric of the modern workplace. For millions of people, logging in remotely for at least part of the working week is now routine. This flexibility is valued by employers and their teams. Less than 30% of firms expect staff to be working fully in person over the next five years.”

Employers still value regular face-to-face contact with staff, however, and the BCC findings show only 8% of businesses expect staff to be permanently working remotely.

Companies were also asked about the connectivity tools they use such as video calling and cloud security.

A quarter of firms (25%) say they are not confident they have the knowledge to make the right purchasing decisions, while 55% are relying on external experts when making decisions about adopting technology.

The survey also found that 65% of firms say connectivity tools are value for money.

“Flexible working makes good business sense,” Ms Gratton concluded. “In a tight labour market, where employers are competing for skilled workers, hybrid working, and flexible working more generally, has become an important part of staff benefit packages.”

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Our HR Comment: Businesses believe that hybrid working is here to stay |Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Some very interesting statistic here in relation to hybrid working and what employees wish for in today working environment. At Consensus HR, we have found that many employers where their sector allows this, that they allow their teams to work from home up to two days a week with the other three having to be in the office for meeting and team work / support. The Pandemic has definitely resulted in a change in the working environment and contracted hours / days”

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27 10 2023

Councils told not to adopt four-day working weeks | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Recruitment #4 day working week, #bedfordshirebusinesses, #councils, #flexibleworking, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Ministers have formally warned councils in England against adopting four-day working weeks for staff. Government guidance says local authorities that have adopted the work pattern should end the practice immediately. While supporters of the four-day week argue that it improves staff wellbeing and productivity, the government believes that it does not represent value for money and is concerned service quality will decline. Lee Rowley, the Minister for Local Government, warned that councils which opt to disregard the guidance “are now on notice” that ministers “will take necessary steps” to ensure that the practice is ended within local government. Noting that more than nine in 10 councils are experiencing staff recruitment and retention difficulties, Pete Marland, chair of the Local Government Association’s resources board, said: “It is councils who know what works best for their community, workforce and in their wider labour market conditions.”

The Guardian

Our HR comment: – Councils told not to adopt four-day working weeks | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “We have written a number of blogs of hybrid / flexible working and their pro’s / cons and this one in the ‘Guardian’ highlights the action that Government / Ministers are taking against local councils and them adopting a four-day week. It is a subject that has been spoken about many times in a lot of media since the Pandemic and is totally specific to each company and the service is offers. Unfortunately, / fortunately, there is no one policy that will suit all businesses and each business needs to thoroughly investigate the overall pros / cons of adapting this working practice and the working week and take the necessary action. All parties should be included in the decision so as to not create an environment where quality members of the team feel not listened to and only have the option of seeking alternative employment.

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If your company is experiencing continual discussions / problems about changing the working week to less days but maybe with more hours per day and wish to fully consider how this would be managed and the action that needs to be taken, give us a call now,

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Unfair dismissal: Band of reasonable responses

18 10 2023

Tax office staff to be paid more in three-day week trial | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General, Payrol #bedfordshirebusinesses, #hybridworking, #outsourcing, #taxoffice, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

HMRC staff will be paid more to work a three-day week over the summer as part of a trial to improve customer service levels. The pilot will involve a selection of customer service staff working fewer hours over the summer and then longer hours during tax return season. To encourage workers to sign up to the scheme, HMRC is offering a 1% pay rise. HMRC said the trial would allow it to “assess the benefits for both our customers and our colleagues.” The scheme, which will start next year and run for 12 months, is designed to help improve customer service levels that have been labelled “unacceptable” by the Public Accounts Committee. The tax office has faced criticism for its levels of customer service. It closed its self-assessment helpline over the summer and also shut its VAT helpline this year. It is noted that tax office staff are already permitted to work from home for two days a week under a “hybrid home-office working policy” approved in 2020.

The Daily Telegraph

The Times

Our HR comments: – Tax office staff to be paid more in three-day week trial | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Well, what an interesting article to hear that a Government department is embracing flexible working in a big way and that department being one that every business has to interact with at some stage or other. The scheme here possibly demonstrates the way forward for business that can provide this and with the technology available and practices that occurred during the Pandemic. Many businesses though regardless of technology etc will not be able to offer this to their teams such as Hospitalities and retail and many businesses are finding the managing / logistics of this extremely hard. The Tax office unfortunately is known for poor customer service and as with many public sector services, if you try to call them, you are left waiting extremely long times for somebody to answer, so maybe this will improve thing and we wait to see. Hybrid working is still showing itself a lot in the news and how many businesses are now requiring their staff to return to the office, 5 days a week as the effects of working from home on the team and business are starting to show their effects. Does your business offer Hybrid working? Do you work in a business that does and find it affects the team? Let us know please in our comments.”

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If your business is experiencing members of the team requesting Hybrid working or changes to their terms and conditions and you do not know which way to turn, give us a call now and Consensus HR will help you prevent people problems.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Sexism in the City inquiry begins | 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:

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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.

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01 09 2023

HSBC orders UK staff back to the office for three days a week | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

HSBC has ordered its 18,500 UK staff to return to the office three days a week starting from October, despite downsizing its London headquarters. The bank’s previous policy allowed teams to set their own hybrid working policies, but now employees will be required to spend three days a week in the office or with clients. The move by HSBC follows other companies, including Lloyds Banking Group, JP Morgan, Investec, and BlackRock, all increasing the number of days employees are required to be in the office.

The Daily Telegraph

Daily Mail

Our HR comment: – HSBC orders UK staff back to the office for three days a week

Matthew P Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “It seems that more and more companies following the Pandemic are now requiring their teams to return to the office, with this article today in The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail commenting that HSBC requires its team members to return for 3 days a week. This also coincides with a blog we recently wrote in relation to Amazon who have also stated 3 days a week in the office. Is this the way forward?

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

Amazon chief warns staff about remote working. | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

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Is your business currently finding that team members are refusing to return to the office and the business now requires it? If yes, then give us a call.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Government to bring back EU-derived law on equal pay months after scrapping it | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

19 06 2023

Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #pandemic, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn’s first HR director, says senior leadership teams are having to navigate the complexities of hybrid working, telling the Times that the first question recruiters are now asked when they call a candidate about an opportunity is whether the job can be done remotely. He says: “We’ve never faced a moment like this in the history of work where most businesses created value in-person and now have switched to remote.” Firms, Mr Cadigan adds, are “really still going through learning. There is no benchmark.” On finding the right work pattern and set-up, he says: “My recommendation is to do lots of experiments, have lots of quick feedback loops and be open and honest with your team, to say, ‘Hey, we don’t know exactly [how this works] but we hear you that you want more freedom, flexibility and autonomy’.”

The Times

Our Comment: Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “
This is a very interesting article published in The Times last week and highlights how recruitment has changed drastically since the Pandemic. Many companies are finding that when recruiting they are being asked this question regularly when the vacancy expresses it is office based. Many applicants and especially Generation Z following the ability to allow them to work from home during the Pandemic are now asking if the role for which they are applying can also be Hybrid? There have been many articles written by a range of publishers since the Pandemic in relation to Hybrid and companies need to ensure that when interviewing and writing the Job Description for the role that they fully consider the practicalities of working hybrid, should it be asked. As previously commented within some our blogs many businesses have now adapted with them working in the office 3 days and two days open to flexibility and you only have to look at the roads on a Monday or Friday when it can be seen that they are quieter. Business Owners have to take ownership of these request and manage it correctly and legally to best practice”.

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If you need support with getting your team back to the office or Hybrid in general, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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05 06 2023

Hybrid working is ‘here to stay’.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, General #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Ronni Zehavi, chief executive of human resources tech firm HiBob, says hybrid working “will stay with us for ever,” and warns that companies demanding their workers spend five days in the office “will experience a very high level of attrition.” While a number of firms are urging staff to return to their desks, and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has suggested that the “default” location for workers should be the office, Mr Zehavi said hybrid working is “here to stay,” adding: “It’s irreversible. It’s not short-term hype; it’s a change that will last for the next ten to fifteen years.” He added that around 90% of HiBob’s clients were committed to hybrid working and were “finding it very productive.” On a shift in working patterns, he added: “It’s no longer about counting hours, it’s about productivity.” He also expects the five-day working week to become a thing of the past.

The Times

Our Comments: Hybrid working is ‘here to stay’

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIOPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Since the ‘end’ of the Pandemic, we have written many blogs on this subject, and which are listed at the bottom of this blog if you wish to view? We have seen a major change in companies working patterns and as discussed previously many have now moved to Hybrid for on average two days a week and in the office for three and with the Chancellor recently stating that the office should be” default” we believe it should be up to the company to decide on what’s best for its business and team. However, businesses need to ensure that they have the correct HR Policies & Procedures in place to ensure the smooth practice of providing this whilst ensuring they have the full flexibility to run the business should things change.”

A couple of our previous blogs on the subject:

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If you need support with your team due to members still not wishing to return to the office as required, give us a call now.

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18 05 2023

Office working should be ‘default’, Chancellor says

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #default, #hybridworking, #office, #officeworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

The Chancellor has said the “default” location for workers should be in the office, unless there is a good reason to work remotely or in a hybrid pattern. Jeremy Hunt said that while working remotely – which has become increasingly common since the pandemic – has produced “exciting opportunities,” he is worried about a “loss of creativity” when it is permanent. A recent Deloitte survey found that 77% of Gen Z and 71% of millennials would consider looking for a new job if their employer asked them to go to their workplace full-time. Kate Sweeney, partner and human capital lead at Deloitte, said younger workers “expect to be able to flex their work to accommodate their personal life.” She added: “Employers who recognise this desire for choice and support this are more likely to attract, retain and motivate the best talent from these two generations.” Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said: “Office environments provide valuable opportunities for collaboration, learning and social interaction, but the pandemic has also demonstrated the value of remote working in fostering employee well-being, and work-life balance, without compromising on productivity.”

BBC News

The Times

Our Comment: Office working should be ‘default’, Chancellor says

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott. FCIPOD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “Following many of our blogs written on this subject and shown below, we can now see within this article on the BBC and The Times that Jeremy Hunt has now made his opinion on the subject of not returning to the office with our Chartered Institute also having a say. We have had to help some of our clients get their teams back to the office but some have also expressed that it does actually work for their business not working from the office full time but on a flexible basis with some set compulsory days such as Tuesday, Wednesday. Business Owners need to ensure that they fully investigate whether this does work for their team and the business and through consultation with the team, take the necessary action as after all, without business there is no job but by not discussing it with the team, it can result in extreme adverse effects for the business such as bad moral, production, retention to name a few.”

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If you need support with your team, get in contact with us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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01 03 2023

HSBC seeks smaller HQ.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Newsletter #flexibleworking, #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is one office block, you always see on the opening credits of The Apprentice on the BBC with its HSBC logo, but it would seem that with the continuing closure of banks on the high street, HSBC is now looking to reduce its office space in London. This is in contrast to Lloyds of London who reportedly are in talks to extend the lease of its London headquarters in order to bring staff back into the office. All of our clients have now returned to the office to work with the consensus that it is better for team / working atmosphere and productivity with a few allowing tow / three days out of the office but the remainder of their working week within the office. Within many of our recent blogs we discussed: Flexi / Hybrid Working, Young People seek to make friends, UK Employees to be given more flexible working rights, Menopausal Women and flexible working patterns and Flexible Working key to reducing pay gap, Civil Servants claim.”

News Article: HSBC seeks smaller HQ.

HSBC is looking for a new London office that is less than half the size of its current site. The bank is seeking a new global headquarters of between 400,000 and 500,000 sq. ft – far smaller than its 45-storey skyscraper at Canary Wharf, which spans 1.1m square feet. Having embraced remote and hybrid working to a greater extent than peers such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, HSBC wants to reduce its office space by 40% globally compared with pre-pandemic levels. Elsewhere, insurance marketplace Lloyd’s of London is reportedly in talks to extend the lease on its City of London headquarters as it works to bring staff back into the office.

The Sunday Times

City AM

The Human-Times

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29 11 2022

City workers ignore calls to return to offices

Matthew Chilcott Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Performance Management #HRblog, #HRHertford, #HRLetchworth, #HRStevenage, #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, #returntowork, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott -FCIPD, ACEL, BA (Hons), Owner of Consensus HR – City workers ignore calls to return to offices comments; “It seems now that the statistics for people wishing to continual to work from home following the Pandemic are starting to come in, with this latest story involving City workers. This is something that I thought would happen as how can many businesses say, following the Pandemic that workers can no longer work from home, if it was successful then?

We have found that this is very business sector specific as many of our clients do not have the choice as the services, they offer need face to face customer service / contact but the few that do not are currently considering their options. Many have taken the option that working from home is still permitted for 1 -2 days a week but for the other working days of their week, the member of the team is needed in the office. Why? You may ask? We have found that many prefer to be in the office and work and keep their personal / business lives separate and have a working lifestyle, with meeting team members whilst also having the opportunity to work from home occasionally if needed. Business owners have had to manage this correctly by working with their teams and explaining why they are required to return to the office to work and attend meetings and what the benefits are to the business, team, and the employee themselves.

In these scenarios it is where HR plays an effective part by consulting and working with your team to find the best solution for the business and them as an employee. If there is not business, then there is no employment, but the team should be encouraged to look for solutions on the way forward with businesses explaining the need for them to be present in the workplace and the benefits this has for the team spirit and business sales / success. The team must however understand that they have a job to fulfil and SMART objectives / Job Description to achieve and follow for the company and their success whilst having the opportunity at their regular performance review (appraisal) to have their say / input on the way forward for their career and the success of the company.”

NEWS ARTICLE:

City workers are ignoring calls from executives to be in the office for a minimum number of days each week, according to a new report based on interviews with 100 workers in major companies. The study suggests that staff and managers in the financial and professional services sectors are employing “bespoke” working models that align with their specific operational needs. The report argues that remote-first policies have no detrimental impact on productivity, with survey respondents saying that flexible working policies have the potential to significantly boost productivity and provide greater efficiency. Dr Grace Logan, an economist at the London School of Economics, warns that demands from top level executives that workers come in for a minimum number of days each week are “ego-driven rather than having the best interests of the business in mind.” Anna Lane, president of Women in Banking and Finance, said managers demanding “rigid” schedules, requiring workers come in for “3,4, or 5” days each week, will “lose out to their competitors who do not” make such demands

Financial Times

City AM

The Human Times

21 11 2022

Remote working is blamed for pub woes

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Redundancy #christmas, #Hertfordshire, #hybridworking, #outsourcedhumanresources, #pub, #stevenage, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Support, Small Business, SME

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, Owner of Consensus HR comments: Remote working is blamed for pub woes – “Well, this is our first blog that mentions ‘Christmas’, but I am sure there will be many more before Christmas 2022 arrives! Following the last few years and the Pandemic you could say I suppose that this will be the first real Christmas since pre pandemic when families and teams will be able to celebrate as they use to do post Pandemic. However, if these statistics from this survey are to be true, companies may be seeing that their teams are not interested in the old festivities due to working from home.

Christmas & the New Year are times to celebrate and an ideal opportunity for the team to enjoy themselves and celebrate and decorate the office whilst having a team event, but what do you have planned for this year, and nobody wishes to be ruin Christmas or the New Year?

Please ensure as we comment every year that whatever you have planned that your team are fully aware of any company / HR policies so that no forms of unwanted misconduct occur and end up ruining the party for any member of the team. We recommend that businesses have a Policy on behaviour at work related events such as Christmas, so that everyone knows what to expect and can enjoy themselves fully without any repercussions.”

PRESS ARTICLE – Remote working is blamed for pub woes –

The number of office Christmas parties booked this year is a fifth lower than pre-pandemic levels, pubs have reported. The rising number of staff working from home and cost pressures are blamed for the fall in demand. In a normal year, British pubs take in around £2.3bn in December – about one-tenth of their annual income and their most profitable month by far – according to the British Beer and Pubs Association. However, a survey of 5,000 watering holes last week found that festive bookings are down by 20% compared to what was normal before the pandemic. Meanwhile, December bookings for the wider hospitality sector are only slightly below 2019 levels, according to separate analysis by UKHospitality. The industry group’s chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “We are cautiously optimistic. Bookings are coming in, but they tend to come in a little later these days than they did before the pandemic.”

The Daily Telegraph.

The Human Times

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With Christmas arriving next month and this probably the first ‘normal’ one since the Pandemic. Is colleagues working from home affecting yours and attendance?

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