Employment Adviser
For Employers
You employ people to work at helping you achieve the aims of your business. That sounds fine. But relationships at work are a fragile thing. Not just between you and your staff. Between individual or departmental staff members. Between Line Managers and staff. They all need positive care and attention. Otherwise distractions creep in - petty squabbles that can lead to bullying, harassment, discrimination and stress. Disagreements or disappointments that can lead to grievances or resignations
And not every employee is perfect. You may need to slim down, improve performance or deal with long term or persistent intermittent absence
Do it the right way and you should be fine. Do it the wrong way and it's trouble time. Which is right and which is wrong?
The 6 wrong ways:
- Assume there is so much employment law and paperwork you might as well ignore it
- Assume everybody understands the rules and your Line Managers know how to use them
- Assume your 'gut reaction' to situations will see you through
- Assume your staff are happy and compliant because they don't complain
- Assume 'troublemakers' will just leave
- Assume you don't need to take advice before dealing with employment issues
The 6 right ways:
- Get the right employment contract/Staff Handbook from the expert
- Get the expert to explain the documents to all managers
- Always follow your own procedures
- Act fairly, reasonably and consistently
- Keep employment documentation up to date and relevant
- Check with the expert before taking action
This is what I do:
Review all the employment contracts and other documents you currently use (including adverts, application forms, offer letters, appraisal forms, Staff Handbook, Health & Safety etc)
Update and create those documents as necessary
Introduce the revised documents into employment contracts
Show your Line Managers (in a Workshop session) how to use them and bring them up to date on current employment issues
Advise you on any employment issues you face as you go along such as redundancies, grievances, disciplinary, absence, capability, performance, bullying, harassment, discrimination and stress
Investigate the facts regarding allegations by or against your employees and report findings
Represent you at Employment Tribunal
For Employees
Would you put up with a home or social environment where:
- You didn't know or understand the ground rules
- You were shouted or sworn at, ridiculed, threatened or socially excluded
- You were never given enough time and your complaints were never listened to
- You were treated less favourably because of your colour / religion / sex / sexual orientation / age or disability
- You were overworked
- You were pushed out unfairly
- You didn't have anybody you could turn to
- Where all this was starting to make or had already made you ill
No, of course you wouldn't. You'd do something about it.
So why would you (do you) put up with it at the place you spend most of your life - your workplace?
Most employees are treated fairly and with dignity. Most of those who aren't just leave, put it down to a bad experience and find another job.
That was fine when jobs were plentiful
But where you think you are being treated unfairly you need advice on your rights and your obligations. You might want me to try and mediate between you and your employer to improve the relationship. If things have gone too far you may have a claim for compensation against your employer
Whatever you need in the Employment field I'm ready to help: Contact Me.