Skip to main content
Read page text
page 6
News and analysis HR news briefing mjj 1 Nine-day fortnight offers as an alternative to a four-day week A viable alternative for more flexibility 2 Can you ask staff to keep working in a heatwave? UK temperatures reach record highs 3 Businesses look to extend HR responsibilities People-related roles in demand 4 Skills shortages leads to increased overworking Existing workers have an added burden 5 Leaders of colour undermined by positive discrimination Black and Asian workers let down by quotas 6 HR July/August 2022 HR Most Influential 2022: top practitioners and thinkers On 30 June, HR magazine unveiled its 2022 HR Most Influential (HRMI) rankings aboard the HMS Belfast. Now in its 16th year, HR Most Influential, this year in partnership with MHR, acknowledges the practitioners and thinkers who go above and beyond the day job to advance the profession and share best practice with the wider HR community. Everyone on the shortlist is nominated by their peers, with the final ranking completed by HR magazine and Hult International Business School (Ashridge). Sharon Benson, interim transformation and people director at Edison Young People, was the number one ranked practitioner for 2022. Accepting the top spot, Benson congratulated everyone who made it on to the list. She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be given the honour of the top place during what continues to be a challenging yet hugely rewarding time for the HR profession.” Perry Timms, founder of consultancy PTHR, topped the list of HR Most Influential Thinkers for 2022 a er ranking second in 2021. He said: “I said I’d be very happy to be anywhere on this list because people who we care about nominate us and put us in this position.” Inducted into the Hall of Fame this year were Harvey Francis, from Skanska; David Frost, from Dole; APS Intelligence founder John Amaechi; Dorchester Collection’s Eugenio Pirri; and Shereen Daniels of HR Rewired. The full list can be found at hrmagazine.co.uk/hr-mostinfluential. Rising Covid infections force HR to prepare In July, the UK was averaging 351,000 daily infections of Covid, the highest recorded since the 350,000 daily infections in March 2022. Some workplaces, such as Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals in Northamptonshire, have reintroduced mask wearing to stop the spread of infection. Under current government laws, face coverings are no longer required. Jamie Styles, director of people and culture at Koa Health, said the rise in infections could lead to a larger mental health issue across the country. He said: “With Covid infection levels on the rise, it’s likely that remote work will increase, with employees opting to work from a remote work environment rather than head into the offi ce. “The economic and political circumstances combined with rising infection rates will create a unique mental health crisis. The stress, anxiety and depression from Covid-19 are far from behind us.” The emphasis will be on HR to remain in contact with employees if they work remotely more o en, Styles added. “HR should encourage managers to keep in touch with staff and think creatively about the ways they check in with individuals and teams.” Neil Davidson, regional vice president EMEA and APAC at so ware company Deltek, said companies can build on previous experiences to deal with rising infections. He said: “British businesses have proven resilient and have already undertaken much of the required transformation to place a renewed focus on data and people.” Data from the Offi ce for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of Covid-related deaths in the UK has surpassed 200,000, with a quarter of those occurring since last summer. A ra p h s: A d o b e t o g l l P h o hrmagazine.co.uk
page 7
HR news briefing News and analysis what July/August means for you Workplace bullying claims reach record high The number of employment tribunals referencing bullying allegations reached a record high in the past 12 months. Research from law firm Fox and Partners found there were 835 tribunals relating to bullying in 2021/22, up 44% from the previous year. The number of claims has more than doubled since the 412 recorded in 2017/18. Hybrid working environments, the report said, have brought new forms of bullying to work, such as leaving colleagues out of remote meetings, comments over video calls and gossiping over messaging platforms. Tim Pointer, chief people offi cer at CAA Brand Management, said that transparency is crucial. “When we’re aware of these concerns, it’s critical we react swi ly, compassionately, empathetically and thoroughly. It’s taking the time to really understand what’s taking place to listen to the issues being raised. “It’s about giving the individual control of the situation as much as you possibly can and ensuring that they understand the next steps that will be followed, how long that’s going to take and the type of actions you’re going to work through.” Ivor Adair, partner at law firm Fox and Partners, said the results were an indictment of senior leadership: “The record number of bullying claims is a worrying sign that some leadership teams have struggled to maintain healthy workplaces during the shi to hybrid working.” Government commits to supporting older workers The government pledged a £22m investment to get over-50s back into work. Brewdog’s transparency dashboard – PR stunt or real change? Brewdog relaunched its transparency dashboard, displaying the company’s progress on commitments to the environment and carbon cutting. Unfairness driving away black employees Black employees are far more likely than their white counterparts to say the company they work for doesn’t treat them fairly. Long Covid recognised as disability in landmark tribunal An employee with long Covid has won an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal, becoming the first person to successfully claim the condition should be classed as a disability. Scotland resident Terrance Burke was sacked from his job as caretaker at charity Turning Point Scotland in August 2021, where he had worked since 2001. Burke had been unable to turn up to work for nine months a er suffering substantial and longterm side effects from Covid-19, which he contracted in 2020. A er initial flu-like symptoms, he was le with severe fatigue and joint pain which rendered him unable to come to work. The tribunal gave Burke permission to bring a disability discrimination case a er ruling that the condition he described amounted to a disability under the Equality Act. Catherine Turner, employment partner at law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, suggested his case was aided by his inability to attend face-to-face GP appointments, meaning the tribunal was willing to accept less evidence. “Medical evidence is key in disability claims and the onus is on the individual to prove disability,” she added. hrmagazine.co.uk July/August 2022 HR 7

Page Text

View plaintext

News and analysis HR news briefing mjj 1 Nine-day fortnight offers as an alternative to a four-day week

A viable alternative for more flexibility

2 Can you ask staff to keep working in a heatwave? UK temperatures reach record highs

3 Businesses look to extend HR responsibilities People-related roles in demand

4 Skills shortages leads to increased overworking Existing workers have an added burden

5 Leaders of colour undermined by positive discrimination Black and Asian workers let down by quotas

6 HR July/August 2022

HR Most Influential 2022: top practitioners and thinkers On 30 June, HR magazine unveiled its 2022 HR Most Influential (HRMI) rankings aboard the HMS Belfast.

Now in its 16th year, HR Most Influential, this year in partnership with MHR, acknowledges the practitioners and thinkers who go above and beyond the day job to advance the profession and share best practice with the wider HR community.

Everyone on the shortlist is nominated by their peers, with the final ranking completed by HR magazine and Hult International Business School (Ashridge).

Sharon Benson, interim transformation and people director at Edison Young People, was the number one ranked practitioner for 2022.

Accepting the top spot, Benson congratulated everyone who made it on to the list.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be given the honour of the top place during what continues to be a challenging yet hugely rewarding time for the HR profession.”

Perry Timms, founder of consultancy PTHR, topped the list of HR Most Influential Thinkers for 2022 a er ranking second in 2021.

He said: “I said I’d be very happy to be anywhere on this list because people who we care about nominate us and put us in this position.”

Inducted into the Hall of Fame this year were Harvey Francis, from Skanska; David Frost, from Dole; APS Intelligence founder John Amaechi; Dorchester Collection’s Eugenio Pirri; and Shereen Daniels of HR Rewired. The full list can be found at hrmagazine.co.uk/hr-mostinfluential.

Rising Covid infections force HR to prepare In July, the UK was averaging 351,000 daily infections of Covid, the highest recorded since the 350,000 daily infections in March 2022.

Some workplaces, such as Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals in Northamptonshire, have reintroduced mask wearing to stop the spread of infection. Under current government laws, face coverings are no longer required.

Jamie Styles, director of people and culture at Koa Health, said the rise in infections could lead to a larger mental health issue across the country.

He said: “With Covid infection levels on the rise, it’s likely that remote work will increase, with employees opting to work from a remote work environment rather than head into the offi ce.

“The economic and political circumstances combined with rising infection rates will create a unique mental health crisis. The stress, anxiety and depression from Covid-19 are far from behind us.” The emphasis will be on HR to remain in contact with employees if they work remotely more o en, Styles added. “HR should encourage managers to keep in touch with staff and think creatively about the ways they check in with individuals and teams.”

Neil Davidson, regional vice president EMEA and APAC at so ware company Deltek, said companies can build on previous experiences to deal with rising infections. He said: “British businesses have proven resilient and have already undertaken much of the required transformation to place a renewed focus on data and people.”

Data from the Offi ce for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of Covid-related deaths in the UK has surpassed 200,000, with a quarter of those occurring since last summer. A

ra p h s: A d o b e t o g l l P h o hrmagazine.co.uk

read next page

My Bookmarks

Buy this Book
Skip to main content