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Justyna Kowalska is a Senior HR Consultant and experienced Employment Law Consultant at AAB People. Specialising mainly in the legal framework of the Republic of Ireland, Justyna is also knowledgeable about Northern Irish and broader UK employment law.
Justyna holds Advanced Diploma in Applied Employment Law from Honorable Society of Kings Inn’s, the School of Law in Dublin, and Diploma of HR Management. She has also received Award in Employment Law with CIPD qualification of Level 9 and she is accredited mediator.
Justyna works with clients from a wide variety of sectors, either supporting their existing HR departments or acting as their HR person. Her main responsibilities involve – but are not limited to – advising clients in all employees related issues and queries, conducting formal and informal meetings, providing documentation and bespoke letters support, employment law compliance, statutory entitlements, assessing risk and provide trainings to employers and employees.
“The ideal relationship with a client for me is one that is consistent and based on clear communication. It is my priority to make sure that the client is well informed and knows exactly what the next steps are in relation to any case I am dealing with. Communication is a key building relationship with client.”
“I think clients expect clear answers and solutions from me. I always make sure that I give my clients options so that they can make their own decision. I will assess the risk and give the client my informed opinion what would be the best route, but giving the freedom of making the decision is very important to my clients.”
“With regards to clients and colleagues alike, the most satisfying part of is building good relationships with them. When it comes to clients the other main point of satisfaction is seeing their satisfaction with our services. And with colleagues, I find it really fulfilling when I can support them or learn from them.”
“When it comes to my preference of methods of communicating with clients, I really don’t mind! I am happy with any type of interaction with clients, so I always make sure I adapt to clients’ needs and to the type of query I am dealing with. I like meeting clients in person and learning more about them, but any form of interaction gives me the chance to find out more about the client and how I can best support their needs.”
“The main challenge in my line of work can be sometimes the employment law changes and the actual interpretation of new legislations. That involves lots of research and many follow ups. It takes time and additional upskilling sessions if required but it also provides a lot of satisfaction when we’re able to explain complicated legislation and legal complexities to our clients in simple language.”
“I am really looking forward to exploring the opportunities that being part of the wider AAB Group brings, as well as being able to offer all the additional services to our existing clients that we are able to offer as part of the group.”
“We are a client-focused firm, and our priority is to deliver high-level professional service to satisfy our clients and support them with answering any queries they might have. We aim to help clients to achieve their goals, relieve them of stress, and basically just make sure they can sleep peacefully at night! We are genuinely passionate about this.”
“The greatest strengths I bring to AAB are simple – my extensive knowledge of employment law, and my excellent problem-solving skills.”
Proud to support a diverse range of clients
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.
Workplace wellbeing encompasses activities, programs, policies and strategies that aim to promote both positive physical and psychological health at work. However, many also overlap with personal wellbeing outside of work because, let’s face it, employees can’t maintain good wellbeing at home but not at work and vice versa.
Workplace wellbeing has become increasingly important within many organisations in recent years with the rise of hybrid working and the knowledge of research that shows 34% of people say work is the biggest cause of stress in their lives.
The last few years have seen many businesses, either collapse or make mass redundancies, often without notice. This news can establish uncertainty in people that may have been a loyal employee for many years, let alone relatively new employees or people working in start-up businesses.
Since the pandemic, both job and financial security have become big worries for millions of people. Whilst no company can be completely sure that they won’t ever have to make redundancies, they can put backup plans and strategies in place to support employees through these difficult times. This can be as simple as ensuring that a reasonable notice period is given to employees to find new jobs and fair redundancy settlements are provided.
As many organisations are currently feeling the pinch on their finances, it can make it harder to fairly compensate employees and stay afloat. Some tips employers can follow to make sure employees are fairly compensated can include: benchmarking job salaries against national or regional averages for the same positions, analysing your gender and ethnicity pay gaps as well as the diversity of your workforce across the organisational structure, implementing career progression and skills development strategies for everyone so that they can increase their career and earning potential, and investing in an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that is rich and diverse in benefits and perks that employees can make use of.
Support covers so many aspects of workplace wellbeing. Ensuring professional support to help employees develop and improve skills or further their career, or emotional or physical support in times of need (for example, financial difficulty, experiencing problematic behaviour, ill-health or simply giving any sort of advice). Support is something that not only senior leaders must be ready to provide but one that all employees can work on.
The bottom line is, if employees don’t feel supported, they are more likely to leave or suffer in silence, which could result in higher levels of absenteeism and presenteeism and lower levels of productivity.
A good work-life balance can mean something completely different to each person, making this almost impossible for organisations to get right when they look to make adjustments in the workplace. However, sometimes simply giving people open options such as the choice to work completely remotely and discussing individual needs like certain days or times off for childcare is one of the best ways to try and cater to a range of different needs.
Both physical and mental health of people has taken a front seat in the last few years. Enhanced sick leave policies that also integrate the need for people to take time off for mental health reasons, EAPs that provide benefits such as private healthcare, access to online GPs, free sight and hearing tests, and general compassion and understanding for those with health issues or who are carers, are all gradually more standard and sought after requirements for employees. However, currently only 25% of UK companies have an employee well-being programme in place.
Stress is one of the biggest causes of long-term sickness, every year millions of working days in the UK are lost due to work related stress. Absence is very expensive for employers due to the loss of productivity and the associated costs of paying sick pay to the absent employee and paying for temporary cover for the employee’s work, whether by employing additional staff or paying existing staff overtime. Where employees experience stress this is likely to have other serious consequences for the workplace. Stress can result in poor performance, low morale, accidents, costly tribunals, and civil claims against the employer.
With all this in mind – What can you do as leaders to prevent workplace stress?
It is good practice to take steps to reduce the risk that stress may occur within your organisation, even where you do not consider that any of your employees are currently experiencing stress related symptoms. You could take the following steps to help to prevent stress:
Health is a key area many employees find they encounter the most troubles with when it comes to disputes with their employers. To tackle these, employers must make sure that they have a better understanding of different disabilities or health issues, what constitutes discrimination based on them and how they can prevent mental health problems or support those with them, especially if they are as a result of workplace bullying, discrimination or harassment. How are employers tackling the cause of the problems as well as the consequences?
Another effective strategy is the implementation of wellbeing awareness training and workshops which address specific concerns, such as burnout, stress management, and the unique challenges posed by women’s health issues such as menopause. These sessions offer practical, sustainable solutions and foster a sense of community and support among employees. Unlike digital tools, they require active participation, which can lead to longer lasting impacts on health and wellbeing. Over and above empowering the workforce, providing employees with knowledge and specific tools to manage their health proactively, they create a culture of inclusion, fostering confidence and helping employees feel truly valued.
If you have any queries about workplace wellbeing please do not hesitate to get in contact with Donna Wrigglesworth, or your usual AAB People contact.
It goes without saying that employee benefits are a common incentive given to employees within a business. They are often used by organisations to attract and retain their top talent. They are an incredibly undervalued tool that can improve wellbeing and aid in fostering a prosperous and positive work culture.
The power of implementing employee benefits can often be overlooked when you’re combatting other challenges and trying to scale your business. In the short term not having them might lower costs for your business but in the long term, it may prove to be a hinderance to your growth and the success of your organisation.
A challenge affecting most businesses no matter the sector is attracting and retaining top talent. It’s not just about getting an individual in the door. It’s all about getting the right people for your roles and your business. A good employee benefits package can help you to achieve that. A report found that 69% of employees are likely to stay with an employer with a good benefits package while 68.2% said they were more likely to take a role if a good package was being offered. Having a comprehensive benefits package will also help you to build an attractive employer brand- creating a narrative that you’re an organisation that cares for its employees.
Its more than just a nice to have- employee benefits can advance your workforce and your business.
The cost of hiring, onboarding and going through that process a couple of times is high. You also need to factor in the loss of productivity, the time to train someone new and the knock-on effect this can have on your workforce. Employee benefits are linked to high employee wellbeing. The importance of wellbeing in the workplace is only going to get higher and higher on the agenda for organisations. Organisations where employee wellbeing is taken care of often see stronger job satisfaction, higher productivity, and even lower absence rates.
So, how do you understand just how important employee benefits are and you know that you have to have them. Where you start and what do you go for?
There’s no shortage of different types of employee benefits that you can implement. You could offer any and all but that wouldn’t make sense and it would be like adding petrol to a fire. Your scheme needs to be tailored to the needs of your employees.
Speak to them about what benefits they would like. Doing so is twofold. One- you’ll be able to carefully cultivate a package that meets the needs of your people. Two- employees will feel genuinely cared for and appreciate being asked for their opinion throughout the process.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) can play a powerful role. They are a benefit that can provide your team with support and also practical advice. They aim to support physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. This can either be online or confidentially over the phone. Access to these services typically occurs 24/7 so employees have access to this support when they need it most.
Often speaking about wellbeing is a challenge for employees but creating a safe space in which they can access information and receive support about issues ranging from workplace discrimination to anxiety or debt will help to create a happier more well workforce.
For this benefit- there is a statutory minimum organisation must apply. You can however choose to provide more.
Women are entitled to a year’s maternity leave. During this period, eligible mothers will get 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay. This equates to 6 weeks at 90% of full earnings and 33 weeks at statutory maternity pay.
With paternity leave you are entitled to two-week paid leave once the baby is born.
Shared parental leave is also an option- this is shared between both parents and consists of 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay. This will be shared between both parents.
There are no legal requirements to offer enhanced leave or pay. However, doing so will help to demonstrate that you’re a family friendly organisation that people won’t be punished for wanting to grow their family. Whilst this is an exciting time for new parents, the financial burden can provide unnecessary stress. Enhanced packages not only give you a competitive edge against your competitors, but they also show that you care and are likely to result in anyone returning from leave feeling less stressed.
Flexible or hybrid working has become something of a buzz word in recent years. However, post pandemic the work life balance has become increasingly more important to employees and employers and one tool that helps is to have that is flexible working.
Flexible working can take many different forms. This may range from being able to finish later after an appointment or starting earlier because you have evening plans, working a four-day week because that suits you better or offering your employees the opportunity to create individual working patterns that help you to thrive and be your most productive. Flexible working can also allow your people to work where they feel the most comfortable.
Not that it has to benefit you too. But from an employer perspective flexible working can:
Physical health is really important. Organisations that show they care and want to protect this will help in boosting their employees mental and physical health. This might be a local gym or somewhere located close to your office. It Is important to ensure that such a benefit is not only an inclusive one but is also one that caters to staff of all ages, life stages and fitness abilities.
This is often a sought-after benefit as it entitles your employees to have private medical treatment if they fall ill or sustain an injury. Health insurance not only has a positive impact on employee wellbeing, but it also can help reduce absenteeism and attrition within your company.
It’s no secret that the NHS is currently under strain and stress. As waiting times increase an estimated 20% of employees have made a reduction in their working hours to wait for treatment on the NHS. This percentage is likely to rise in the coming years. When employees have the choice of going private through work it can help them to feel cared for and in turn reduce the number of hours employees are off sick.
If a happy and healthy workforce is your aim, then implementing private medical is a good way to go.
While creating an employee benefits programme can be daunting you don’t have to do it alone. Alongside our colleagues at AAB, we can help you to create a bespoke employee benefits scheme. From initial conversations to finding the best benefit deals around. We’ll spearhead your project and deliver a scheme you can be proud of.
If you have any queries about setting up an employee benefits scheme, our specialist employee benefits team are on hand to provide you with advice and support in creating a bespoke scheme. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with Robyn Whelan, Rhianne Stewart, or your usual contact.
Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday of March every year. It’s important to make your employees feel appreciated and valued every day. However, this day is a great opportunity to do so on a bigger scale.
Showing your appreciation and thanks for your employees doesn’t have to break the bank. When employees feel valued, they are more likely to perform at their best. If you’ve not already planned, you still have time. This day is a great platform to roll out year-round recognition for a job well done that will quickly become part of your culture.
The day was originally coined by Dr Bob Nelson to celebrate the publication of his book ‘1001 Ways to Reward Employees’. In his book he highlights that it’s not an increased salary or a promotion that motivates your employees to do well. It’s actually intangible, unexpected, and genuine gestures that signify real appreciation for a job well done. The importance of recognising good work can sometimes be a huge difference maker when it comes to retaining top talent.
It’s often the case that feedback is only given when a problem has occurred or when a task hasn’t gone to plan. While that’s not an issue, when positives are always ignored it can leave doubt in an employee’s mind of their ability to complete their work to a high standard. Especially when the good more often than not outweigh the bad.
You might be thinking- is this day just performative do I really need to get involved? Failing to show appreciation and thanks for your teams at all might be a huge mistake. After all, employee engagement is one of the strongest ways you can drive employee success. How? Motivated and satisfied employees create a better and more positive culture which in turn delivers a productive and high performing team.
Here are just some examples you could implement on the day and thereafter:
While Employee Appreciation Day is a great starting point it’s not itself going to transform your working environment or culture. There are roughly 250 working days every year. So, recognition on only one of those days isn’t going to cut the mustard. Instead, you want to invest in a clear Employee Engagement Strategy year-round.
Ultimately the best employee engagement survey is one that is tailored to your organisation. The most important part of creating such a strategy is hearing from your teams themselves- what they think might be missing, what they’d like to see and what they’d like to stop. Once you collate this information you can share findings and next steps with your team.
There’s no magic wand for us to wave and fix a disengaged employee or negative culture. However, we are on hand to support you to start those conversations and create a bespoke employee engagement strategy that meets the needs of your people and your organisation. Creating a strategy that will bring you success is only doable when you have the data to back it up. We’ll ensure we provide you with regular feedback session touchpoints after implementing a strategy. Reviewing progress will help us to see how the strategy is working and if there’s other room for improvement.
Appreciation for your employees should never occur in isolation. It’s important to remember to continually thank and praise the people who are pivotal in driving your organisations success. Creating a positive feedback culture and taking steps to creating a more engaged workforce will help you to retain top talent. If you have any queries about how to create a successful employee engagement strategy, please do not hesitate to get in contact with Ailsa Smillie or your usual AAB People consultant.
Attracting and retaining top talent is a crucial challenge for companies in 2024. Employee turnover rates are at an all-time high since 2020 and in today’s talent market offering a competitive salary and benefits package isn’t always enough to attract or retain talent, most likely because that’s what competitors are offering too. So, how can we combat it?
Let’s start with the true definitions of attraction and retention. Attraction is determined by what kind of talent you are finding and interviewing before solidifying a job within your company. Retention is how companies are creating structures, procedures and processes that keep their employees engaged. Attraction and retention go hand in hand as its not only about attracting top talent, organisations also need to understand how to retain talent.
There are a number of reasons why organisations should focus on attraction and retention as it leads to many benefits such as improving company performance, productivity, employee morale and encourages a positive employer branding.
A strong employer value proposition is vital for the recruitment stage, this is what initially attracts and draws new talent to your organisation. To ensure this is embedded in your company culture, it needs to be lived and breathed within your organisation to retain employees. This is important to organisations as it reflects what employees can expect from you as a company and also what companies can expect from their employees.
Offering competitive salaries and benefits is a popular way to attract and retain your top talent. This can include health insurance, flexible work schedules, signing bonuses, commission schemes etc. However, this is simply not enough on its own, companies must adopt other ways to attract and retain.
The top talent will often seek continuous learning and development opportunities to grow their own skill set. Through investing into employee training programs, workshops, credited courses and mentoring programs, these are all ways to help create career progressions and professional development. In turn, by investing into growing your employees’ skill set companies gain the return by broadening the role responsibilities and allowing those companies to have qualified and trained professionals. Offering opportunities for advancement in employees’ careers.
Companies that support flexible schedules, remote work options, and reasonable working hours are more likely to attract and retain talent. By offering flexibility to employees, this may lead to increased retention and motivation. Studies show that 6% of employees changed jobs last year due to lack of flexibility and 12% left their profession/sector altogether.
A positive and inclusive company culture is attractive to not only the top talent but to all your current employees. Organisations that prioritise a supportive and collaborative environment tend to retain employees longer. Skills and experiences can be taught almost anywhere, a strong positive company culture will set apart the reputation to candidates in the recruitment process.
Focusing on the key benefits and offerings an organisation can make to its employees will ensure they have a higher competitive advantage, increased productivity from employees, adaptability and trust to change, enhanced reputation and employee morale and engagement. All these factors contribute to the long-term success of a company.
Companies should look to incorporate not just one method of attracting and retaining new talent but should combine multiple methods to increase their likelihood of success. There are not a one size fits all approach, doing research into what works well for other organisations in your industry, assessing your specific budget and available time you have to invest and engaging with current staff to find first had suggestions will help you to find out what works best for your business.
If you have any questions around what you can do as a company to improve your attraction and retention methods please do not hesitate to get in contact with Robyn Whelan, Georgia Wilson or your usual AAB People contact.
As we approach April 2024, UK businesses must turn their attention to an increasingly relevant issue – the gender pay gap. The need for accurate and timely submissions of gender pay gap data is not just a statutory requirement; it’s a testament to a company’s commitment to proactively taking measures to consider and improve diversity, inclusion and fairness in the workplace.
In today’s world, the gender pay gap remains a significant barrier to equality. Despite advancements in many areas, discrepancies in pay between genders persist, hindering not just individuals, but businesses and the economy overall. A diverse workforce, where everyone is paid fairly, is a more innovative, creative, and productive one. Hence, addressing the gender pay gap is not just ethically right, it’s a practice we would consider commercially astute too.
If you would like to discuss your Gender Pay Gap reporting requirements, you can book a free consultation with a member of our team here.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting Requirements for Employers
The process of gathering and submitting gender pay gap data, however, is far from trivial. It requires meticulous data collection, sorting, and analysis. Payroll software can support with this, but our experience tells us that often the numbers can be more complex to manage than initially expected and shouldn’t be underestimated.
The Gender Pay Gap data must be accurate and submitted on time (by 04th April 2024, and public-sector organisations must report by 31st March 2024); otherwise, running the risk of non-compliance with regulations and potential reputational damage. It can be a time-consuming process, but it’s a necessary one.
Having said all that, it’s important to note that submitting your data is just the initial, surface level requirement. The real work lies in interpreting the data and crafting a narrative around what it means for your organisation in practice. This narrative is crucial because it provides context for the numbers and can help explain why the gap exists, what steps are being taken to close it, and how it aligns with the company’s broader diversity and inclusion goals. It’s the most visible part of your submission and is likely to be scrutinised by your employees, investors, competitors, media, and the public. So getting it right is essential!
Gender Pay Gap Reporting Guidance
There are numerous resources available for employers who are required to submit a Gender Pay Gap report, but the process is time consuming and can be complex depending on the structure of your organisation.
A brief high-level suggested summary of the steps required for submitting your Gender Pay Gap are noted below:
1. Determine Applicability: The regulations apply to employers in the UK with 250 or more employees. Organisations must complete their report for each separate ‘legal entity’, if you are part of an organisation or group with more than one legal entity. The 2024 reporting deadlines for submitting the gender pay gap report are as follows: 31 March 2024, and 04 April 2024.
2. Gather Data: You should base your gender pay gap calculations on payroll data taken on your snapshot date (which can be confirmed on the gov.uk website). Collect relevant employee data, including the proportion of male and female employees in different pay quartiles.
3. Prepare Your Data: From the data you have gathered prepare the following:
4. Calculate Key Metrics: Calculate the following metrics based on the collected data:
5. Prepare a Written Statement: Provide a written statement signed by an appropriate senior individual, such as a director, confirming the accuracy of the calculations.
6. Prepare Supporting Narrative & Action Plan: This step is not a legislative requirement but is strongly advised because a supporting narrative and action plan can help people understand why you think you have a gender pay gap and what action you have taken to analyse and close it. Including this step in your Gender Pay Gap reporting process can positively impact an organisations reputation.
7. Publish the Gender Pay Gap Report: Publish the report on the company’s website and report to the government via the designated online reporting service.
8. Promote the Report: Ensure that the report is easily accessible to employees and the public. Consider providing a narrative to explain any identified pay gaps and the actions being taken to address them.
9. Review and Update: Regularly review and update the gender pay gap data, at least annually, to track progress and assess the impact of any measures taken to address the gap.
10. Addressing Pay Gaps: Consider implementing strategies to address identified gender pay gaps, such as training, mentoring, and policies promoting equal opportunities.
11. Plan for Next Year’s Report: Establish an end-to-end process with key milestones and deadlines to ensure the organisations gender pay gap reporting process can not only tick the legislative requirements of the report but can provide as much value as possible to the organisation. HR and Employment Law specialists can assist with planning and preparing Gender Pay Gap reports, reflections, and action plans.
Gender Pay Gap Service
AAB People understand the complexities and challenges of the gender pay gap submission. We have the expertise and resources to help you navigate this process seamlessly. We can assist with getting your data into the right place, complete the analysis, and also help you craft a compelling narrative to comply with regulations and set you on track to focus your future strategic aims.
The gender pay gap submission due in April 2024 is not just about meeting a legal requirement, it’s an opportunity to reflect on and improve your company’s diversity and inclusion practices. It’s about taking a step towards a more equal and inclusive future and we would be happy to work with your organisation on this together.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the Gender Pay Gap reporting process, please contact Rhona Macleod or your usual AAB People contact.
The world of HR and the workplace has undergone so many changes in recent years. Through technological advancements and shifts in cultural opinions we expect that the workplace in 2024 will continue to adapt and change. It can be easy to continue on as before however, business that cannot or who refuse to adapt and change run the risk of getting left behind and missing the opportunity to be leaders of change.
We’ve pulled together the HR Trends that we think are going to make the most impact for organisations. The most important ones for employers to focus on in the year ahead.
It’s become something of a buzzword in recent years but it’s clear that not only is AI here to stay- it’s also going to transform the workplace. At it’s very core this is a technology that has been introduced and can be trained to perform both menial and also advanced human tasks. Exploring ways AI and other digital transformation can be utilised to support transactional activities and free up time for employees to add value in other ways is key. It’s important to note that this will likely require a redevelopment of skills for many people within your team.
AI isn’t here to replace your team- it’s important you make this clear and bring them on the journey with you. This is something new not only to the team but also to you. Look at the bigger strategic picture and work to ensure team members have the skills they need so their energy can be focused on what matters. As Forbes said, the greatest benefit of AI is in augmenting and improving processes that already exist with the people already in your team.
Following trends such as the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting individuals are much more willing to move from role to role in the pursuit of better development and pay. Why? Because of the growing demand for better work experiences. The employee experience stretches beyond just their experience in the workplace. It extends to aspects such as their job design. Now more than ever employees are looking for non-traditional job designs that help them balance work and life. For example, employees are more likely to stay in a role or move to a role that offers flexible arrangements for their overall wellbeing. Tailoring job design to your employees and your organisation will be key in 2023. It will be the year of inclusive and engaging work environments. Job design is such an (important?) tool to enable this to progress.
The individual contributions of our people go hand in hand with your organisational goals. Progressing in their career is important to people. Supporting the development of your team will boost morale, help with employee engagement, benefit your work culture and help with not only retention but also talent attraction. If this is your workforce, they’re going to want to your business to succeed. This will prove to be important for 2024 and beyond.
In 2023 EDI was thrown to the forefront of many senior internal conversations. A question that has likely come up time and time again ‘are we doing enough?’ followed by ‘if we’re not, what should we be doing?’ in the wake of one of the largest social justice movements many organisations made ambitious statements and commitments to EDI that they haven’t been able to fully stand by. Coupled with a divided society that brands some actions as “woke” and others as “performative” it’s understandable that organisations are somewhat wary of EDI.
It’s important to remember that EDI stretched far beyond just race. While that has it’s importance and is still an element you need to consider. EDI covers many other aspects. For example gender, neurodiversity and sexual orientation. It’s becoming increasingly more important to potential employees to work in organisations that best align with their personal beliefs and places that sit right within their moral compass. With a study showing that 95% of candidates compare EDI efforts when picking job offers- EDI is more than just a buzzword to be used to make your organisation look and feel good. It has to be a commitment you make to create the kind of workplace where everyone feels valued, safe to show up as their truest self and welcome when they do so.
EDI initiatives and the employee experience go hand in hand. It’s all about developing a positive employee culture as a whole and embracing a real approach to the wellbeing of your people- not just talking about it.
It’s often the case that wellbeing is used as a tool. Something organisations talk about but within their workforce the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. This is called ‘wellbeing washing’ where there’s no tangible actions to back up what you’ve said. Wellbeing is a non-negotiable for organisations in 2024. In 2023 we’ve seen issues such as mental health, burnout, and musculoskeletal as key indicators for absences. With workplace wellbeing challenges on the rise, the new year is the perfect time to address and put in place solutions.
We’ve all heard of toxic work cultures, but what actually are they? They tend to be workplaces where employees aren’t supported, valued or respected. It’s likely that the people within them have high levels of stress unmanageable workloads and little to no opportunities for growth or development. More often that not a toxic work culture will trickle down from the very top. If you’re an organisation using 2024 to catapult yourself to long-term success, then creating a positive work culture isn’t just a nice to have. It must become the focal point for your work culture. In turn you will create an engaged, positive and loyal workforce.
Do your employees feel comfortable speaking to the leaders in your organisation about any struggles they might be facing? It’s common for employees to avoid discussing any non-physical health issues with their manager. Employees want to feel supported and psychologically safe at work. The line manager is such an important element in the pursuit of good health and wellbeing in the workplace. A recent report by CIPD found 43% of line managers don’t feel they nave the necessary training, skills or confidence to support the mental health of employees. This common challenge can act as a blocker for employee wellbeing.
The decisions you make have far reaching consequences, that we might not even see for years to come. Choosing the right path for your organisation will be a journey. It will take innovation, authenticity, and also strategic foresight to ensure you make the right decisions. The changing nature of HR means that ignorance is not bliss- and choosing to ignore the trends can have a negative impact on your organisation and in turn the success of your business.
Making important strategic decisions for your organisation isn’t something you have to do alone. Our dedicated HR & Employment Law Specialists are on hand to help you make the right decisions to support your organisation. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to get in contact with James Richardson, or a member of our HR & Employment Law Team.
Start Ups. SMEs. Investor-Backed Businesses. Internal HR Teams. Business Owners & Directors. Medium-Sized Companies. Internal AAB People team.
Account Management. Outsourced HR Function. HR Strategy Development. HR Framework Implementation. Employment Tribunal / Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) preparation. Performance Management. Organisational Design.
Internal Management, Leadership, Mentorship and Development. Internal Business Operations. Business Development & Growth.
Technology. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Financial services. The internal AAB People Team.
As Senior HR Business Partner, Rachel Coupland manages and leads the AAB People team in England. This encompasses looking after HR consultants and associated support team, as well as managing the client sites that we partner.
Having been in people-related roles for 20 years and being professionally qualified through the CIPD, Rachel has cut her teeth as a service- and solution-driven, commercially focused HR generalist.
Rachel’s key skills include managing HR operations, creating and implementing HR strategy, driving culture, talent development, and change management. She is also experienced in cost saving strategies that have resulted in significant business savings. Her work has seen her gain experience across a wide variety of sectors. These include: talent acquisition, technology, financial services, pharmaceuticals, intellectual property research, and development (IPRD), aviation, and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries.
A core quality of Rachel’s is that she continually maintains a passion within the people function to focus on current trends. She leads with a dynamic edge to embed forward-thinking initiatives and influence behaviours that are increasingly value-adding and transformational.
“An ideal relationship with a client, for me, is one where there’s trust and confidence from both sides, leading to us being embraced as the internal HR team within that client site. I enjoy relationships where I can offer a balance of proactive as well as reactive support wherever necessary.”
“Offering uncomplicated, integrated, knowledgeable and solutions-driven support is what our clients expect from us. They can expect us to work seamlessly in the background, holding their people programme as our top priority, so they don’t have to worry about the compliance, risk, or strategy. Clients can relax knowing that we’re always one step ahead and considering all outcomes and factors.”
“Personally, the most satisfying element of working with clients is that it’s all about service delivery and understanding the commercial aspects of their business. I like being able to ensure that clients are always given options, and that they always know that they are in control. We will always offer our informed, impartial, and honest advice and suggestions, but it is ultimately within a client’s power to choose the path they want to take. When clients say, ‘thanks for that – that was so easy!’ it’s a great feeling.
I always feel I add value when I can reassure a client that we can take care of whatever it is they need painlessly, and in a time-effective manner.”
“In terms of working with colleagues, with all my years of experience and professional qualifications, it is a genuine privilege to be a mentor, and to be able to watch the team grow and develop. It’s amazing to give someone the tools and confidence to do the job that I still love as much as when I first entered into people management. To feel the same passion and drive (that I have) when my team supports our clients is fantastic. Our clients really are top priority.”
“The fact that AAB Group is tech-enabled to such a degree is really empowering – the wide scope of people management and our vast capability ensures that using tech truly enables a ‘best in class’ service delivery.”
“The thing that makes me most excited about the future my own future as part of AAB People is the aspect of personal growth. We really do never stop learning. It excites me that new things still come to the surface, processes are improved and streamlined, and we are responsive in a field that is always evolving to some degree. I always get a buzz when we start working on a new client and they see the difference our approach makes, and I love figuring out how we can offer an even higher standard of service and even better solutions.
I’m excited about the development AAB People too – watching an organisation I love grow and develop at such an impressive rate reinforces my motivations every day.”
“A pet hate that I have is how People Management is perceived – it has changed so much over the years, but we’re often still thought of as workplace police! We are business partners. And we are focused on adding value and providing direction that works for your individual business and I advocate this to anyone that will listen!”
“One of the AAB Group Values is that ‘Clients are our passion – our purpose is to help clients to achieve their goals and sleep at night. We relentlessly pursue this purpose.’ This is so ingrained in the whole team’s approach to work because we love what we do and without our clients we couldn’t do it – it’s that simple. Our clients share our values, and they know that we genuinely care! We are genuinely passionate about protecting their business from risk and focusing on their individual strategy, while driving their people programme. We fine tune our approach to each client and make you feel that you are our only focus.”
“I think one of the greatest strengths I bring to AAB People is my leadership. My leadership skills have developed over many years, and they allow me to inject drive, encourage collaboration, instil focus and organisation, and ultimately ensure that we are delivering excellent solutions to our clients. I understand what motivates people, and I know how to draw upon everyone’s strengths, whilst helping them to develop areas they’d like to improve. I’m big on collaboration – when one of the team calls me to discuss an issue, I make sure we always reach a conclusion together, and find a solution together. After all, collaboration is our superpower!”
“I’ve had some fantastic compliments over the years. I’ve had clients say to me that I make things easy for them, that they can’t do what they do without me, that I’ve changed their opinion on HR professionals, and even that they’re leaving the business but would like to take me with them! It’s always lovely to have it confirmed that I’m doing what I set out to do every day… which, simply put, is to help my clients.”
It’s a brand new-year, and for many people this means an exciting, fresh new start. For others, this period (and the month of January in particular) can be the gloomiest in the year. Whilst we all acknowledge that January only has 31 days, it can feel more like 61 days for some, and the half-way point of what is considered the longest month of the year is “Blue Monday”; the day perceived to have the highest workplace absence rate.
Gone, is the festive joy, the last of the Quality Streets and the promised New Year’s resolutions. All that appears left is the extra pounds (on your thighs and not in your wallet), a liver that could do with your attention and that awful sinking feeling that you need to change things in your life, including your job.
This doesn’t sound like the fresh new start lots of us are looking for with a new year, does it?
The good news is that Blue Monday does not actually exist and is certainly not a scientific fact. It was a marketing stunt dreamt up by a psychologist who goes by the name of Dr Cliff Arnall and started almost 20 years ago. It’s supposed to account for the long stretch until pay day, the worsening weather, dark nights and lapsed new years resolutions. It’s also linked to the “winter blues”, Ior seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which affects around 2 million people in the UK and can affect any age, including children.
The holiday cheer subsides leaving behind a feeling of emptiness for some which we feel the need to fill. Some of us will think the answer is to change our job role, infact, research published from Glassdoor identified that almost 1 in 5 people in the UK will change jobs in January.
As Employers, if we acknowledge that employees might start to feel like this at the start of a new year, what are we doing to address this, and what more can we do? Its important to recognise that not all voluntary turnover is bad, an employee with a bad attitude or one who consistently fails to perform might actually be a welcome relief. Turnover becomes a problem when you cannot hold on to your skilled employees and this negatively impacts the bottom line.
As an Employer, it is crucial to understand what make your employees “tick” and its not always about money. Giving salary increases is not always the answer and can be a very expensive mistake to make.
When was the last time you conducted an Employee engagement survey? This is the ideal platform to gain insight as to what your employees like, what they don’t like, why do they enjoy working for you etc. Most importantly, what have you done with this data?
Encourage employees to share concerns and frustrations. Feeling heard and listened to can significantly impact job satisfaction. Carry out an Engagement Survey, share the results and be honest about the changes that can be made and by when. Keep everyone informed of progress made.
Employees are more likely to stay if they feel valued and can see how their role impacts the overall company goals. Ensure annual reviews are completed and objectives are continuously followed up throughout the year, discuss opportunities and invest in training.
Acknowledge the potential challenges of “Blue Monday” and the post-holiday period. Offer mental health resources, encourage breaks, create a supportive atmosphere and encourage a healthy work life balance by avoiding an excessive workload after the festive period. Be an ambassador and encourage conversations on these.
Small gestures of recognition can boost morale and motivation and a simple thank you can go a long way.
Foster a sense of belonging by strengthening connections in the team. See Blue Monday as an opportunity to do something fun with the team.
Blue Monday may a have a rather gloomy reputation, but hopefully we can use this day as a reminder to prioritise and value our people. If you would like to discuss any aspect of blue Monday, employee engagement, workplace wellbeing or any other HR or people challenges, please contact Michael Black, or your usual AAB People contact.
