Jackie Thompson - MCIPD’s Post

📢 The Employment Rights Bill has landed - here’s What’s Coming Your Way….. The Employment Rights Bill was published yesterday, all 158 pages! 😅 I’ll be diving into legal webinars over the next few weeks to fully understand the implications for our clients. Here’s some of the key changes coming your way: ✨ Unfair Dismissal: Employees will have the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one, removing the previous two-year service requirement. This could impact up to 9 million employees! Tips: Review and update your recruitment, onboarding and probationary review processes and keep comprehensive notes - employers must have a good reason and a documented process during probation. We are expecting a probation cap of 6 to 9 months. Consider using a HR system like Breathe HR to store everything in one place —affordable at just £34/month for up to 20 employees or £78/month for up to 50! Faye Veal 💫Breathe 🔍 Zero-Hours Contracts: Guaranteed hours for workers and rights for reasonable notice of shifts and cancellations are on the horizon. ⏰ Tip: This part of the bill is complicated; stay tuned for updates as we dig into the details. 🛡️ Sexual Harassment: Employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment by third parties, enhancing workplace safety. 🚫 Tip: Ask about our Anti-Harassment Pack, we have all the tools you need! 🔄 Flexible Working: The proposal aims to make flexible working the default, but the changes are not as impactful as promised. Tip: Employers only need to justify refusals based on existing grounds, and the penalty for breaches remains at 8 weeks’ pay. No ‘right to demand a four-day week’ here! 💔 Paternity and Bereavement Leave: Day-one rights for paternity leave and expanded bereavement provisions are in the works. Tip: Update your policies accordingly when the changes come into effect. 💼 Statutory Sick Pay: Available from the first day of illness, simplifying the current waiting period. Tip: Ensure your payroll systems are updated when this comes into effect and have a comprehensive absence policy in place as short-term absences may rise. The minimum earning criteria will be removed, with a % of pay rule instead. 🔒 Ending 'Fire and Rehire' Practices: Dismissing employees for refusing a contract variation will be automatically unfair. Tip: There’s a narrow exception for serious financial issues, so seek advice if you’re navigating this. Timescale The commencement date is still up in the air, with speculation suggesting 2026. We’ll keep a close eye on this, but now is the time to update your processes and systems—don’t wait until the last minute! ⏳ 👉 Ready to prepare your business for these changes? If you have questions or need support with updating your HR policies and systems, feel free to reach out. We are here to help you navigate these changes and ensure you are ready! 💬

🌍 World Mental Health Day: This year's theme is Mental Health at Work: get your FREE wellbeing toolkit. What is your company doing to support mental health in the workplace? At Creative HR Services, we believe every employer can take steps, big or small, to make a difference. To support SMEs in this journey, we’re offering a FREE wellbeing toolkit to the first 5 companies that reach out to us today. Our Wellbeing Toolkit is designed to help you foster a more supportive work environment, including: 📜 Wellbeing Policy – Show your commitment to employee health and wellbeing. 📅 Awareness Dates, Email Templates & Resources – A ready-made guide to key mental health dates, with email templates and resource links to promote mental health. 🗣️ Wellbeing Check-Ins – Templates to facilitate open, supportive conversations about health and wellbeing. Normally priced at £199, this toolkit is available at no cost for today only to the first 5 companies who get in touch! Seize this opportunity to put your employees first and take actionable steps towards a supportive workplace. 📩 Get in touch now to claim your FREE toolkit and make positive changes from today. #WorldMentalHealthDay #WellbeingAtWork #EmployeeWellbeing

82% of Line Managers Receive No Formal Training! 😲 I've just wrapped up another bite-size manager's training session, "An Introduction to Line Management," for one of our "Your HR Department" clients. 🎉 Why focus on these bite-size sessions? Because being proactive, not reactive, saves time, energy, and prevents problems getting any bigger. Our "Your HR Department" service is designed to empower managers, delivering HR best practices and ensuring teams are not just functioning but thriving. 🌟 The best part? No extra charges. These sessions are a core part of our "Your HR Department" service, enabling your managers to nip potential issues in the bud and keep your teams engaged and happy. 👍 Shockingly, most line managers begin their roles without any formal training, leading to avoidable challenges. Investing in simple, affordable training can significantly boost your managers’ effectiveness and overall team productivity. 👋 Want to support your managers to be the best they can be and increase your employees' engagement? Contact us to find out more. How are you supporting and training your managers? #HR #EmployeeEngagement #LineManagement

🚨 Watch this space, This THURSDAY we are expecting the Employment Rights Bill changes to be announced🚨 Here are some of the key expected changes: 👉 Day One Employment Rights A pivotal update could protect employees from unfair dismissal right from their first day, a major shift from the current two-year requirement. 🛡️ 👉 Ban on Zero-Hour Exploits Get ready for a proposed ban on 'exploitative' zero-hours contracts, ensuring contracts reflect average hours over a 12-week period. 🕒 👉 Flexible Working from Day One Flexible working is expected to become a default right from the start of employment, except in roles where it’s impractical. 🔄 🔍 These proposed changes will first need to be debated and approved by Parliament. This means there will be time for businesses to prepare and implement these changes once finalised. 👀 Is your business prepared for these potential changes? If you're feeling unsure about what these proposals might mean for your business or if you need guidance on preparing for these changes, I’m here to help. Reach out today to ensure your business is ahead of the curve. #EmploymentLaw #HRConsulting #UKEmploymentRights

To all my HR consultant friends, just posting this in case anyone is interested in attending this on Thursday 17th October. This is an event for HR Consultants who may want to partner with Plumm - it's a great system with wellbeing at the heart of it, I'm attending the event and just thought I would forward it in case anyone fancies a trip to London and wants to find out more.

🌟 Thank you StackOne you smashed it! 🌟 Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the StackOne Superconnect Launch Event for HR and People Tech Leaders in London. What an incredible gathering —from Founders to Investors, Partners and HR leaders, all coming together to shape the future of HR technology. 🔄 About StackOne: • They are revolutionising the way businesses operate by integrating disparate systems, allowing seamless communication and driving efficiencies from top to bottom.  • Their platform is a game changer for anyone looking to enhance operational flows and streamline business processes. 🔍 Here are some of the new Innovative HR Tech Solutions out there in the market: 🤖 AI-Driven Headhunting Tools: They find the perfect candidates for you, automating the recruitment process to match job requirements with candidate profiles. 📘 Cutting-Edge Learning & Development Providers: Think different, think better; these platforms adapt to individual learning styles, enhancing professional growth. 📝 Advanced Applicant Tracking Systems: AI converts interview notes into actionable score sheets, saving time and increasing efficiency. 🚀 AI Manager’s Training Mentor: Essential training for managers to boost leadership skills and team performance. Thank you, StackOne, for not only an evening of great food and drink but also for the fantastic opportunity to find out more about the innovative HR tech solutions in the market and network with some of the most passionate people in the industry, Venessa Okonkwo - MCIPD, Elinor Tutcher, Saman Aria-Nejad, Benjamin Husser, Saoirse Ward, Pius Bozumbil, Karimah Walters-Stroud, Rushab Shah, Kalpesh Baxi, Vihan Jain, Romain Sestier, Guillaume Lebedel #HRtech #Innovation #Networking #FutureOfWork #ThankYouStackOne

What's Not Covered by Our "Your HR Department" Service? 🌟 Spoiler: Absolutely nothing! We offer comprehensive HR support—just like having your own HR department, but without the overheads of expensive salaries. Why Choose "Your HR Department"? 🚀 Full HR Coverage: We manage all aspects of HR, from compliance to strategic planning. 🤝 Personalised Relationships: A dedicated HR Consultant who understands your business. 💼 Priority Client Advantage: Ensuring prompt, top-tier support. 🔄 Flexible Usage: Use your HR support how and when it best suits your needs. Our “Your HR Department” service covers all aspects of HR including: Compliance/reactive • Dedicated HR Manager. • Advice and support. • HR compliance and best practice health check. • Drafting letters and documents. • Review/update contract of employment, handbook, and policies. • Dealing with employee issues. • Recruitment support. • Exit interviews. • HR system implementation. Strategic • Quarterly HR strategy planning sessions. • Culture - defining/redefining culture and values. • Recruitment audit/employer branding. • Onboarding. • Salary and benefits benchmarking. • Performance management review – job descriptions, appraisal/continuous feedback/121s, SMART goals, recognition. • Employee Development: career planning/development reviews. • Engagement surveys, listening exercises. • Employee wellbeing programme/initiatives. • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion projects. • Manager training. • Employer awards. Think of us as part of your team, driving your business forward with creative HR solutions. 📞 Ready for comprehensive HR that drives your business growth? Contact us today—spots are limited to ensure personalised service. #HR #BusinessGrowth #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture

🌟 Want Fewer People Problems and More Time for Your Business? This week, I'm attending two company meetings with our “Your HR Department” clients—one with 45 employees and the other 25. This helps me to understand the company and ensures everyone knows who I am if they need any help or support. A CEO recently asked me, “How do you prevent HR issues from becoming big, time-consuming problems?” Our "Your HR Department" service is designed to solve this problem: 🔗 Seamless Integration: We don't just support your team; we become a part of it, getting to know everyone and understanding the intricacies of your company. 📢 Open Communication: We provide support to your managers and employees, encouraging them to discuss any concerns. This allows us to address issues promptly, nipping them in the bud before they escalate. 🔍 Proactive Approach: By tackling any challenges early, we prevent minor issues from escalating into major disruptions. This proactive strategy will save you time and keeps your focus on achieving business goals. 🌐 Our Unique Offer: Enjoy the benefits of a dedicated HR team without the overheads. You choose how many hours you need each month, and we manage the rest. 📞 Get in touch to find out more.  #ProactiveHR #CreativeSolutions #WorkplaceCulture

🎉🎂 Wow, it’s been a whole year since I started Creative HR Services full time! What a ride this first year has been! 🥳 There were times I second-guessed myself, wondering if I’d made the right move. But now I have no regrets. We’ve grown so much—serving 14 clients, most of whom we work with again and again. 🌟 We ditched the usual retainer setup for something better—our “Your HR Department” service. It’s not just about providing services; it’s about being a real part of your team, covering all things HR with no extra costs, even management training. 📈💼 I’ve met some incredible people along the way, from our fantastic clients to networking buddies and fellow HR Consultants. Thanks to everyone who’s been part of this journey. Here’s to another year of working with you all. 🍾🍰

Think Mental Health and Wellbeing Is Fluffy? Not Prioritising It Because You're Focused on Revenue? How About a £4.6 MILLION Loss Instead? In a groundbreaking employment tribunal, Rachael Wright-Turner was awarded a monumental £4.6 million for disability discrimination after her dismissal post-Grenfell Tower involvement. Diagnosed with PTSD and ADHD, Wright-Turner's case is a stark reminder of the critical importance of mental health support in the workplace. 🔍 The Context: After tirelessly working as a humanitarian assistance lead officer during the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, Wright-Turner faced severe mental health challenges. Despite her openness and proactive approach to seek help, her employment was terminated, highlighting a grave failure in workplace support systems. 🚫 The Misstep: Her dismissal not only reflects a misunderstanding of mental health but also a disregard for the legal and moral obligations employers have towards their employees. This record-setting payout underscores the costly consequences of ignoring these responsibilities. 📣 Call to Action: It's time for a change! Employers must prioritise mental health and create environments where all employees feel supported and valued. Contact us today to discuss your mental health and wellbeing strategy. Let’s ensure your company is a place where everyone thrives.