HR & Employment Law Update

NEWS

Hybrid working reduces risk of 'quiet quitting,'

A recent study has revealed that providing a hybrid working model can significantly reduce the risk of employees becoming demotivated or engaging in "quiet quitting," a trend where workers disengage and only perform the bare minimum required of them.

The study, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 1,000 full-time office and hybrid workers across the UK. The findings show that two in five (40 percent) office workers are less likely to quiet quit if their employers offer a flexible hybrid work arrangement.

Meanwhile three in five (57 percent) workers are more inclined to quiet quit if they feel undervalued, micromanaged, or lack the flexibility to work from a location that best suits their needs.

The study also revealed that organisations failing to offer hybrid working models could face retention challenges. Three in five (62 percent) hybrid workers indicated they would consider leaving their jobs if required to return to the office full-time, five days a week.

For small businesses, these findings emphasise the importance of adopting flexible work policies to maintain employee engagement and retain top talent in a competitive market.

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Employees favour companies that offer sabbaticals

The Chartered Management Institute has found that there is a growing trend where workers are increasingly prioritising employers that offer sabbaticals as part of their benefits package. This shift reflects a broader emphasis on work-life balance and the desire for more meaningful breaks from work. Sabbaticals, which can range from three to six months and may be paid or unpaid, are becoming a key factor for employees when choosing where to work. These breaks are often used for personal development, upskilling, or community work, and are typically available after five to ten years of continuous service.

Sabbaticals can certainly make for a great retention tool for businesses and any organisations considering them should ensure policies are updated to avoid any ambiguity.

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LEGAL UPDATES

Hairdresser with ADHD was unfairly dismissed

A hairdresser with ADHD was awarded ￡10,000 in compensation after being unfairly dismissed for poor timekeeping and losing clients. In this case, the hairdresser who had been working at the hair salon since 2020, was presented with a letter of dismissal stating that she was being made redundant due to ‘loss of clients, poor timekeeping and inconsistent appearance’. However, when the time came to respond to the ET3 form from the employee, the salon instead stated that the reason for dismissal was not redundancy but gross misconduct instead.

The tribunal eventually found that the reason for dismissal by the salon was ‘so hopelessly confused’ that the tribunal could find no evidence of the alleged gross misconduct and eventually found that the employer failed to make reasonable adjustments for the hairdresser's condition, leading to the unfair dismissal ruling.

Businesses who provide appropriate support and workplace adjustments to accommodate the needs of employees with ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions will be seen more favourably by tribunals that those who don’t have these adjustments in place.

￡90k for mother asked about ages of children

A recent ruling by a London employment tribunal has resulted in a ￡91,597.82 award to a mother of two after she experienced direct sex discrimination in the workplace.

The claimant in this case had accepted a new job, and after resigning from her previous position, attended a pre-start meeting where the company's vice president unexpectedly inquired about the ages of her children. She disclosed that her children were four years old and nearly one, and shortly afterwards, she was informed that the job offer was rescinded.

The tribunal found that her sex was the decisive factor in the withdrawal of her employment offer, noting that the situation caused her "panic, humiliation, stress, and upset." The tribunal rejected the company's defence, which claimed the offer was withdrawn due to a headcount freeze independently decided by HR, stating, "We do not consider [the respondent] would have asked a man this question."

This case serves as a critical reminder for employers to ensure that their hiring practices are free from discriminatory biases and to understand the serious legal and financial consequences of failing to uphold equality standards.

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OTHER STUFF

Recruiters spend just an average of 7 seconds looking at each CV for job postings a survey conducted by Future Learn has found with 91% of recruiters saying the perfect CV should be two pages long

Nuffield health study has found that the industries most affected by the cost of living crisis include Sales, Media and Marketing and the Health sector.

New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that work-related stress, particularly from job strain and imbalanced effort-reward situations, may increase the risk of heart problems. Those experiencing high job strain had an 83 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) or arrhythmia—conditions that can lead to serious heart complications—compared to those less affected by stress.

MY BIT

It’s September - the end of summer, the start of the new academic year and for many the time for a reset both personally and in business!?

With the change of season, many businesses start looking at their strategies and plans with fresh eyes. Whether it's refining goals or setting new priorities, this period offers a chance to reassess and make sure everything is on track as we head into the final stretch of 2024.

If you have any concerns about how a restructure, recruitment drive or particular employee issue etc may impact your plans, just get in touch.?

Sue

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