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Non Disclosure Agreements – ending abuse of the confidentiality clause?

A Non Disclosure Agreement (“NDA”) or a confidentiality clause may be used by an employer to prevent an employee from disclosing information. Amid growing controversy in the use of NDAs in cases of criminal activity, sexual harassment, discrimination and whistleblowing, ACAS recently issued new guidance in the fair and proper use of such a document. This forms part of the Government’s response to the use of NDAs by businesses in discrimination cases.

Focusing on Communication and Trust

When Leaders frequently ask for feedback from their teams, they gain a deeper perspective about themselves as Managers that others will also pick up on, enabling them to make improvements in the way they manage, motivate and lead their teams. Giving and receiving feedback is a powerful behaviour that is critical for leaders to practice every day, but it becomes even more critical during times of change and disruption.

National Living Wage Increase: Does It Pay To Sleep-In On The Job?

Sajid Javid recently announced that the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase to £10.50 over the next five years and the age banding eventually expanded to anyone over the age of twenty-one years.

Employee Reporting for Duty: But What Happens To Business?

There may be circumstances when employees have the legal right to take time off from work for public duties; every employee must be allowed time off from work for jury service and an employer must not discriminate, or may risk an employment tribunal (ET).

2020 Key Legislation Changes

Looking ahead to developments in employment law for 2020 that may require consideration for your business.

Restrictive Covenants: Crop Expert Going Around In Circles With Employer

When building a business, a company reputation is developed and important customer and supplier relationships are forged. Therefore it can be extremely damaging for an individual to come into an organisation and then take this information to capitalise on for themselves or for another employer, usually in direct competition.

SARs From Employees Are Rising: Are You Ready?

It would be hoped that subject access requests (SARs) are considered a useful tool to assist genuinely concerned employees in understanding the data held about them by their employers. Unfortunately, there is a growing consensus among employers that employee requests are being used to apply administrative pressure, expense and additional complexities, particularly when there is an existing employment dispute.

Are your employees ‘Thriving at Work’ or is their mental health at risk?

Society has recognised the requirement to be more proactive in the workplace when supporting mental health issues; one in six workers suffer from anxiety, depression or unmanageable stress incurring a cost to businesses in excess of £30 billion per year.

Like, Comment or Share if your social media policy requires an overhaul

Social media is a term used to describe internet applications that encourage people to keep in touch and enable them to interact on-line.

Could flexible working benefit your business?

Many companies are trailblazing the way forward in developing how, where and when employees are expected to work in the delivery of their role. A legal outfit based in Plymouth have recently trialled a four-day working week arrangement which sees the office open later into the evenings, but closing Friday. The firm reported increased productivity and engagement amongst their team and the improved well-being of their staff has resulted in the arrangement becoming a permanent fixture.

How can employers be liable for its employees’ actions?

Employers can be liable for wrongful acts (or omissions) committed by its employees where there is a sufficiently close connection between the employees’ actions related to How can employers be liable for its employees’ actions?

Senior Manager and Certificate Regime

The Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SM&CR) will come into effect in December 2019. Are you prepared for how will it impact the recruitment and management of your people?

What effect will Brexit have on employment law?

Many significant areas of employment law are based on EU law, such as working time rights and employee rights on the transfer of a business. After the UK leaves the EU, with or without a deal, EU employment law will be converted into UK law. Depending on the terms of any deal reached with the EU, workers’ rights under EU law should continue to apply during any transition period.

Management Training Crucial for Leadership Success

You gain a promotion to a management post or business growth results in you employing people and suddenly you are being called “Boss”! However, you have little or no previous experience in managing people and the assumption that ‘everyone knows how be a good manager’ is often not the reality.

Four Performance Management Improvements To Help Your Firm Achieve Its Annual Objectives

Many companies will look at how their people have performed against the businesses annual objectives and targets.

How mortgage firms can improve recruitment and training of staff in firms

In the war for talent, it’s essential that you focus on attracting, developing and retaining talent your people.

Why Financial Advisers can't afford to ignore Human Resources

When you think of HR’s place inside a financial services firm, you probably think of a file on the computer labelled “Human Resources”, stuffed full of employee forms and contracts dating back to 2001.

The War for Talent

With over 89,000 financial services companies in the UK, in a sector that continues to see growth, the competition for talent is at an all time high. In the financial advice arena where demand for services remains high, there are a large number of baby boomers looking to retire, alongside an increase in roles in compliance, paraplanning and Fintech. All these factors are taking a toll on the candidate pool for quality Financial Advisers.

Employee wellbeing: your responsibilities as an employer

Bowls of fresh fruit and mindfulness sessions are becoming increasingly common in the workplace as employers try to promote the wellbeing of their staff.

Vicarious liability – why should your business bear the burden on an employees’ wrongdoing?

Vicarious liability is an indirect form of liability that can open the door for legal action against the employer for tortious (wrongful) acts done by the employee.

Permanent Health Insurance and Unfair Dismissal

Many businesses in the United Kingdom offer insurance benefits for employees in the event of their long-term or permanent incapacity during employment.

Grumbles or grievances – why you need to take employee complaints seriously

Receiving a grievance from an employee is rarely welcome – dealing with it can soak up resources, cause disquiet among other employees and in some cases escalate into a dispute which ends up before an employment tribunal.

Holidays and holiday pay: What employers need to know

While the right to 28 days’ paid holiday was a welcome addition to workers’ rights, employers have been less enthusiastic about the complicated development of the rules, particularly if staff work irregular hours or their pay includes commission or bonus payments.