Business HR Under The Spotlight – Your 3 Minute October Roundup
“Welcome to Spotlight HR’s monthly ‘bite-size’ look at the latest HR news and important legal changes affecting small to medium-sized businesses across the UK today.”
October 2022. By Kimberly Bradshaw (CEO, Spotlight HR.)
Racism in the workplace – How we can tackle it
In a landscape of political revolving doors, coupled with the backtracking and then restacking of government policies, does not make the UK feel very progressive right now. But one kernel of positivity, we can perhaps glean, is that Britain now boasts its first British Asian Prime Minister, a practising Hindu, inaugurated during the celebration of Diwali – the Hindu Festival of Lights. But does this appointment shine a brighter light on diversity and equality and push these discussions further up the agenda?
The reality is that Sunak’s cabinet has fewer women than usual at 22%, and with just 16% non-white – this certainly is not ground-breaking. This is not a political statement, but rather one addressing equality and diversity. Recent reports across the country show that racism in the workplace remains disappointingly apparent. So, in 2022, how does racism manifest in UK workplaces, and what can we do about it?
Recent statistics covering racism in UK workplaces:
- A report by Pearn Kandola suggests that 61% of black employees experienced racism in 2021. Two-thirds of Black employees experienced racism last year, research finds (peoplemanagement.co.uk)
- And Racism at Work in the UK report revealed 74% of employees overall cited racism as a problem last year – this is a rise of 2%
- 52% had witnessed racism at work
- But of this number, only 22% reported what they had seen
- 41% of those asked why they didn’t report it said they feared the consequences
What more should we do to tackle racism at work?
This is an important conversation; racism is unacceptable and must be challenged and stamped out. This starts with addressing company culture and keeping an open dialogue. At Spotlight HR, equality and fairness are our passion, and we invite businesses to contact us for free advice. For those looking for further information now, here is a guide covering the considerations to keep in mind when discussing race in the workplace. How to talk about race at work | CIPD
Through the HR lens – The recruitment crisis looming for small businesses
Regardless of what is occurring in British politics, one thing that seems to be a nationwide constant struggle for business owners is recruiting staff and keeping them. This is affecting organisations across all sectors because there is now a lack of people to recruit in this country, as well as a skill deficit.
One obvious way of managing this situation is employee retention. Keep them happy so they don’t leave in the first place, right? This would make sense, but a recent study at Westfield Health Research showed that employee satisfaction is no longer enough!
This is a worrying shift, especially as a report into 2,000 SME employees suggests that small businesses are most likely to be hit – and to the tune of up to £23 billion nationally, in recruitment costs alone, as employees look to leave. So, what can you do?
Spotlight HR’s hints and tips on how to retain staff and keep them happy:
- Address their fears about the economic outlook – A pay rise may prove more cost-effective in both time, money and security – than going through the recruitment process to find someone new.
- Demonstrate their job security – Reduce their fears by sharing your future plans for the company and the part they play in that, with career progression.
- Be proactive – Speak to staff and find out what you can do to offer help, like setting up a team carshare scheme, offering flexible hours or contributing to travel costs.
At Spotlight HR, we understand what a worrying time this is. Get in touch for a FREE chat to see how we can help you.
Employment Tribunal in focus – Bus driver’s fist fight tribunal
A tribunal had to decide whether a bus driver had been unfairly dismissed, following a violent altercation with another bus driver from a different company when they tried pulling into the same parking bay. Bus driver tribunal
This case pivoted around the company procedure surrounding the CCTV footage of the incident, and the lack of prior access given to him and his union representative, despite their requests to postpone the meeting to review it. The tribunal ruled that Mr Taylor was unfairly dismissed because this request was refused, despite the company’s own disciplinary policy stating differently.
The moral of this story? HR disciplinary policies are there to protect both employers and employees in difficult times – and they must be followed to the letter if you wish to avoid costly tribunals and unfavourable PR.
If you have any questions about your current procedures or are experiencing people problems – get in touch, we are here to help.
Spotlight HR – dependable HR advice that you can rely on.
