Is an extra week off the answer to burnout?
Nike has become the latest company to join the likes of LinkedIn and Bumble, announcing plans to give staff a week off to help them combat burnout.
The announcement will no doubt have piqued interest, causing employers to question if this is a short-lived trend, a headline grabbing stunt, or a bona fide solution for workplace well-being.
Adequate time for respite from work is certainly key to achieving a good work-life balance. That’s why we always suggest encouraging an even distribution of holiday to be taken throughout the year wherever possible.
With that said, we can’t help but question why staff are reaching burnout in the first place? For a whole company to require a week off, there could be some underlying problems present with people management.
This may not help those businesses already committed to giving staff a week off, but it might produce relief for SME employers who want to maintain a happy, healthy, and productive workforce, without needing to shut down operations. We imagine that it would likely be good news for clients or customers too.
Good mental health has always been important, but the pandemic has driven more conversations around the subject. As a result, some employers are seeking new and attractive solutions to support and motivate their staff.
A week off or even a planned well-being day away from the office might sound appealing to some, but is there a risk of work piling up when employees return? Will it address the cause of why staff are getting stressed out in the first place? These are questions that need to be considered.
To construct an effective workplace well-being strategy that suits your business and those that work within it, a bit of internal research can go a long way. For example, one-on-one conversations with employees regarding their workload and workflow can reveal how and when stressful situations might be arising.
A “shop-floor” viewpoint can help to highlight simple ways in which the day-to-day might be improved. It could give you the insight to provide essential support to staff, reducing the risk of stress building up and leading to burn out. Additionally, a simple “How are you?” now and again can see employees open up. You may find out that there are other ways you could provide support, such as flexi-hours for working parents and carers or an Employee Assistance Programme for a team member going through a hard time personally.
Good workplace well-being need not cost the earth or require you to close your entire business. It does however require a consistent and considered approach to keep your workforce happy, healthy, and working well for the long term.
Can I reduce pay if staff now work from home?
Upon hearing that Google may reduce pay for staff in the US who choose to permanently work from home, UK business owners hoping to cut costs may well be wondering if they can do the same.
One of the main attractions to remote working is the ability to avoid the daily commute. No more packed trains or traffic jams. Then there’s the potential savings on travel. It’s not surprising that the option of remote working is a desirable employee benefit.
However, although these are attractive, employers seeking to reduce an employee’s pay because they now work from home should be aware of the risks in such action.
Doing so would require a change to employment terms and contracts, which the employee needs to be in agreement with or you face a Tribunal for unlawful deduction from wages.
Unless the employee’s job has had to change, warranting a reduction in salary, or the only other option is redundancy, they are unlikely to be onboard with a pay cut. In fact, they may even argue that you are able to save money on overheads due to them now working from home.
Aside from needing to have what could be a difficult conversation, the suggestion alone could damage your relationship and lead to resentment from your remote workers. This would be a less than ideal situation when communication may already be strained.
There are further risks to consider for those managing a hybrid team. If some staff are still attending the office, reducing pay only for those working from home could lead to claims of indirect discrimination.
Employees work better and are more loyal to a business when they feel valued. So whilst pay cuts may not be the solution to cut costs, you might find other ways to reduce budgets or increase profitability with a bit of teamwork.
What to do when you can’t get the staff
Employers may breathe a sigh of relief that the “pingdemic” is subsiding. Fully vaccinated employees no longer need to self-isolate, unless they test positive for COVID-19.
However that may not be the only staffing issue currently plaguing UK businesses. Vacancies are continuing to go unfilled as bosses admit that they just can’t get the staff.
The recruitment game has changed. A combination of factors, including Brexit and the pandemic, has resulted in a jobseeker’s market. What can employers do to find and retain the right people?
Firstly, make sure your offering is competitive in today’s market. Can you match the key desirable benefits of 2021? Think job security, pandemic-proof, training opportunities, health, well-being and flexible working.
Secondly, actively looking for candidates has become commonplace, in the same way that you might be looking for customers. Research and relationship building have never been more important when seeking skilled staff to work for your business. This can be a time-consuming task, but it pays for itself when you find the right person.
Lastly, remember that we are here to help and can handle the process for you, from advertising your role to inducting your new hire.
A red card from HR
Posting a job ad is a vital chance to provide a first impression of your business and reach a wide range of people that might be a good fit for your team.
Naturally, you might consider including a couple of unique points to make you stand out from the competition, such as some identifiable traits of your business or company culture.
What you don’t want to do is accidentally alienate prospective applicants, as one football club recently did. The business has been subsequently called out on social media for foul play!
The ad, for a general manager at AFC Fylde has been criticised for stating “delegators and office dwellers please don’t apply” also “don’t apply if you are looking for a work-life balance or have to pick up the kids from school twice a week”. Yikes!
Not only can this give a bad first impression and put people off from applying, but it risks being discriminatory, as employment law still applies at this stage of hiring.
If you’re recruiting and want to avoid an awkward own goal, remember that we are here to help.
More support for survivors of domestic abuse
Between two and three women are killed every week by domestic abuse from a partner or ex-partner.
This horrifying truth may shock some readers, as the stigma surrounding domestic abuse, and a lack of awareness on how to show support, can result in the topic being avoided altogether. This, as statistics show, leads to damaging consequences.
Here at The HR Dept we want to make a change. That’s why we joined up with Sharon Livermore, the Domestic Abuse Alliance (DA Alliance) and the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA). We’ve collaborated on a new domestic abuse policy, Sharon’s Policy, and training for employers, so that you can be confident in supporting survivors of domestic abuse in the workplace.
Further highlighting the urgent need of more support for survivors, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has also joined forces with EIDA to become a Beacon member.
Employers looking to raise awareness of domestic abuse to their staff can find resources and support through EIDA, the DA Alliance, Business in the Community, and the UK government website.
Anyone in immediate danger should contact 999.
For more information on Sharon’s Policy or staff training, remember that we too are here to help.
Digital right to work checks to remain for now
There has been some back and forth regarding the future of Right to Work checks. You may remember back in the spring that we reported on the impending end to the temporary process.
After much debate on the topic, and thoughts that the end of digital checks would be a step backwards, it was decided that the temporary digital arrangements will stay in place until April 5 next year.
From then onwards, you will need to carry out physical checks with original documents. However, the government is said to be working on a more permanent digital solution.
