Retaining your best staff in the face of redundancy 
In the three months to September 2022, according to Statista, there were 75,000 redundancies made in the UK.
The economy is declining, and the Chancellor is predicting it will get worse before it gets better. Many firms who have already made savings and put expansion plans on hold are now looking at taking significant costs out. This usually means restructuring and redundancies.
How to retain the best staff for the future is often the biggest question facing business owners.
The legal process for redundancy must always be followed. This starts with a consultation. It is not good enough to simply present the business case as a fait accompli and proceed at speed.
Listening to employees can, on occasions, produce surprising ideas and offers, such as a temporary reduction in pay to save jobs.
The next stage is vital. It involves grouping all the people with the same or similar roles who will be at risk of redundancy and marking a selection criteria.
Do remember to make reasonable adjustments in the scoring for disabled employees.
Typical criteria are attendance, performance and live disciplinary records, but can include specific business needs. The marking must be evidence based, as this is the way that you can fairly ensure your best staff survive.
It is worth having professional help at this stage to avoid the risk of an unfair dismissal claim.
Don’t forget there is a cost to redundancy: statutory or contractual company redundancy pay, notice pay and any accrued holiday that has not been taken.
Even employees with under two years’ service can make a tribunal claim for unlawful deduction from wages.
We know this is a difficult time for employers and employees alike. Handling the process professionally and with compassion can make a difference not only to those leaving but to the remaining staff as well.
The recent firings and redundancies by Elon Musk at Twitter should serve as a stark reminder of how not to handle the situation!
Keep your Christmas parties PG! 
After two years of pandemic-related restrictions and uncertainty, work Christmas parties are making a comeback.
With no restrictions to consider this year, it’s important to keep your parties PG!
Otherwise, your employees could wake up with more than just a hangover…
One of the most common party regrets is getting a little too friendly with a co-worker. An industry survey found that 45% of people have locked lips with a colleague!
Statistics like this can cause some HR professionals to shudder at the thought of what could go wrong.
It can be easy for parties to go awry, but reminding your employees that the party is still an extension of the workplace, will help to act as a deterrent.
The survey found that 58% of employees intend not to drink too much, so those numbers may provide some comfort.
Before letting your employees celebrate the festive season, ensure you make it clear what behaviour is unacceptable and the consequences of breaching your policies. Employers are responsible for employee’s behaviour – even at out-of-work events.
Also, avoid discussing things such as salary, performance, and career prospects with your employees at the party.
There have been incidents where promises that have been made to an employee whilst under the influence of alcohol have been upheld by employment tribunals, even when the employer did not intend for this to be the case.
But most importantly, make sure you and your team can eat, drink and be merry (within reason!).
The company who cancelled Christmas 
The threat of cancelling Christmas is usually reserved for parents when trying to warn their children to behave.
However, one company has cancelled Christmas for their employees. Their Christmas annual leave to be precise.
Due to a real terms pay cut, employees at Thomas Swann have decided to go on strike over the festive period.
In response, the company has cancelled all pre-booked holiday over Christmas.
It may leave you wondering: is this allowed?
Technically, yes. Employers can cancel employees’ annual leave that has previously been approved if there is a business need.
You cannot cancel leave if it means your employee is then unable to take their full statutory annual leave entitlement in that leave year, though.
You must also provide notice equivalent to the period of leave the employee planned to take.
Cancelling leave, especially at this time of year, is an extreme reaction. Few companies will be comfortable being branded Scrooge on social media!
Inclusion for all at Christmas 
From the 20th November to 24th January, there are around 14 different religious holidays celebrated worldwide.
So, it’s key to recognise that some in your business may not celebrate Christmas.
The way you celebrate holidays at work will frame your company culture and can impact inclusivity.
Beyond the minimum requirements set out by UK law, it is a good idea to promote inclusivity amongst your employees to encourage equality, fairness and appreciation of others.
Give employees the choice as to whether or not they’d like to participate in festive activities. If they don’t, ensure they are not treated detrimentally.
Don’t be afraid to keep the spirit alive, but if you can, cater to all. Perhaps you can organise a lunch to celebrate a successful year!
However you choose to celebrate, just make sure that everyone is included and comfortable.
Your right to be boring 
At a recent French employment tribunal, a judge upheld a man’s legal right to be “boring” at work.
Mr T was fired from his job in Paris as he did not want to go for a drink with his colleagues after work. He argued that he had a right to be boring.
He was dismissed on grounds of professional inadequacy.
However, the court also found that the company often engaged in “humiliating and intrusive practices”, such as colleagues sharing beds during seminars and the use of nicknames.
Agreeing that Mr T shouldn’t have to take part in such practices, the court awarded him the equivalent of £2,574. He is also seeking the equivalent of an additional £395,630 in damages.
This case can serve as reminder this festive season that not everyone is a Scrooge if they don’t want to participate in festive activities!
Party or pay? What do your employees want? 
As the cost of living crisis continues, it can be hard for people to spend money on things they deem as unnecessary.
Unfortunately, the workplace Christmas party hasn’t escaped this scrutiny.
One recent workplace survey revealed that 94% of respondents would rather their employer use the Christmas party budget for staff bonuses instead.
Creating open and honest communication with your team could help you understand how they’re feeling. This could lead to collaborative discussions on what you could do to mark the festive season.
Perhaps asking your team to anonymously submit ideas would give you a good indication of what they would like.