The Working Time Regulations set out how much people are allowed to work on average. According to the government website, gov.uk: ‘You can’t work more than 48 hours a week on average – normally averaged over 17 weeks.’ However, there are some exceptions to this, and employees can opt-out. In this article, we will look at what those exceptions are, what activities count towards working time, and how your employees can opt-out. Working Time Regulations This is sometimes called the Working Time Directive. They set out the maximum number of hours anyone can work. They also cover rest breaks and holiday accrual. Under 18s cannot work longer than 40 hours each week, or 8 hours in a day. Have a look at our article here on employing children for more information. Adult employees should not usually work more than 48 hours per week on average. Sometimes, staff will need to work more than 48 hours in a week, which is ok as long as it averages out to no more than 48. The weekly average should be calculated over 17 weeks. If your staff are working more than 48 hours a week on average, you will either need to ask […]
Does workplace mediation work is a question people ask themselves when they have a situation at work that would benefit from the services of a professional mediator. Usually, relationships and communications between two or more people have broken down and it is causing a problem in the workplace. It is at this point, a workplace mediator is brought in. But what exactly does a workplace mediator do? And does workplace mediation work in the long run? Let’s have a look at whether workplace mediation works using a case study from one of our many happy customers to demonstrate just how effective workplace mediation can be. What Was The Problem? Two employees had stopped speaking to each other due to a lot of gossip and rumours. The company had previously handled this by separating the two employees into different departments, so they didn’t need to see each other. At first, this was successful until the company needed to close one of the departments due to a restructure. The company did not want to make either of the employees redundant as they were both excellent employees and the best candidates for their roles. However, problems were brewing between the two. Unable to […]
You might be thinking of outsourcing your HR function to a team of experts but wondering if it really is a good idea. Some business owners expect outsourced HR to be expensive and unnecessary, but in actual fact it can save you from a potential disaster, not to mention time and money. Any business owner who has ever been involved in a dispute with an employee will tell you that having an expert guide you through the process is invaluable. Plus, a properly managed HR function contributes to business growth and increases employee satisfaction, according to this article. But there are more benefits to outsourcing your HR. 1) Access to Expertise You likely set up your business because you have a passion or a talent for what you do. Running a business, as you will know by now, requires many more skills than those that bring in the revenue. Marketing, management, finance, planning, and HR are all areas that business owners need to have some involvement in without it being their particular forte. By seeking help from experts, you can make sure these business functions are operating effectively and, in HR in particular, legally. That is why outsourcing is such […]
What is workplace mediation, many people ask us here at Metis HR Ltd. Mediation is defined by ACAS as “a completely voluntary and confidential form of resolving workplace disputes between people”. It involves a trained independent mediator working with people within a business or workplace environment who attempt to seek an amicable resolution for everyone concerned in the workplace conflict. Both ACAS and Tribunals actively encourage parties to engage in workplace mediation. A methodical approach to mediation may help resolve conflicts, improve communication, restore trust and allow the parties to move forward. When is Workplace Mediation Appropriate? Workplace Mediation can be used to resolve a variety of disputes at work. It can be helpful in cases where there is a dispute between employees who are both willing to resolve their differences. It can also be used in the early stages of employee grievances or potential disciplinaries to help promote resolutions and without the need for potential formal action. Workplace Mediation can be particularly helpful where the parties want to ensure there is a good working relationship moving forward. Workplace Mediators can be flexible as to how the parties approach it. They may sit around a table and discuss the issues […]
Men’s Health in the Workplace isn’t just a moral issue, it’s a commercially sound issue too. One in five men die before they reach 65, so only four out of every five make it past the traditional retirement age 75% of premature deaths from heart disease are male three in four suicides are committed by men. A healthy workforce tends to be happier and more productive. Many health issues, mental and physical, are preventable especially by encouraging early identification. A proactive approach to men’s health in the workplace could help increase the lifespan of your male workers. So, what practical steps can you as an employer take? Raise Awareness Coronary heart disease is the biggest single cause of death in the UK. A lack of exercise, balanced diet, healthy weight, and stress are all contributors to poor heart health. How can your workplace help staff, make and female, in this respect? Everyone over 40 is entitled to a free NHS health check every five years. You could promote this initiative to your employees and encourage them to attend. Men over 65 are entitled to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm screen which assesses the risk of the aorta bursting. This is six times […]
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was set up to enable businesses to retain staff during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Now, as lockdown lifts slightly, many employers are asking if they can take employees off furlough. For many businesses that were either forced to close or suffered financial hardship, the Job Retention Scheme has been a lifeline. For many individuals, it has ensured they can continue to put food on the table and pay their bills. Many businesses owners are now thinking of getting their business back on track. For some that might mean moving back into their premises. For others, it might be marketing their business to get new customers. Either way, many employers are wondering if they can take employees off furlough and how that might impact their grant. In this article, we will look at how you can bring your employees off furlough without breaking the rules of the Job Retention Scheme or compromising the health of your staff and customers. How Do I Bring Staff Back Off Furlough? If you are ready to bring your staff back off furlough you should first be sure the working environment will be safe. If they are going to work from home […]
Many employers are wracking their brains at the moment to work out what alternatives are there to redundancies. With the current COVID pandemic and the economic crisis that it’s created there’s a need to review costs. The knee-jerk reaction is often to consider job cuts rather than considering what alternatives are there to redundancies? Redundancies aren’t a cheap option. If you make mistakes in the way you handle redundancies, they can prove expensive if you lose tribunal claims. The cost that’s not as easy to quantify is the loss of valuable skills and experience that you’ve invested in. These very skills and experience are what allows your business to bounce back more easily. There’s also an odd impact of redundancy. Those remaining in the business can experience a level of guilt because they are still in a job but their friends aren’t. So here are six alternatives to redundancies that may be worth considering Changing terms and conditions Not without risk. An obvious way to reduce business costs without making people redundant is to change employees’ contractual terms and conditions. For example, an across-the-board pay cut. You must remember that working hours and rates of pay are express terms of […]
As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues, businesses who were previously shut are now wondering ‘can my employees work from home?’ Or, businesses who have been home working for several weeks are now reconsidering whether they need an office at all or if they can make working from home a more permanent arrangement. Your staff may be able to work from home if that suits your business need, but there are some things that need to be considered beforehand to protect you and them; not least of which is they work from home regularly that may become their place of work rather than the office. This might mean you have to pay them an allowance for using their home as a place of work. At Metis HR, we are employer-focused HR outsourcing and advice specialists. We often help businesses through periods of change and uncertainty. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your employees working from home. How Do I Implement Working From Home? Whether you are considering staff working from home or are deciding to make it more permanent or regular, you should follow a process. Deciding where you want your staff to work isn’t as […]
If you are soon to be reopening your business after lockdown or bringing back your staff, you are likely to have a huge number of questions. As HR experts we are used to helping our clients navigate the myriad of employment legal aspects to the Covid 19 crisis. We have taken the five questions we are asked most often and compiled them for your convenience. All the information in this blog is correct at the time of writing. However, the state of affairs around COVID 19 in the UK and the world is moving very quickly. Please be sure to check gov.uk for the most up to date information. When Can I Reopen My Business Premises? That depends on the type of business you run, how the premises are set up and how customers interact with your products or services. There are some businesses that can open if they can operate with no contact, such as takeaways, or are providing essential services, such as food supermarkets. However, there are some businesses that must remain closed without exceptions. These include hair and beauty salons, funfairs, bowling alleys, soft play centres, cinemas, museums, and nightclubs. The full list of businesses that […]
The area of holidays and furlough has been clarified by the Government. So what do you do if you’re asked by an employee? Does annual leave accrue during furlough? Yes, employment rights continue including the right to accrue leave. Can you make an employee take annual leave during furlough? Yes you can make someone take annual leave during furlough. If you want to put people on leave whilst they are on furlough, you must give them the required notice to take leave pay them 100% of their normal pay If an employee has pre-booked holiday and now wants to cancel do I have to agree? No you don’t have to agree to this. If you require them to still take their leave you should pay them 100%. The legislation around carry over of leave has been relaxed. Employees are allowed to carry over 20 days of their entitlement from this year if they have been unable to use it. Employees have two years to use this leave that they have carried over. Can I make an employee take paid leave? This has been an employer’s right since the Working Time Regulations came into force in the UK. You have to […]
