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👨🏻‍🍼 New Employment Rights Bill Brings Flexible Working and Expanded Paternity Leave

October 18, 2024

👨🏻‍🍼 HR Trend Spotlight: New Employment Rights Bill Brings Flexible Working and Expanded Paternity Leave

The UK government has introduced an Employment Rights Bill that emphasizes enhanced workplace flexibility and expanded paternity leave. The new legislation aims to support employees by making flexible working requests a right from day one of employment, instead of the current 26-week requirement. This shift reflects the growing demand for adaptable work arrangements in today’s workforce, where employees seek better work-life balance. 

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🎧 HR Insights

In an HR Morning podcast, Jake Sitman, Chair of the Employment Law and Labor Relations Group for the law firm Fitzpatrick, Lentz and Bubba highlights the importance of employee handbooks and proper documentation as the first line of defense in legal disputes. He emphasized that comprehensive documentation serves as a safeguard in situations where conflicts arise, providing concrete evidence to support decisions made by HR or management. From performance issues to policy violations, consistent and accurate record-keeping can prevent miscommunication and strengthen the organization's legal standing in case of disputes.    

💡 HR Tips & Tricks

Tip of the Day: When managing multiple tasks or projects, color-coding can help you stay organized and visually prioritize what needs to be done. Assign colors to different levels of urgency or importance and apply them to your calendar, to-do lists, or project boards. 

Trick of the Day:  During moments of downtime, such as waiting for a meeting to start or taking a short break, try a quick focus exercise. Close your eyes for a minute, take slow, deep breaths, and focus on a single word or thought. This helps clear mental clutter and prepares you to tackle the next task with more focus and clarity.

🧾 HR Case Files: Macmillan Cancer Support’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Macmillan Cancer Support implemented a comprehensive health and wellbeing strategy to address the needs of their employees, many of whom provide emotional support to cancer patients. The organization recognized the importance of employee wellbeing, especially given the emotionally taxing nature of their work. Macmillan introduced a series of well-being initiatives, including access to counseling services, flexible working options, and mental health awareness programs.

Key Takeaways

  • Integrating health and wellbeing programs can improve both employee morale and organizational performance.

  • Flexible work options and mental health support are crucial in high-stress work environments.

  • A holistic approach to employee well-being leads to a more engaged and productive workforce.

🧰 HR Toolbox

Stay equipped with the latest HR events and resources.

Resource of the Day 

A study by Gartner highlights the importance of transparency in HR vendor partnerships. Organizations often work with third-party vendors to manage various HR functions, from payroll to recruitment. Building transparent and open communication channels with these vendors ensures smoother operations and minimizes risks. The study shows that regular reviews, clear performance expectations, and honest discussions about challenges can significantly improve the efficiency of HR systems and vendor relationships. 

Event of the Day

HR Shared Services Week, an event focused on optimizing HR services through technology, automation, and strategic partnerships, is happening from 12-14 November in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference brings together HR professionals from around the globe to discuss best practices in delivering streamlined and efficient HR services. 

For conference details and registration, visit the website.

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