Keeping employees cool in a heatwave
With one heatwave already been and gone in 2023, but still plenty of summertime left for another, having a plan in place to keep employees cool is not only good for them, but good for business, too.
An American study found that heatwaves account for $44 billion of lost productivity each year across 12 of the World’s largest cities, including Athens, New Delhi and Los Angeles. They predict this will rise to $84 billion by 2050, unless greenhouse gas levels fall.
Closer to home, and you probably experience first hand the symptoms of a hot and stuffy office: Irritation; more human error; and rows about fans, air conditioning (if you have it) and whether it is better with windows open or closed…
There is no legal maximum temperature for the workplace, although employers are expected to keep working conditions reasonable.
Many businesses do not have the luxury of air conditioning, so smaller measures will be necessary.
If you have a dress code, relaxing it, whilst still maintaining the appropriate air of professionalism for your industry, should be an easy first step for most businesses. If you have uniforms, can you design regular and summer versions?
It’s generally considered that windows or doors being open is preferable (assuming no air conditioning), to allow fresh air in, although this may spark some debate. Additionally, be careful not to breach any fire door regulations, though.
Office fans are a life saver. Nowadays individual workers can get mini ones which plug into their laptops. These may add a little extra firepower precisely where it is needed.
You could consider rearranging seating plans temporarily, too. Some people may struggle to cope more than others in the extreme heat, including older workers, pregnant women or those experiencing the menopause.
If you employ outside workers, the risks are even more acute, with sunburn, skin cancer, dehydration and heat stroke all a threat. Consider rearranging shifts so that workers are kept out of the midday highs; and supply suncream, adequate PPE (like brimmed hats), and plenty of drinking water.
Focus on mid-year reviews
In many businesses, the summer months have a slower pace.
These are great for setting up individual mid-year reviews to: assess work over the past six months, acknowledging accomplishments, identifying any areas where an employee is under-performing, providing constructive feedback and goal setting for the following six months. It may also be the appropriate time to discuss any pay rises or promotions.
These are all practical areas to cover, but you may find it beneficial to also use the opportunity to get feedback from the employee on their role as well as the wider company; and reinforce your business’s culture and values.
You may be an old hand at such reviews or relatively inexperienced in delivering them. Either way we have some tips which we hope you will find useful as a refresher or new advice.
- Ensure you prepare adequately for each employee, and also give them the time and guidance they need to prepare.
- Schedule sufficient time and a private space in which to conduct the reviews.
- Cover strengths as well as weaknesses for everyone so that they feel encouraged but know how to develop.
- Draw on objective data to appraise, so performance is known to be judged by matters of fact, not just opinion.
- Make sure it is a two-way conversation, by encouraging your employee to contribute.
Regular employee reviews are a key element of line management, contributing significantly to the success of the people in your business. If you would like more targeted support with mid-year or annual appraisals, please get in touch with your local HR Dept office. We have a great deal of expertise in this area and would love to help you.
Do you survey staff satisfaction?
If you saw the results of Meta’s recent internal study, it would be understandable if you wanted to run a mile from the notion of a staff satisfaction survey. A 70% majority of employees said Mark Zuckerburg is an unfit leader. For context, Meta is initiating wave after wave of redundancies at present.
Furthermore, here in the UK our employee engagement is amongst the lowest in Europe according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce report.
While that all sounds like doom and gloom, it may not be something to shy away from. The surveys themselves are not the cause of dissatisfaction, they are just reporting it. By understanding any issues, it gives you a chance to address them by taking tangible action.
By investing in your workforce relations in this way, it should translate into an improvement in solid business metrics like output, absenteeism, recruitment and retention and ultimately productivity.
My flight’s been cancelled!
Sadly, there’s been no shortage of holiday disruptions since the pandemic. From airlines cancelling flights due to over-selling seats, to air traffic controller strikes.
What, then, if an employee becomes stranded overseas? If you get that call, it is important to adopt a balanced stance. Even if you are left short-staffed, the employee may not be in control of the situation.
Good dialogue is important, ensuring you are kept up-to-date with events which may be fast-moving. The issues of workflow and pay could be the top priorities in your relationship.
Assuming you have no contractual obligation, you do not need to pay them while they are absent, but they may be short of cash, and a light pay packet could exacerbate their predicament.
Could they work remotely while they wait it out? Or take further annual leave? Some employers may even consider offering a short-term loan to be repaid once compensation is received. If you are prepared to offer this, you must put your terms in an email and they must agree to it before proceeding. Acting kindly in a crisis will normally be repaid in good will over the long term.
Summer socials
Like the work Christmas party, the summer social is a staple for many businesses. It brings the team together, is a token of thanks for their hard work, and allows everyone to have fun.
Just like the Christmas party, though, it is an event to be planned carefully, to ensure that you are not nursing more than a hangover the next day.
Vicarious liability is one of the main risks – where you as employer are held responsible for the bad behaviour of staff. Alcohol is often a root cause of trouble.
Reminding everyone in writing that it is an extension of the workplace, and therefore the usual company policies relating to things like harassment and discrimination, is good as both a deterrent and a line of defence for you should anything untoward occur. Think also about the balance of access to alcohol, food and soft drinks, ensuring you are not encouraging excessive drinking.
One way to subtly create a positive vibe could be to link the social to any charitable fundraising you undertake. Not only is it efficient use of precious time in planning both initiatives, but it adds an extra layer of propriety to your party.
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned!
In what the US Department of Labour described as amongst the “most shameless” schemes it has ever investigated, the owners of a Mexican restaurant in California were recently ordered to pay $140,000 in damages and back pay to staff.
One of their ruses was to hire a fake Catholic priest to conduct confessions which had an unusual focus on potential workplace misdemeanours. “Have you done anything to harm your employer?”, “Are you ever late to work?” were two of the lines of questioning from the supposed priest.
If you have concerns about the ethics of your workforce, we’d suggest a more conventional disciplinary and grievance procedure. And if you need help from a higher power – call The HR Dept!