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News and analysis HR news briefing Part-time policy at Zurich sees gender diversity jump t o c k A d o b e S r a p h s : t o g P h o l l A 1 Zurich makes all vacancies part-time Gender diversity leaps after firm implemented policy in 2019 2 Glassdoor announces top 50 employers Bain & Co tops list followed by ServiceNow and Google 3 Employees think 9% raise fair But workers think a below-inflation rise more likely 4 Tribunal loss for boss who assumed sexuality Texts ruled to be harassment 5 2023 predictions for UK immigration policy Skills shortages set to escalate in already hard-hit sectors Zurich UK has seen a fivefold increase in the number of female part-time hires since it started offering all roles on a parttime or flexible basis in 2019. The policy, which saw female part-time hires jump from 23 to 119 per year, requires the company to advertise every vacancy with the option of applying on a part-time, flexible or job-share basis, and use of gender-neutral language in ads. Since its application, the policy has seen a 16% increase in the number of women applying for jobs at the firm. The policy has also had a pronounced effect in senior hires. In the 12 months to January 2023, Zurich hired 45% more women into senior roles compared with the same period in 2019, a difference of 62 to 90. CHRO Steve Collinson said he was proud to see the company’s policy have such an impact and encouraged other organisations to do the same. He said: “Despite demand for part-time and flexible working, the majority of jobs advertised still fail to offer flexible options. “This means that many people with family or caring responsibilities are faced with huge barriers when looking to enter or move within the labour market. This needs to change.” Ann Cairns, global chair of the 30% Club, an organisation dedicated to boosting the number of women in boardrooms, said it was fantastic to see such a boost to the number of women at Zurich, particularly those in influential positions. She said: “Flexible working is now so much better understood and valued by business leaders .” Tribunal loss for boss who assumed worker’s sexuality A Manchester man has been awarded damages for harassment on the grounds of his perceived sexual orientation, an employment tribunal in January found. A former apprentice for the now-defunct Cavity Claim Group, the claimant was twice subjected to harassing texts from his boss, the tribunal ruled. On the first occasion his boss, Reece Driscoll, messaged in January 2018 “don t want to say but your gay are you [sic]”. Two months later, a er a dispute over deducted pay in which the claimant had gone to Acas and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB), Driscoll texted: “Listen you little gay boy I’m the big gay boy and get on one let’s talk before meetings I wi I listen to you before we go into meetings is that ok [sic]”. This later text was found to be a particular abuse of Driscoll’s position by employment judge Paul Holmes given the claimant’s prior consultation of Acas and the CAB. The claimant was awarded £2,763 in compensation and interest. Pam Loch, solicitor and managing director of employment law firm Loch HR, said the case was a good example of the importance of HR teaching good, lawful management practice. She said: “Part of the role of good, proactive HR professionals is management education, working with business owners and their senior teams to ensure cultures that are inclusive for all. Failing to get this right can be costly – even business critical.” 6 HR January/February 2023 hrmagazine.co.uk
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HR news briefing News and analysis what February means for you Average UK worker thinks 9% pay rise is fair for 2023 UK employees on average consider a 9% rise to be a fair pay award for 2023, according to research from New Possible. Despite being much higher than historic levels, that figure is still below December’s inflation rate, which stood at around 10.7% (Consumer Price Index). The average varied depending on sector. In healthcare and hospitality, workers were looking for 10% and 11% respectively. Nate Harwood, founder and CEO of insight platform New Possible said while a minority (10%) of employees believed they deserved a raise of more than 15%, most employees were resigned to taking a real terms decrease in their living standards. He said: “Employees are generally sensitive to the cost pressures their organisations are under and appreciate an inflation-busting pay rise might not always be realistic. “In these cases, employees are o en willing to prioritise other benefits, with greater flexibility and work/life balance frequently top [of their priorities].” Harwood suggested part of the reason workers in hospitality and healthcare wanted a higher pay increase is due to a lack of work/life balance. He added: “Low relative pay, as well as very heavy workload, in particular fuelled by staff shortages, are o en drivers behind the pay expectations in those sectors.” The Retained EU Law Bill will create chaos The government’s sweeping repeal of EU legislation will create a legal minefield for HR advisors, writes Caspar Glyn, deputy chair of the Employment Lawyers’ Association Employers step in as menopause rejected as protected characteristic Rejection of call to add menopause to Equality Act shouldn’t stop firms from creating their own policies, say HR pros Skills gap: UK needs one million migrants a year The UK should maintain record levels of immigration if it wants to address deep structural flaws in the composition of its working population, researchers concluded. Working parents warned to prepare for teachers’ strike After an overwhelming vote for strike action by teachers, schools in England and Wales will close for seven days in February and March meaning working parents will have to arrange alternative childcare. The vote, held on 16 January by the National Education Union (NEU), will affect individual schools for four days each in the initial action, with dates determined by region. Strike days may close schools or force them to restrict attendance depending on the level of staff they have available, according to government guidance for parents. In England, 53% of teachers voted in the ballot, with 90% in favour; in Wales, a 58% turnout voted 92% in favour of striking. Scottish teachers in the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union announced in early January that they would add 22 days of strikes to their initial 16day strike action. Shakil Butt, founder of consultancy HR Hero for Hire, said that while many parents will have experience of ad-hoc childcare arrangements from the pandemic, many parents with younger children will be presented with a fresh challenge. hrmagazine.co.uk January/February 2023 HR 7 J

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HR news briefing News and analysis what February means for you Average UK worker thinks 9% pay rise is fair for 2023

UK employees on average consider a 9% rise to be a fair pay award for 2023, according to research from New Possible.

Despite being much higher than historic levels, that figure is still below December’s inflation rate, which stood at around 10.7% (Consumer Price Index). The average varied depending on sector. In healthcare and hospitality, workers were looking for 10% and 11% respectively.

Nate Harwood, founder and CEO of insight platform New Possible said while a minority (10%) of employees believed they deserved a raise of more than 15%, most employees were resigned to taking a real terms decrease in their living standards.

He said: “Employees are generally sensitive to the cost pressures their organisations are under and appreciate an inflation-busting pay rise might not always be realistic.

“In these cases, employees are o en willing to prioritise other benefits, with greater flexibility and work/life balance frequently top [of their priorities].”

Harwood suggested part of the reason workers in hospitality and healthcare wanted a higher pay increase is due to a lack of work/life balance. He added: “Low relative pay, as well as very heavy workload, in particular fuelled by staff shortages, are o en drivers behind the pay expectations in those sectors.”

The Retained EU Law Bill will create chaos The government’s sweeping repeal of EU legislation will create a legal minefield for HR advisors, writes Caspar Glyn, deputy chair of the Employment Lawyers’ Association

Employers step in as menopause rejected as protected characteristic

Rejection of call to add menopause to Equality Act shouldn’t stop firms from creating their own policies, say HR pros

Skills gap: UK needs one million migrants a year

The UK should maintain record levels of immigration if it wants to address deep structural flaws in the composition of its working population,

researchers concluded.

Working parents warned to prepare for teachers’ strike

After an overwhelming vote for strike action by teachers, schools in England and Wales will close for seven days in February and March meaning working parents will have to arrange alternative childcare. The vote, held on 16 January by the National Education Union (NEU), will affect individual schools for four days each in the initial action, with dates determined by region.

Strike days may close schools or force them to restrict attendance depending on the level of staff they have available, according to government guidance for parents.

In England, 53% of teachers voted in the ballot, with 90% in favour; in Wales, a 58% turnout voted 92% in favour of striking.

Scottish teachers in the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union announced in early January that they would add 22 days of strikes to their initial 16day strike action.

Shakil Butt, founder of consultancy HR Hero for Hire, said that while many parents will have experience of ad-hoc childcare arrangements from the pandemic, many parents with younger children will be presented with a fresh challenge.

hrmagazine.co.uk

January/February 2023 HR 7 J

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