  Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter. Coming up, we are going to be looking at Social media policies and an update on HR news. Is your social media policy clear? Following an employment tribunal that ruled that an employee was unfairly dismissed for a Facebook post that bosses wrongly claimed was an attack on their business, found the employer did not act reasonably. In this instance an employee reposted a meme, without commenting, regarding management styles and workplace cultures, which the employer claimed was an attack on their business. However, the tribunal ruled that “it was difficult to say whether anybody looking at this meme would link it directly to the claimant’s working environment” and a discussion with either a reminder of their social media policies, or a warning would have been merited to avoid this happening again in the future. No notes from the meetings with the employee were kept throughout this process, including notes following their right to appeal meeting, where the decision to dismiss the employee was upheld. They also noted the employer could have given the employee “further guidance about social media use or a verbal or written warning before dismissing her” and that the disciplinary procedure and process was unfair. By having a clear social media policy in place, employees understand the expectations on what content is appropriate for them to share online and the accepted standards for employee behaviour in terms of usage in the workplace, so it doesn't detrimentally affect productivity. It also takes steps to mitigate risks such as confidentiality, intellectual property, defamation and compliance of regulations such as GDPR, in addition to taking steps to protect the Company’s brand and reputation. By ensuring your policies are clear, up to date and communicated to employees, you can help prevent potential misunderstandings and the likelihood of disciplinary issues arising and if they do, there is a process in place to ensure they are dealt with fairly, consistently and in adherence to the Company grievance and disciplinary procedures. Please contact us if you need help creating or updating your social media or any other Company policies. NEWS As from 6th April 2024 the new Flexible Working Act comes into effect. The key changes to be aware of are:
Flexible working is a broad term that relates to an employee's working arrangement, regarding when, how and where they work. A statutory request is a request to change an employee’s terms and conditions relating to their hours, times or place of work. This could include the number of hours and days they work, for example part-time, term-time, compressed hours; adjusting their start/finish times; their working location such as hybrid/homeworking etc. What are the benefits of flexible working? By offering flexibility in work arrangements, Companies can demonstrate their commitment to accommodating employee’s individual needs and preferences. It enables employees to balance work and personal commitments, which contributes to improved mental well-being and increased job satisfaction, ultimately leading to higher productivity and employee retention. Flexible working also facilitates increased diversity and inclusion within a Company, by providing ways and means to accommodate diverse needs and circumstances in which people can work, this in turn helps attract a more diverse mix of talent. It also fosters a culture of respect, trust and inclusion, where employees feel supported and valued regardless of their circumstances. By embracing flexible working practices, a Company can attract and retain top talent, become more adaptable to change and cultivate a positive culture that enriches collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, all of which can help a Company achieve their overall objectives. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you wish to discuss how to manage any of these changes within your business, or any other matters relating to flexible working. Statutory paternity leave changes As from 6th April changes to the way Paternity Leave and Pay can be claimed and taken will come into effect, which will make it more flexible for fathers and partners to access. Currently, only one block of leave can be taken, which can be either one or two weeks, however the changes mean that fathers will now be able to take two non-consecutive weeks of leave. They can take their leave and pay at any point in the first year following the birth or adoption of their child and they are now only required to give their employer four weeks’ notice, prior to each period of leave. KEY DATES FOR DIARY: April – Stress Awareness Month 1st April – National Minimum Wage rate increase comes into effect, increasing from £10.42 per hour to £11.44 per hour 6th April – Changes to Flexible Working Act and The Paternity Leave Amendment Regulations 2024, come into effect 13th – 17th May - Mental Health Awareness Week …and finally Last weekend I went to Copenhagen to a Hyrox gym competition and competed in the ladies pair event. The format was  Our target was sub 1.10.We completed it in 1.07 and came 21st out of 247 teams.   I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Jo
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