??The HR Hero Weekly Update??

Phew what a week! Wrapping up a grievance investigation, new clients onboarding to the monthly membership.?HR/people strategy planning for a high growth client who is expanding at an incredible pace.?Plus lots of networking and collaborating!?

Now for those that know me, I do like to chat about football, so I was thrilled this week to meet and hear Nicole Allison's inspiring journey through football, to now the owner and?CEO of Worcester City Women's Football Club.??

We chatted a lot about Women's football and how in the 1920's a Women's Football match attracted over 50,000 spectators, only to have the sport banned a year later by the FA, which wasn't lifted until 1971! ??

And if that's not shocking enough, with the Women's World Cup happening next month in Australia and New Zealand,?UK television coverage still hasn't yet been agreed.?This means, that as it stands we won't be able to watch the Women's World Cup Final on TV in the UK!???

When England, dare I say it, have a bloody good chance of winning!

Right, rant over - on with the update!

BREAKING NEWS?- hours after writing this, a TV deal has finally been agreed.?They must of heard me moaning about it all week, and decided to sort it out! ??

HR Practice - Supporting staff who are caring for elderly parents

Meet Kathryn

Kathryn is a Finance Director with a Food Testing Company.?She has been employed by the company for over 10 years and has been consistently promoted over this time and is now striving for a position on the board.

Kathryn has three children at college and university and her mother, Dorothy, resides 20 miles away and Kathryn is her only child. Dorothy is a tenacious and self-sufficient woman, having been one of the pioneering female executives in the aerospace industry. Regrettably, Dorothy's short-term memory is deteriorating, and she is experiencing frequent falls while also struggling to maintain her home to her usual standards.

GP’s Perspective

I met Kathryn over five years ago, when she visited me as her GP regarding her contraception, a brief time off work and her return to her position at the food testing firm.

Kathryn recently booked an appointment with me. She appeared fatigued, displaying the classic symptoms of sleep deprivation - dark circles under her eyes, slumped posture, and a lack of focus. This was not the same Kathryn I had spoken to five years ago.?Despite her recent promotion to the esteemed position of finance director, she was not her usual well-groomed self.

Kathryn's inability to sleep was due to Dorothy's constant calls throughout the night, as well as her falls and need for assistance via her pendant alarm system. While Kathryn's work had been accommodating thus far, allowing her to work flexibly around her mother's needs, the lack of sleep had pushed her to the brink. As a result, she had to request a med3 or “fit note” with the diagnosis put down as stress.

Kathryn needed at least 2 weeks off work to help her recuperate and also help her mother. As Kathryn’s GP I was worried about her and taken back at the difference the lack of sleep, the worry and responsibility had on her jolly demeanour.

Line Manager’s Perspective

Kathryn had been signed off work for two weeks, with stress.?She was due back today, and I had arranged a back to work meeting with her.?I knew that Kathryn was well respected throughout the company, and had a reputation for working hard, which led to several promotions over the past five years.?I’m new to the company, and am starting to build up a picture of everyone in my team and this wasn’t the impression I had about Kathryn.

She had frequently missed important financial deadlines, her accuracy in her board reports was questionable.?There were rumours she had been abrupt and rude to her team, together with her unkempt appearance.

Having carefully considered these two contrasting views, was this due to changes in Kathryn’s behaviour??I took the opportunity of using Kathryn’s return to work meeting, to build trust with her and find out if there were any underlying issues outside of work for her sickness and diagnosed stress.

In the meeting, Kathryn admitted that she was missing work deadlines and feeling under pressure at work and felt that she wasn’t good enough to do her senior role.

Through further discussion, Kathryn explained that she hadn’t been getting enough sleep and this was affecting her work.?When I delved a bit deeper as to why she wasn’t getting enough sleep.?Kathryn disclosed that she is caring for her mother, Dorothy, who lives 20 miles away.?Her inability to sleep was due to her mother’s constant calls throughout the night, as well as her falls and need for assistance. Through further discussion, I also found out, she was experiencing financial difficulties because her mother required additional care and equipment, and she had three children in college.

We discussed the impact of Kathryn’s caring duties on her work and what the company could do to support her.?Kathryn was grateful for the opportunity to work flexibly.?However, she thought her only other option was to apply for flexible working, to reduce her hours.?Which would mean a reduction in wages, which she couldn’t afford.

From this I set about looking at what supportive practices the company could put in place to support Kathryn and other staff who care for elderly relatives…

If you would like to find out more about how to support staff who are caring for elderly parents, then have a read of this month's blog??

FREE Online Masterclass

'How to Support?Staff who are Caring for Elderly Parents'?

Wednesday?28th June 1.30pm - 2.00pm

This months masterclass will help bring our blog to life and is hosted by me and delivered by our expert speaker Dr Kirsten Protherough.

You will learn:

• Why?it's?a HR issue and understand the business case
• Ways your organisation?can support staff who are carers
• Employment law updates - unpaid carers leave

To register and book your place,?click the button below.??

Employment Law - is it too hot to work?

There's been a lot of discussion this week about whether (did you see what I did there), it's too hot to work.?

On the HSE (Health and Safety Executive)?website, it explains there are no legal minimum and maximum workplace temperatures.?

However, it also states, "temperatures in the indoor workplace are covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which place a legal obligation on employers to provide a 'reasonable' temperature in the workplace.

Minimum workplace temperature

The Approved Code of Practice?suggests the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius. If the work involves rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are not absolute legal requirements; the employer has a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in the particular circumstances.

Higher workplace temperatures

A meaningful figure cannot be given at the upper end of the scale due to the high temperatures found in, for example, glass works or foundries. In such environments it is still possible to work safely provided appropriate controls are present. Factors other than air temperature, ie radiant temperature, humidity and air velocity, become more significant and the interaction between them become more complex with rising temperatures.

Risk assessment

In addition to the Workplace Regulations, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to make a suitable assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees, and take action where necessary and where reasonably practicable.

The temperature of the workplace is one of the potential hazards that employers should address to meet their legal obligations. Employers should consult with employees or their representatives to establish sensible means to cope with high temperatures".

For further information from HSE,?click here?to visit their website.

Making reasonable adjustments

A article in Personnel Today, explain that employers need to be flexible and promote sensible behaviours in the heatwave, it goes on to say.

"The CIPD said that adopting flexible working arrangements including working from home could help keep employees comfortable and productive while working in a heatwave.

Where employees must attend their usual workplace, organisations should consider whether to shift start and finish times to ensure staff are not commuting during busy, crowded periods. Uniform policies could also be relaxed and plenty of fans should be brought in if the workplace is not air conditioned.

The CIPD’s wellbeing adviser, Rachel Suff, said: “While there’s no specific legal minimum or maximum temperature for workplaces in the UK, employers need to make sure the temperature in workplaces is reasonable.

“In a heatwave some workplaces, such as old buildings or those with a lot of glass, can become extremely hot and employers need to be aware of the health risks. People’s health and safety should be first and foremost and employers should be particularly mindful of people with a disability or health condition as the heat can make them particularly vulnerable.

“The heat can affect people’s level of concentration and cause fatigue, which may have health and safety implications for people working in some jobs such as safety-critical roles.”

The TUC said employers should allow frequent breaks, provide a supply of cold drinks and listen to employees’ ideas about how best to cope with the heat.

The union body also said it wanted to see a change in the law so that employers must attempt to reduce temperatures if they get above 24 degrees celsius, and a requirement to stop work if indoor temperatures reach 30 degrees or 27 degrees for those doing strenuous jobs.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We all love it when the sun comes out. But working in sweltering conditions in a baking shop or stifling office can be unbearable and dangerous.”

Although some employees may protest that it is “too hot to work”, Lauren Harkin, an employment partner at law firm RWK Goodman, said employees do not have a right to stop working if it gets too hot.

“Given that there are industries where it will be necessary to work in higher temperatures, such as bakeries, and metal and glass production, it is difficult to envisage what an appropriate limit for a maximum temperature would be,” she said.

“Employers do, however, have a duty of care to provide a safe environment where staff are not at risk of falling ill from the heat. For those with employees that are home working, it is sensible for line managers to check in with staff to ensure that they are well and remind employees to take breaks and stay hydrated.”

To read the full article in Personnel Today?click here.

It's Father's Day on Sunday, so I'll be spending time this weekend with my wonderful Dad, the funniest Father-in law who is sure to make everyone laugh and of course Rich.??

We'll be at a football tournament on Sunday, the perfect place for Rich and many other amazing Dad's to spend Father's Day!

Sending best wishes to you and yours.

Have a great weekend,?Kate

PS.?Don't forget to register your place on this month's online masterclass??

Disclaimer:??Every reasonable effort is made to make the information accurate and up to date, but no responsibility for its accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed by the author or publisher.?If you are unsure about how this information applies to your specific situation, please seek expert/legal advice.