Recruitment Matters International September 2023 Newsletter
Hello from the team at Recruitment Matters International!
... So no increase in interest rates this month. Have they peaked? Here's hoping!
Articles in this edition of our newsletter include:-
Our CEO and qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Warren has some excellent advice on what employers can do to minimise stress in the workplace.
Networking guru, Will Kintish says "After the event... don't do nothing!!"
JMW's Simon Bloch examines Labour's guarantee of a new employment rights bill and what the effect would be on the gig economy and businesses using zero-hours contracts.
And I share some thoughts on leading by example..
Lastly, for news of our full range of recruitment services, including upcoming training courses, check out "What's new?"
Stress in the workplace
Contributor: Warren Kemp, CEO and Trainer, Recruitment Matters International. Warren is also a qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor
Stress in the workplace has become an increasingly common issue or, it might be fairer to say it is thankfully something that is being talked about. I’m not sure there is more stress today than 20 years ago. I am pleased the stigma attached to it is decreasing and employers are taking the subject seriously.
So what can employers do to minimise stress for their staff?
Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage employees to take regular breaks and holidays. Implement flexible working hours and telecommuting options when feasible.
Set Realistic Expectations: Ensure that workload and project deadlines are reasonable and achievable. Encourage employees to communicate when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Provide Resources: Offer access to counselling services or employee assistance programs to support those facing personal or work-related challenges.
Promote a Healthy Workplace Culture: Create a culture of appreciation and recognition where employees feel valued. Recognise and reward their efforts and achievements.
Offer Training and Development: Provide opportunities for skill development and career advancement. Employees who feel they are growing in their roles are less likely to experience stress.
Encourage Physical Wellbeing: Promote physical health through wellness programs, gym memberships, and healthy snacks in the workplace.
Address Bullying and Harassment: Implement clear policies and procedures to prevent workplace harassment. Ensure that employees know how to report incidents without fear of retaliation.
Foster Communication: Create channels for employees to provide feedback and express concerns. Act on this feedback to improve workplace conditions.
Lead by Example: Managers should exemplify the behaviours they expect from their teams, including a healthy work-life balance and effective stress management.
The bottom line is that employers have a responsibility to recognise the contributing factors and take proactive steps to prevent stress. By promoting a healthy work-life balance, creating a positive workplace culture, and providing resources and support, employers can significantly reduce stress levels among their staff, leading to increased job satisfaction, productivity, and overall success.
Additionally having some staff trained in Mental Health Awareness goes a long way in creating the right culture of openness and communication.
Warren Kemp is CEO and trainer with Recruitment Matters International. For more tips, advice and information on RMI, visit https://recruitmentmatters.com/ telephone 0800 0749 289/ +44 (0)1529 410375 or email info@recruitmentmatters.com.
After the event... don't do nothing!!
Contributor: Will Kintish, Networking guru
When you meet a prospect at an event please don’t waste the potential opportunity….. FOLLOW UP.
- Record your follow up actions so you don’t forget. When you have promised to call a prospect, put it in your diary as if it’s an appointment with an existing client. Don’t forget to record the number they agreed to allow you to call.
- If the contact date is longer than five working days, send a note or email saying how much you enjoyed meeting the person and, as promised, that you will call them on the agreed date.
- Secure the card. Losing it will lose all the information you have gained. Either enter all the details in your database or staple the card to a blank sheet of paper ready to make the call.
- Annotate all the cards with all relevant information:-
1. Where, when, what type of event, any physical features you think may be useful to help you remember them the next time you meet.
2. A useful piece of small talk to use as a bridge to the next step.
3 The words they used which gave you a sign there is an opportunity to help one day in the future.
4. If you know the name of their receptionist or secretary, record that, too.
- Where appropriate, send a quick note to fellow guests (prospects and others where you had a meaningful conversation) saying how much you enjoyed meeting them.
- When you are not paying for the evening always thank the host for inviting you. An email is the least you should send, a hand-written note is best.
- Take action over anything you promised to do. Society, generally, is unreliable. Stand out as a beacon and do what you said you’d do. You’ll be remembered, the other person will be impressed and speed always stuns!
- Start the research on your prospect, although you may consider doing this nearer to the date of the call.
- If you are in a bigger organisation, check around if anyone knows this person or the company they represent. Professional services firms will often do a conflict check.
For more information on Will’s networking services, visit https://www.kintish.co.uk , call +44 (0)7939 205719 or email will@kintish.co.uk.
Lead by example
Contributor: Ken Kemp, RMI’s MD
Lead by example: We all know the old adage that good leaders are born not made, but there are certain leadership skills, which can be learned and developed. So how much of the ‘right stuff’ in the checklist below do you have already?
Clarity: People respond much better when they are absolutely certain of what is expected of them. Leave no margin for misunderstanding or confusion and give a regular reminder of what your expectations are in terms of targets and objectives. A regular appraisal system can ensure that this happens.
Decisiveness: A quality leader needs to make decisions and then stick to them. People don’t feel comfortable with someone who keeps changing their mind. You only have to look at public opinion on U-turns in politics to see how easily confidence in a leader can be eroded or lost altogether.
Approachability: You have to be approachable and be seen to be part of the team. An open door policy encourages your team to communicate openly and honestly with you at all times, which will make management and direction a lot easier.
Ken Kemp is MD of Recruitment Matters International. For more information on RMI, visit https://recruitmentmatters.com/ telephone 0800 0749 289 / +44 (0)1529 410375 or email ken@recruitmentmatters.com .
Labour's guarantee of a new employment rights bill - what would the effect be on the gig economy and businesses using zero-hours contracts?
Contributor: Simon Bloch, who is a Partner at JMW Solicitors.
In Angela Raynor’s speech at the TUC party conference on 12 September 2023, she gave a commitment to introduce an employment rights bill within 100 days, should the Labour Party win the next general election. She explained that the bill would intend to enhance worker protection, including:
- A ban on fire and rehire practices by employers;
- Day One employment rights for certain statutory leave entitlements;
- Updated trade union legislation to provide greater rights to unions and striking workers; and
- A ban on ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts.
This is not the first time that an updated employment bill has been proposed. In the Queen’s speech in 2019, it was announced that the Government planned to introduce a new employment bill, however the development of this bill stalled and ultimately was placed on the back burner. Within the last year, there has been a noticeable number of private members’ bills to slowly introduce enhanced worker rights in a more piecemeal manner, some of which have passed through Parliament. However, the industry feels that there is a need for a greater employment bill to be introduced, since many of the provisions within the Employment Rights Act 1996 arguably do not reflect the modern practices of the current economy and working practices.
Case law has picked up gaps in the legislation over the past few years, of which the well-known Uber BV v Aslam case determined a key point on whether individuals within the gig economy are to be classified as ‘workers’ or ‘self-employed contractors.’ Perhaps an updated employment bill could fill these gaps and make the legal position even clearer than it already is.
Zero-hours contracts
A key inclusion within the proposed employment rights bill is the ban on zero-hours contracts, which were first officially sanctioned within the Employment Rights Act 1996. They are widely considered as lawful in the UK, as long as employers do not abuse the right to offer or withdraw work or employ workers on zero-hours contracts when the affected individuals actually work set patterns.
Many other countries have banned zero-hours contracts, such as New Zealand in 2016 and Ireland in 2019. However, certain European countries consider that zero-hours contracts are legal if fairly used by employers, similarly to the UK.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of zero-hours contracts?
There are advantages to both employers and workers who wish to engage or be engaged on zero-hours contracts. It provides workers with a certain degree of flexibility, and for certain groups of individuals, such as students and parents, the ability to reject work is a positive feature if they have other commitments or work for more than one employer. There are obvious benefits to employers, as they may not be able to guarantee set shifts and dependent on customer demand, can use zero-hours workers when the demand is there.
However, it is widely felt that employers have too much discretion to choose their workers’ hours as and when they please. Workers may find it difficult to plan if they are never sure on their working hours and could be notified of shift availability with little notice. Certain lenders such as banks for loans and mortgages may also require evidence of a stable income for the purposes of loans, which zero-hours workers will have difficulty evidencing.
Trade unions have expressed their desire for zero-hours contracts to be banned on this basis. They have made arguments that workers are at the beck and call of the employer, and that it only offers one-sided flexibility for workers.
What may happen if zero-hours contracts are banned?
The Office For National Statistics estimated that approximately 1.03 million people in the UK are engaged on zero-hours contracts. Therefore, if these contracts are banned by a new employment rights bill, employers will need to seriously reconsider updating their contracts and seeking legal advice in order to do so.
If the contracts need updating, then the parallel working practices will also need changing to reflect the ban. Businesses will need to think about what set hours, days and patterns they can offer their workforce in accordance with customer demand, and furthermore, if zero-hours workers have already been working set hours for a long period of time, those set hours may be implied as being part of their new contractual terms of employment.
Employers may also wish to consider dismissals if they over-employ workers on a zero-hours basis, but do not utilise all of the workforce regularly. Effecting dismissals may be tricky if the workers can establish that they are employees in practice, and therefore have the right to claim unfair dismissal. There could be a further risk of discrimination claims if certain former zero-hours workers are dismissed over other workers and feel that there is a discriminatory reason behind the employer’s decision. Employers therefore will need to justify their reasoning for dismissing certain individuals.
As per the ban being in accordance with a new employment rights bill, the bill could, in theory, introduce a statutory scheme for employers who continue to employ workers on a zero-hours basis, giving such workers rights to compensation for being engaged in this manner. We will have to wait and see whether the Labour party win the election, then whether the promise for a bill within a 100 days period is fulfilled, and what new rights or schemes are introduced in respect of zero-hours contracts.
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