Policy & procedures design or review, management & strategy, specialist project support, onsite & offsite HR
Policy design, reviews & audits, site inspection, accident investigation, mitigating risk, IOSH training
Enhancing capabilities, cultivating high-performing teams, transforming team effectiveness
Strategy development, culture & change, employee engagement, succession planning, DEI
Management development, coaching, workshops & online learning academy
Confidential calls & reporting, secure case management, policy best practice & compliance
Expert tax, audit & advisory services
Financial planning, cash flow modelling, retirement planning
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AAB People / Sectors / Construction & Property
Start-ups. SMEs. Large organisations. Business owners and directors. Charities.
Building line management capability. Planning and managing talent support an organisation. Improving HR functions. Employee relations management. Employment law compliance. Optimising HR processes. HR framework implementation. Pre-employment checks. Salary Benchmarking & Reports. Recruitment and onboarding. Investigations, Panel and Appeals in disciplinary and grievances. Restructure and redundancies.
Family Business. Not for Profit. Construction & Property. Business Services. Food & Drink. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Technology. Public Sector.
Katie Armstrong is an HR Consultant within AAB People – a role in which she takes ownership of projects and looks after all employee relations and employment matters such as disciplinaries, investigations, restructures and various matters in the employment life cycle.
Working with clients’ internal teams, Katie’s areas of responsibility cover a vast range of matters. She provides expert advice to clients on all employee relations matters, from small issues to large and complex cases regarding legal compliance.
“In my opinion, the ideal relationship with a client would be one that is professional, and where they know they can come to me at any time. It’s important for the relationship to remain honest, whether things are getting tough or when things are going well. I like clients to be very clear with me about what exactly it is they want, and I ensure that I’m very clear with them how we do it and how we do it right. Honesty and transparency are probably the most important things to me when it comes to an ideal client relationship.
I also want my relationships with clients to be friendly! I have really positive relationships with clients; we get on really well. Often, there’s a personal relationship that goes along with our professional relationship.”
“Clients expect a friendly face from me, but they also expect me to be honest with them, and realistic about what is achievable. They also know I’ll always get back to them within a good time frame, particularly if it’s regarding a stressful situation. Ultimately, my role is to understand and acknowledge their situation and find the right solution for them.”
“I really appreciate the varied nature of my work, as well as the relationships I build with clients. Each of my clients are different, with different needs. I enjoy getting to know my clients and working with them to find out what’s best for them. A lot of my clients are family-run businesses, where the impact on them when things don’t go to plan is considerable, so it’s very satisfying to be able to help fix their problems and take away that stress as much as I can.”
“In terms of working with colleagues, we’re very close! Everyone on the team is very friendly and supportive, so I know I can go to them about anything, and vice versa. We always pick up the phone to each other, and we always share our expertise which helps everyone to develop their professional knowledge.”
“I appreciate the virtual methods of communication for their speed and efficiency, and for allowing me some time to process whatever information is being shared. But the social side of client relationships is important too, which face-to-face meetings help with. So, I like a blend of different kinds of communication if possible, but it depends on how the client prefers to operate.”
“One of the main challenges in my field of work is that it can be difficult to handle complex situations sometimes. For example, disciplinaries and grievances are very time-consuming, complex, and can be very emotionally draining situations for the people involved and the client. I know that these situations can be challenging and sometimes quite damaging for people on all sides of the issue.
So, in terms of how I respond, it’s about being as professional and commercial as possible. It’s not always possible to make everyone happy in these complex processes, but I aim to be calm, realistic, and communicate in the most thoughtful way possible. I will always try do the right thing and try to make sure that everybody sees the different sides and the benefits of the situation. It’s usually best to try and handle things commercially, and get the situation wrapped up quickly, to avoid it becoming prolonged and painful.”
“One of the great things about AAB People is that there’s opportunities – and a really clear pathway – for growth. Working at AAB People offers plenty of exposure to different aspects of the role, and a wide range of experience to help develop knowledge and expertise.”
Proud to support a diverse range of clients
Following the general election and the appointment of a new Labour Government, we can expect upcoming changes in employment law. A “New Deal for Working People” was a key element of Labour’s campaign, committed to giving voices to workers, improving their terms and conditions, and ensuring protections at work.
Labour has pledged to implement this new deal within the first 100 days of being in power, setting a deadline of October. However, the comprehensive details of the plan have not been released yet, and further development is needed over the coming months. We view this as an evolving situation and believe it is unlikely the entire plan will be fully operational within this ambitious timeline due to the need for further clarity and consultation on procedural requirements. Within the new deal, Labour outlined significant changes to be implemented and we have set out a brief summary of some of these below. However, it’s important to remember that it would be premature to make structural changes to your organisation as the evolving situation is exactly that, evolving. With no certainty in this area, our advice is for everyone to keep calm, don’t panic but keep yourself appraised of the situation. That’s why we’ve pulled together some key highlights of what’s been shared so far.
Employees will have increased rights from day one, eliminating qualifying periods for unfair dismissal, flexible working, sick pay, and parental leave.
Currently, there is a three-day waiting period before employees are entitled to statutory sick pay, but the Government plans to make this a day-one right, which could be implemented quickly given that similar measures were temporarily introduced during the pandemic.
Although no more qualifying periods for unfair dismissal is proposed, we do not see this being an easy thing to implement quickly and Government will need further clarity, and consultation on the procedural requirements before it can be brought into force. If implemented, it is important to note that this will not prevent fair dismissal, organisations will still be able to operate probationary periods and the aim of this change will be to ensure that new employees are not dismissed without reason and will help to drive standards within workplaces.
Labour has proposed to move towards a single status of ‘worker’ instead of employees, workers and self-employed having different levels of employment rights and protection. This will mean that all workers will have equal employment rights and we believe this could be difficult to implement due to the complexity of determining the employment rights each category of worker currently has, and therefore, we would expect this to fall outside of the 100 days that Labour has committed to.
The Labour Government proposes to make the National Minimum Wage (NMW) reflect the real Living Wage and will remove the age bandings attached to NMW which they believe to be discriminatory to ensure every worker is entitled to the same living wage. If implemented, this could mean organisations being required to give pay rises to their workers. It is likely that this will not be put into action until 2025 as NMW rates are annually reviewed and typically released in April each year. Any proposed changes or new implementations we would expect to align with this timeline.
Labour proposes to make significant changes to the zero-hour contracts, they aim to ban exploitative zero-hour contracts to ensure all jobs have a baseline level of security and predictability and that workers have the right to a contract that properly reflects their regular hours of work. It is important to know that this change will not prevent organisations from offering fixed-term contracts which are important in industries that offer seasonal work.
Labour has proposed to end ‘fire-and-rehire’ so that workers can properly negotiate their terms and conditions with their employers.
It will become mandatory to report on disability and ethnicity pay gaps to tackle workplace inequalities. Many larger organisations are already reporting on this, and it will only be mandatory for organisations of 250 employees or more, suggesting that this change may not significantly impact workplaces.
Even though the reporting requirement for disability and ethnicity pay gaps is mandatory for organisations with 250 employees or more, smaller organisations should also be vigilant and ensure they are compliant. By adhering to these standards, even smaller organisations can contribute to combating discrimination in the workplace and promoting equality. This proactive approach not only aligns with legal obligations but also fosters an inclusive and fair work environment for all employees, regardless of the organisation’s size.
Labour has proposed to strengthen trade union rights. They plan to implement new rights designed to empower unions in their efforts to recruit, organise, and secure improved conditions for their members. These measures include streamlining the process for unions to gain official recognition, ensuring a fair right of entry for union activities within workplaces, and enhancing protections for union representatives and officials.
Given the significant impact of these changes, trade unions will naturally want to be actively involved in the development and implementation of these changes. Their participation is crucial to ensure that the measures are effective and truly beneficial for their members. Therefore, this collaborative process is likely to extend the timeline for these changes to come into action, as it will require thorough discussions, negotiations, and potential adjustments based on union feedback.
As we adapt to a new Labour Government, it is crucial for us to stay updated on the latest developments and understand their implications for our clients. We are dedicated to ensuring our clients remain well-informed and supported during these transitions in employment law. Our commitment is to provide guidance and assistance in navigating any forthcoming changes, ensuring that our clients are equipped to manage them effectively.
In the meantime if you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with James Richardson, or your usual AAB People contact.
Leaders within organisations.
Supporting leaders to improve and build their own capabilities. Problem-solving. Advising clients on problems and opportunities. Fine tuning what clients really need and working alongside them to deliver results.
All sectors.
Based in Belfast, Emer Hinphey is a Partner in AAB People. Emer was the CEO and Co-Founder of Think People Consulting, which has become part of AAB People. Emer’s approach is the same as AAB People’s: practical and pragmatic; bespoke to the size, culture, and objectives of each unique organisation. Emer works with the team to develop and implement business-propelling people and culture solutions and sustaining lasting partnerships with clients, many of whom Emer has worked with for years, even decades!
“I have a history of building strong, honest relationships with clients, some of which I can now call friends. It’s hugely rewarding to help a client either individually or for the sake of the business, to bounce off ideas and develop approaches that optimise opportunities for them in the short and long term. I really thrive in client facing work and have enjoyed the opportunity to work across industry sectors and with scaling business to global PLCs. It can be challenging at times to juggle the differing demands, I really enjoy the range of work involved – it suits my personality and certainly never gets boring!”
“We’re a people-centred business but tech is certainly where a lot of the future opportunities lie. We’re benefitting greatly from a tech-enabled approach that sees us delivering leadership programmes around the world.
We also work on global face to face projects. One of our high-profile global clients recently commented on an event we ran for 120 of their leaders coming together from around the world: “this is the best quality event we have run for many years.” We can be perceived as small being based on the island of Ireland, but I’m proud that the knowledge and skills we have as team and AAB Group are world class!”
“Having co-founded a business myself, I bring an entrepreneurial mindset to the job and can relate to the feelings and situations that a lot of my clients experience. Being a leader requires a level of assertiveness, bravery, and an ability to make sure your voice is heard in a way that people respect and hear you. I believe the success of our client base is a testament to the level of new thinking we bring to an organisation and individual, no matter where they are in their journey.”
“It’s important that HR people see themselves as businesspeople and build the expertise required to deliver genuinely differentiating commercial and strategic solutions for the organisation. The industry is improving but there’s still a long way to go – if we can learn anything from the past few years, it’s that people and culture need to be seen as a strategic component, not just firefighting!”
Large corporates. SME’s. Medium sized companies. Professional services. Construction & Property.
HR Advice & Support. Immigration support.
Chris McCleave is an HR Consultant based in our Belfast office. With a background in supporting immigration policy for organisations, he is passionate about helping clients overcome challenges and navigate the ever-changing and complex HR landscape.
Chris works across the whole HR remit which means that his days are rarely the same. One day he might be on-site with a client acting on their behalf as their HR manager, supporting with HR policies, and benefits schemes or relaying information from overseas HQ. While another might involve supporting a client with a complex immigration request. No matter what the day brings he ensures that he’s always available to support clients to the best of his ability. Ensuring flexibility in his days to allow him to be available when needed.
“Trust is the number one priority when working with clients. That trust needs to work both ways. I want clients to be able to trust me with all the information necessary so we can work together to reach a solution. If a client doesn’t trust us, then they might leave out crucial information because they don’t believe we’ll be able to help. The flip side of that is that they need to trust that we are the right people to reach the right outcome and work alongside them.
How do we achieve this? By getting to know the client. Getting to know the people that contribute to the business’s success and the business itself. By acting with integrity and working to agreed timescales. We have to show that we’re the best people- it’s not enough just to say it. It’s so satisfying for me to be able to show them that and then have clients ask for my opinion and want to hear my view of something. This shows that they value me as an advisor.”
“I firmly believe that there’s not only one solution to a problem. I love problem-solving and being able to help clients reach a solution they’re happy with gives me great satisfaction. However, I won’t just give them one option when there is multiple. We are working together to reach the best result so I must present them with all the options, and we work together to reach that. Clients appreciate the time taken to reach the best solution rather than just the first one because that might not be the best option for them.”
“I am a people person and one of my favourite parts of my role is getting to know our incredible clients and my AAB group colleagues. As an HR consultant, I support the junior members of the team. Being able to share my knowledge and experience both good and bad with them is amazing. I get to help them with their career goals and guide them. That’s been invaluable for my personal development and growth.
Having colleagues across the UK and Island of Ireland has also allowed me to gain more knowledge and learn from people at all levels of the business, sharing thoughts and opinions. That diversity of thought is valuable and worth its weight in gold.”
“Working in HR requires an element of being both disruptive and assertive. I’m someone that gets given a goal and I won’t stop until we reach it. Given the sometimes-sensitive nature of our work ensuring that we give clients not just what they want to hear but the whole picture is so important there’s a lot of employment law behind any HR decision so I will always interpret that and then let the client know what that means for them.
I’ll never just say no for the sake of it and I will only say no when it’s necessary. It’s never just a no with me. I’ll always say no, because… but here’s what we can do instead. I’ll work with them to reach an outcome that ensures they are legally compliant and acting in the best interests of their organisation.”
Lauren Farrell
HR Consultant
Belfast
Business Owners & Directors. SMEs. Medium-Sized Companies. Large Organisations.
Outsourced HR Function. HR Strategy. Building Line Management Capability. Team Well-Being. Employee Relations Management. Employment Law Compliance. Optimising HR Processes. Early Conciliation, Mediation & Conflict Resolution.
Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Food & Drink. Construction & Property. Family Business. Public Sector.
As an HR Consultant, Lauren Farrell’s role is a varied one, and she is responsible for a wide range of her clients’ HR needs.
Sometimes these are of a routine or day-to-day nature, where a client is part of our retained group. Sometimes these are more on an ad hoc basis where a client engages the team for specific projects that are perhaps a little complex, and the client is seeking professional and expert guidance to ensure compliance and best practice. These can be anything from grievances and disciplinaries to redundancies and sickness absences. Lauren helps her clients navigate these issues, and manages the processes from beginning to end.
Her main responsibilities include supporting as a secondary consultant for a number of our retained clients to help with recruitment, employee conduct, and capability issues. She also reviews and advises on policies and procedures. Lauren specialises in ‘right to work’ queries including visa and sponsorship queries, fair employment monitoring and sickness absence.
“For me, the most important thing in a relationship with a client is that they trust me. Building that trust can take time and sometimes it can be challenging, purely through the fact that we may not see them or interact every day. But it really is so important that they feel they can trust us and the advice that we give them – that they know it’ll be objective, well thought through, and informed by knowledge and experience.”
“We’ll always give our clients all the options that are available to them and offer our opinion on which would be the best course of action. Of course, they do not have to take our advice – our role is certainly not telling them what to do – but hopefully they know that we always try to be objective, and that we’re there to answer any queries or questions on anything at all. I’m here to advise, and work collaboratively with my clients. So, it’s always nice when a client values us and our advisory capacities, and it really helps foster a positive relationship.”
“Clients expect legally compliant and objective advice, as well as someone they can approach no matter what the issue. It goes without saying that our advice has to be based on correct information, and it is. We have a great team to sense check things from if we’re not sure and I think it’s also important to be able to be honest if we’re not 100% sure on something, especially as things can change so quickly in our area – there’s always someone in the team that will have the answer! It’s great when clients understand this – that we would always want to make sure that the advice we’re giving is as informed and comprehensive as possible. We would never simply pretend we’re immediately sure on something if we aren’t. Our client’s trust, giving quality advice, and honesty and transparency… these are too important to us to do that. So, if we do have to go away to double check something, it’s because we want to ensure we’re delivering the absolute best for our client.”
“We have a collaborative mindset for everything we do – our work would not be the same without it. The nature of being a consultant can be quite independent because I’ll be looking after a client who won’t be being looked after by anyone else, but we are a team! We have a whole team of consultants behind us who all have their own expertise and experience that we can all draw from and benefit from. And that’s how we all continue to learn and develop even greater understanding on various topics and situations.
Everyone is always so willing to jump on a call and help you with something – and if someone wants to get experience on a particular subject or project, we can introduce them to a client as a team member who will be assisting with it. We’re always willing to help each other, however we each might need.”
“On a personal level, I love when I feel like I’m truly making a difference to a person’s life – like being able to reduce their stress and worries, or solve a problem for them that’s been keeping them up at night.
It’s fantastic to see the tangible contribution that we’re make to companies, and see how the changes they’ve implemented with our support have benefited them over time and helped them to move in a positive direction with their staff and strategic goals.”
Start-ups. SMEs. Investor-Backed Businesses. Internal HR Teams. Business Owners & Directors. Medium-Sized Companies. Large Organisations. Large International Organisations.
HR Strategy. Improving HR Functions. Employee Relations Management. HR Meeting Support. Coaching & Supporting Managers. HR Strategy Development. Investigation & Disciplinary procedures. Managing Grievances.
Industrial. Not for Profit. Public Sector. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Professional Services. Family Business. Technology. Construction & Property.
Ursula Henderson is a Senior HR Consultant based in our Belfast office. Ursula’s main role is engaging with management and employee teams to understand the root cause of any issues, and providing expert advice and guidance to bring about a lasting resolution. She works with many clients on long-term improvements for their human resource response to reduce the number and significance of issues that arise over time.
Ursula works across a mix of public, private and third sector industries, for companies ranging from large scale manufacturers to smaller independent businesses and charitable organisations of all sizes.
“To my mind, the ideal client relationship is one that is based on mutual trust; where they trust the support that I give them, and I trust that they have given me all the information I need to provide that support. My clients can always expect expert knowledge, reassurance and professionalism from me, as well as solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.”
“I like to look at any situation that is brought to me from all angles, just because a company has ‘always done it this way’ does not mean that it has to continue to do that. I feel that it is my responsibility to generate a solution that will resolve a situation, and if that is very different to how the business operates, I see it as my responsibility to help the client understand why this is the best fit and how to implement it so that it is its most effective. At the same time, I quite like Status Quo – Rockin’ All Over the World is one of my favourites, so if a tried and tested method is the best solution, I am equally happy to go down that route!”
“When it comes to methods of communication, I believe that a blend of both worlds works well in this industry. With people, it’s important to make sure that you are using the best communication method for any given situation. The best may be the quickest, therefore you can have a Teams call, or it may be that a face-to-face meeting is required due to the nature of the issue, in which case, of course, it’s crucial to be there in person. It is a decision that we make every day, and we’ll always try to advise and promote the best method for the client and for the situation at hand.”
“The biggest challenge in my area of work is also the most rewarding aspect: people! People often take sides and can make assumptions, misinterpret things due to cultural differences or only hear part of a communication. But without doubt, people are also the most gratifying aspect for me. Getting colleagues and clients onto the same page and allowing them to see things from the other perspective not only produces the best results usually, but is also a fantastic feeling.”
“As AAB Group grows I am excited to be part of that growth. Developments in technology are helping us reach more and more clients, and customers are reaching out to us with more diverse needs. So, having a broader service offering means that we can provide our clients with the whole package – a more meaningful, seamless service that includes finance, recruitment, learning and development, organisational development and employee relations.”
“When working with clients I always look at situations first and foremost through the eyes of the client. With over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources across three continents, I have a good insight into how diverse our small planet is, and I can help companies understand the complex people issues that arise. I like to feel that we and the companies that we work with are all part of a wider team; their concerns are our concerns. This makes helping to resolve an issue to their satisfaction of all the more rewarding. Similarly, coaching and nurturing the developing talent within the team of AAB gives me great satisfaction.”
“AAB is an organisation that allows me to be myself, and I am a ‘glass half full’ person. I enjoy seeing the positive in every situation and helping clients to get there too.
One of my other greatest strengths is resilience. When a client brings an issue or challenge that seems insurmountable, I can look through the data and start a positive conversation that will help bring about a solution. A client once said that they were so worried about and consumed by a situation until they spoke with me and realised that there was a way forward. I’m always looking on the bright side of life and the culture of AAB is very much the same.”
“The best compliment I can receive from a client is when they include me as part of their team and treat me as one of their own.”
“Human resources are often positioned as the company police or the department that takes away all the fun. However, I prefer to see the function as being the team that enables communication when it breaks down, enables progress when things have reached a standstill or a deadlock, and enables development when more skill is needed. We enable the fun stuff to happen – we can’t have fun without people!”
Onboarding is a part of the recruitment process that can often be forgotten and underutilised. Relationships at work are so important and the onboarding process is often the first introduction new starts will have with your team. Therefore, the integration opportunity here cannot be denied.
In this article, we’ll be diving into onboarding so you can ensure new starts have the best start to life in your organisation. We’ll be covering:
Employee onboarding is a process that encompasses everything required when a new team member joins your organisation. Through this process, the individual will receive training, information resources and more to help them establish themselves in their role.
Typically, this process is kicked off when a candidate accepts their first offer and ends after the induction period is over.
Starting a new role can be overwhelming and daunting for candidates. An onboarding plan can help them to acclimatise to your organisation, their role and help them to get an understanding and feel for the company culture.
Onboarding isn’t just beneficial for the new team member- it can be a game changer for the rest of the team too. When you take the time to properly onboard someone, you’re not only helping them get up to speed on your organisation but also setting the tone for their success. By providing clear expectations, resources, and support from their very first day you create a strong foundation for a team that can work together to achieve amazing things. The team involved will benefit as they’ll be able to provide training, reflect on processes, improve communication, and strengthen bonds. It’s a great chance for them to also learn and share knowledge.
Think about it like this- your new start might have had a 3 month notice period before joining your team. If you have a slick and smooth onboarding process you can spend that 3 months getting to know your employee and having regular touch points before they join. However, without one you leave your employee semi-in-the-dark until they start their first day.
First impressions, as they say, are everything. So, you want this really important step in the employee lifecycle to get off to the best start possible. We always recommend communication with candidates before their start date- you can achieve this by staying in contact through email or by phone until their first day. Having their line manager reach out and introduce themselves is essential if they’ve not already met through the hiring process.
The onboarding process is crucial to the new start as it provides an insight into the company culture before their first day, builds relationships and reduces stress for the individual, allowing them to feel comfortable and confident in their new role.
As well as being beneficial to the new start, the onboarding process is important for the organisation as a whole. It can improve employee retention rates through the new start feeling supported, engaged and connected at the beginning of their working relationship, they are more likely to stay with the company longer-term. As a result, this can reduce turnover costs. Additionally, providing the candidates with contracts, policies and procedures reduces organisational risk to legal / regulatory issues and ensures a compliant work environment from day one.
There are no set requirements for an onboarding process. The most important thing is that your process is unique to your organisation and doesn’t feel disjointed or disingenuous to who you are and what you stand for. To ensure you have it all covered we recommend that you follow the 5 c’s of onboarding.
Onboarding should not be a forgotten task or even one that has less importance in the new starter journey. It can be a key to success when utilised properly. When you focus on the 5 Cs of onboarding, you’ll be able to create a seamless onboarding journey that ensures your new team members are set up for success.
Our team of specialists can help you create a bespoke onboarding journey that integrates your new starts seamlessly into your team. Creating a positive work culture and workplace that your people are proud to work within.
If you have any queries about how to create a successful onboarding process please do not hesitate to get in contact with Rhona Macleod, or your usual AAB People contact.
SMEs. High-growth businesses. AAB People team. Business owners & directors. Medium-sized Companies. Large organisations. Large international organisations.
Salary benchmarking and reports. Investigations, panel and appeals in disciplinary and grievances. HR meeting support. Absence management. Occupational Health referrals. Time and attendance issues. Review of HR documentation and policies/procedures. Day-to-day HR queries.
Improving Process Efficiency. Supporting HR Advisors. HR Administration. Business Operations
Business Services. Not for Profit. Construction & Property. Family Business. Public Sector.
Charlotte Eakin joined the team in May 2023 as an Associate HR Consultant on the Graduate Training Programme. She assists in a wide variety of client work, meaning that every day is different in Charlotte’s role! So far in her role, Charlotte is involved in providing background support to the lead consultant with clients so typical activities could include benchmarking research, drafting letters and policies, note-taking during meetings and answering telephone queries that come into the office.
Charlotte is part of the HR Consultancy team providing support to clients, both on retained and project packages, where the aim is to act as an extension of the company’s team to provide specialist HR support. Already, Charlotte appreciates the strong relationship that the consultants here have with their clients and how committed they are to providing the best services for them.k
Working on such a huge range of client work also helps her to expand her body of knowledge. She benefits from the opportunity to work alongside different consultants within the team and observe the approach each takes with their client work to develop my skills for the future.
“In my opinion, the ideal relationship with a client is one in which you are able to build a strong partnership with them and work closely together for the benefit of the organisation and its people. It is essential that the client can trust their HR Consultant and have faith in the work that is carried out. One of the best methods to achieve this is through effective communication via phone, email and face-to-face. I believe for the relationship to strengthen and develop in the long-term, it is important to ask for client feedback and invite them to offer suggestions for improvements to ensure that we are continually striving to provide the best bespoke service for them.”
“HR Consultancy is a fast-paced environment and there are times when clients require work to be completed on an urgent timescale whilst ensuring not to sacrifice on excellence. Therefore, I would say that clients expect high quality work within a quick turnaround time.”
“One of my favourite aspects of consultancy is the variety of clients you are able to meet and work with and the opportunities this brings in terms of growing your network and being able to experience snippets of what each organisation and industry is like. Already, by speaking to clients on the phone, I can see how much they appreciate the expertise and guidance that they receive which makes the job very rewarding.
With regards to being a part of the AAB team, so far one of my favourite aspects is how willing every colleague is to help each other out, no matter their level of seniority. As a graduate starting out on my journey in HR and hoping to develop my knowledge and skillset, this is a huge support mechanism for me that is really appreciated.”
“AAB Group has a reputation for being disruptive and assertive, and I think any HR professional has to portray these values to an extent in order to be able to make a difference in the workplace. HR can sometimes disrupt the ways of working for some clients, but it is for the better! There are times when clients struggle to embrace change which requires a hint of assertiveness from the HR Consultant.”
“Having worked both fully remote and fully in-office in previous roles, I am thoroughly enjoying the hybrid approach adopted by AAB. I definitely believe initial introductions to clients should be done face-to-face, if at all possible, to lay a good foundation for the relationship. However, when dealing with client queries and pieces of work, it saves both parties time and can be more convenient if they are done virtually.”
“One challenge facing HR professionals is the ‘Great Resignation’ and concerns about retaining talent and managing employee expectations. As well as this, organisations are also dealing with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, so they are forced to find the balance between attracting candidates and setting realistic objectives. Diversity & Inclusion remains a continuous area of focus as well, particularly around expressions of gender identity, for example, so it is important to stay up to date with employment law updates.”
“I am extremely excited about my future in HR as I feel that I am starting my career in the best place possible in order to learn from top professionals in the industry. There are so many opportunities to develop my career here at AAB.
The future is exciting here at AAB as the journey is also just beginning with the company joining the wider AAB Group and enjoying continuous expansion. The opportunities this provides for business development across Northern Ireland, Ireland and the rest of the UK is very exciting to see how the company can grow.”
“As I mentioned above, the willingness of the team to share their knowledge and work together is brilliant, and really lives up to the AAB Group value that ‘Collaboration is our superpower.’ The saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ rings true and by simply asking on a query you are not sure about, it is likely that someone else within the team will have some experience of it and they are always more than happy to share their expertise.”
“One of my greatest strengths is the ability to remain level-headed in stressful situations which ensures I am thinking clearly and logically. I believe this is an important attribute to have for working in HR as always staying focused is imperative. I’m also always keen to help in any way that I can.”
“My personal pet peeve about HR is the negative portrayal it has by those who do not work in it. It’s disappointing that the concept of ‘hiring and firing’ is associated with as HR, especially as HR continues to have a growing strategic influence on the performance of organisations. This is particularly relevant as we continue to adapt to the workplace changes implemented by the pandemic which has resulted in organisations recognising the importance of focusing on the people within your company.”
The prospect of a UK General Election in 2024 means we may see new items on the agenda which businesses will need to navigate this year, in addition to any legislative updates already on the calendar.
Employee wellbeing is high on the agenda for political parties, and we can look to other countries for inspiration on what could be done here in the UK. One topical change we’ve seen is around the theme of the “Right to Disconnect.”
The increase in flexibility at work with more and more employees working from home has blurred the lines between personal and work life. It can be difficult to separate work and life when you’re working from home which brings a consideration for the ‘right to disconnect’.
It seeks to protect workers health and wellbeing from things like burnout and mental health problems caused by stress by putting in place strong policies and legislation for organisations to follow. Employees are given ‘permission’, to disengage from work outside of their normal working hours. As a result, once employees are off the clock they should not receive or be required to answer any work-related calls, messages, or emails. Effectively allowing employees to revert back to a time, where when you left the office you did not have access to your emails again until the next morning.
With ever increasing countries moving closer to giving their workforce the ability to outright refuse to take on any more work once their workday has ended, similar laws are already in place with our European neighbours (France, Italy, and Belgium) and Australia is looking to be the next country in line to pass a bill in Government.
The Australian Prime Minister recently said referencing their recent proposed bill:-
“We are simply saying someone who is not paid 24 hours a day, shouldn’t be penalised if they’re not online and available 24 hours a day.”
The right to disconnect aims to create a new shared approach to work communication that will not hinder flexible working. At the same time, it allows people to switch off to their workday outside of their working hours.
Work-life balance is a phrase we often hear. People want to work to live and not live to work, which is perfectly understandable. The right supports employees to have a better work-life balance which allows for everyone in an organisation to truly excel. Enabling employees to bring their best and most productive self to work each day is something employers should strive to achieve.
It isn’t just about enacting policies or regulations; it’s about fostering a cultural shift that prioritises work-life balance and mental well-being. Without a cultural change, simply mandating time away from work devices may not effectively address the underlying issues of overwork and burnout. Embracing the RTD means acknowledging that employees are more productive and healthier when they have time to recharge outside of work hours.
Encouraging a healthy work/life balance can help to boost your organisations reputation. A positive reputation can help you to attract and retain top talent. We know it’s becoming increasingly more difficult for employers to attract and retain, not forgetting the costs to recruit, both monetarily and time invested in training new employees.
While Australia is looking to implement this now it is not a novel concept. In fact, France was the first country to implement the right to disconnect in 2017. It is something that has been implemented in multiple countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Canada. In each country, the law is slightly different.
The UK Labour party previously stated that they would like to legislate a right to disconnect policy. It’s likely that their manifesto for the general election this year will be largely focused on employees and the workplace, knowing that it’s something current workforces regard as highly important.
The case for the right to be implemented is not too dissimilar to the case for a 4-day working week. While there’s pros and cons to both it does raise the question, are we missing an opportunity to revolutionise and redesign our approach to the way we work, whilst building a culture of employee wellbeing? With more countries implementing these laws it shows that there has been a shift, and more importance is being placed on employee wellbeing.
The UK implementing the right to disconnect will not fix wellbeing. Why? Because wellbeing cannot be fixed by one singular action, it needs continued effort, and to be weaved through the framework of every organisation. It would however be a continued step in the right direction.
If you have any queries about how to create a work life balance for your team or implementing a 4 day working week, please do not hesitate to get in contact with Michael Black, or your usual AAB People contact.
The Health and Safety at Work Act was established in 1974 – a mere 50 years ago. While we often associate health and safety with physical “safety” the Act recognised that employee “health” is equally important.
Most of us will work in occupations at some time or another that will expose us to health hazards, be that physical stress and strain, exposures to chemicals, noise, dusts, vibration, violence/aggressive behaviours, infection, stress etc. It’s easy to assume that only employees who carry out high risk work are exposed to health hazards but anyone in any occupation can be affected.
As employers we have a duty under health and safety law to protect workers from the adverse health effects of the work that they do – this is embedded in the principles of risk assessment and risk management.
Work related stress, depression, and anxiety account for almost half of all work-related ill health and 54% of the working days lost in the UK, and post pandemic the trend is rising. It is essential for UK business to understand the causes of stress and ensure that their organisational culture, policies, and procedures address these.
And it’s important to understand that many employees will experience stress in their personal lives, that then carries over into their working lives and affects their ability to cope with their job and to work safely. Understanding and supporting employees when they are experiencing personal challenges can be as important as taking steps to minimise the work related aspects.
Proactively taking steps to prevent stress occurring is preferential to reactively having to deal with both the causes of stress and the consequences. Given the current rates of work-related stress etc. many employers will find themselves on the back foot and reactively trying to address issues that have become embedded in the culture, systems, processes and people.
The good news is that there are tools out there to support the management of stress. Working with HR professionals many of the existing HR policies and procedures can provide valuable information to help identify the extent of the problem, e.g. absence statistics, causes of discipline and grievance procedures, staff retention data, exit interview data; employee surveys etc.
Staff surveys and workshops can help to drill into the finer detail of the day-to-day issues and demands that wear people down, cause frustration and create conflict between staff and management.
HR and H&S policies and procedure can provide some of the solutions and may need to be refreshed and refocussed to ensure they remain effective, e.g. return to work, flexible working arrangements, dignity at work, stress at work, employee health programmes; risk assessment; job evaluation etc.
Employee wellbeing is one of the areas where HR and H&S can work in partnership to ensure that the inherent health hazards associated with work are identified, understood, and appropriately managed. Working together they have important roles in communicating information to employees on health and wellbeing, providing the necessary policies and procedures to manage the risks and to provide the necessary information, instruction, and training to equip employees with the knowledge they need to keep themselves safe and healthy.
If you have any queries about the health and safety in your workplace, or if you are worried about the wellbeing of your employees please do not hesitate to get in contact with Lee Craig, Donna Wrigglesworth or your usual AAB People contact.
This blog is part of our series on Workplace Wellbeing, you can read the first blog of the series here.
