Christmas parties - Where has the fun gone?

Where indeed?

It is the definition of fun in regards to a Christmas party that needs some refining:

A social meet up at Christmas to thank staff members for their contribution to the business, whether paid for or not.

The problem is that there are so many stories that come out of Christmas parties that it means it can all sound like employment law and HR is the Christmas Grinch!

Though it may not sound like the Christmas spirit the reality is a business can be liable for the action of their staff and be the ones footing any legal bill.

HR Dept top tips for a Christmas Party without further cost;

• Make sure all of your staff (including directors) are aware that the Christmas party is an extension of the workplace. Yes, people should enjoy themselves but as a business owner you have a responsibility to them and you could be the one picking up the pieces
• Ask employees to use their common sense. Regardless of where you hold it, they are employees representing your business brand
• Be mindful if you have any staff under the age of 18
• If the party is in the office, keep the photocopier out of bounds
• Have a range of food and soft drinks available so that individuals religious observance is catered for
• If the staff do is during the week, make clear that everyone is expected at their desks at normal time the following day - or organise it on a Friday!

Here are some examples why:

'Gossip about an employees pregnancy following a Christmas party'

'Teacher loses sacking appeal after punch up'

'Explicit text message told husband of wife's affair'

'Millionaire boss humiliated as tribunal rules he sexually harassed employee'

We aren’t part of the ban the Christmas party brigade, it is these and many other untold stories that did not hit the media serve as a reminder of an employer’s liability when organising an event that should be seen as reward and time of enjoyment.

Anti Bullying Week 2011 “Stop and think – words can hurt”

This week is Anti Bullying Week, with the theme “stop and think - words can hurt”, a campaign that the HR Dept echoes.

Creating a policy to combat bullying and harassment is great down on paper, however it is the example set by management and proactive actions of all staff which will determine the success of any policy, especially in regards to action against bullying and harassing behaviour.

There have been several cases in the past accompanied by hefty compensation payouts for victims of bullying and harassment where is it is clear there have been fundamental failures in regards to dealing with incorrect behaviour. 

Being left out in the workplace can be a form of bullying

Bullying and harassment comes in many shapes and forms and is defined by the eye of the beholder. There is no exhaustive list stating ‘this is bullying or this is harassment’ but it comes down to not treating another human being with dignity and respect.

The ability of management to set an example but to also spot the signs of any incorrect behaviour in the workplace is crucial in order to deal with any issue promptly and professionally.

Delivery of your policy is fundamental and here is The HR Dept advice:

• Foster a culture of openness
• Zero tolerance on bullying - set this out from day one
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect -  this is your brand and reputation
• Investigate thoroughly any allegation of wrong doing
• Be aware of the rise of social media and actions of bullying/harassment can take place outside the actual work environment

Winter 'Trips'

This week we have a special guest blog from Maxine of The HR Dept’s Health and Safety Service. Get in touch via twitter @MMatthewsHRHS

As the winter season approaches, employers should be hoping the only ‘trips’ their staff experience this winter are for late winter sun and skiing. Slips, trips and falls account for 33% of all major injuries in the workplace - which results in 2 fatalities a year. On average there is 1 slip, trip and fall every 3 minutes, an alarming number of preventable accidents. So with figures so high how can we reduce these, especially with winter and the inevitable snow creeping up on us?

Maxine has provided some top tips on how to avoid slips trips and falls in the workplace this winter season:

·         Carry out work place inspections - ensuring nothing is left in walkways for example; boxes, trailing cables, work equipment.

·         Get your staff involved in hazard spotting, carry out workplace risk assessments.

·         With the cold and icy weather, ensure outside areas are gritted to prevent slips and falls. Encourage staff to wear suitable footwear during the cold snap, high heels look good but are really not practical on ice and snow!

·         Ensure spillages and melted snow are cleared up – without forgetting the all important yellow sign.

·         Implement an efficient housekeeping procedure.

·         Ensure any damaged flooring is replaced or fixed.

This should get you off to a downhill start on controlling trips in the workplace…

The HR Dept is promoting awareness of Health and Safety in the workplace, and wishing all places of work an accident free environment.


@MMatthewsHRHS

National Stress Awareness Day 2011

Today marks National Stress Awareness Day, with the theme this year being ‘Wellbeing and Resilience at Work’. With cut backs across the board, especially in small and medium sized businesses and ‘survivors’ of redundancies picking up the slack, we at The HR Dept are not surprised to hear that stress levels in the workplace have doubled in the last 4 years.

We always advise employers to have a proactive approach in HR, but particularly with issues related to stress. Kate Stuart, a massage therapist who works through one stress related knot at a time, has provided a great way for employers to spot the signs of stress in their workers:

S -houting

T - earfulness
R- eddening or blushing
E- xhaustion
S- leeplessness
S- ighing

It was recently revealed that stress was the main cause for long term absence, as demonstrated by António Horta-Osório, Chief Executive of Lloyds Banking Group who has taken temporary leave due to fatigue. Kate adds “where the responsibility of the level of care is falling on the shoulders of employers, offering well being services for employees could be a small investment”.

By identifying issues early, employers can prevent stress related absence and waning performance.

To find about more about National Stress Awareness Day, go to http://www.isma.org.uk/national-stress-awareness-day/