News

National Workplace Wellbeing Day will take place on April 29, 2022. Building a sustainable, long-term approach to health and wellbeing has never been so important, as the world of work continues to evolve following the Covid-19 crisis. The pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health for employers and employees alike. However, even pre-pandemic research identified that employee mental health problems were costing UK businesses between £33 billion and £42 billion a year, and a huge £100 billion for the economy overall. What Is Employee Wellbeing? Many employers only focus on employees’ health benefits when it comes to employee wellbeing. However, [...]

In light of autism acceptance week from March 28 until April 3, HR Team will be discussing neurodiversity in the workplace. What Is Neurodiversity? Neurodiverse individuals are those with developmental disabilities such as autism, ADHD and social anxiety disorders. However, there’s a growing understanding that these individuals aren’t disabled per se, but rather differently-abled. Neurodiversity refers to the different ways we think. Most people are neurotypical. In other words, they process information in a similar way and as society expects. With neurodivergent people, the brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Most people experience neurodivergence along a ‘spectrum’ of characteristics, and [...]

Download the HR Advisor March 2022

The Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, has published details of a new law giving workers the right to request remote working from their employers. Announcing the legislation, Mr Varadkar said: "So long as the business gets done and services are provided, employers should facilitate it." HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, said: “The Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2021 will provide a legal framework for Irish employees to submit a request for remote working and have their request approved or refused by employers. "An employee will be eligible to submit a request once they have worked for their employer for six months. [...]

Probationary periods are included as a standard practice in most employment contracts. This is frequently provided for in employment contracts to allow for a trial period in which an employer can evaluate an employee’s suitability and performance. However, probationary periods are not without pitfalls, and dismissal can carry many legal risks during this trial period. Employment contracts that do not contain a probation disclaimer could cause problems for the employer if recruitment is not successful. The Legality Of Probationary Periods Firstly, it is worth noting that although you are not legally obliged to include probationary periods for all new recruits, [...]

European Union (EU) citizens employed or self-employed in the UK but are resident elsewhere are classed as frontier workers, those working in the UK on or before December 31 2020 can also still enter the UK for work. Martina McAuley, HR Team company director, outlines the details of frontier worker status. Martina said: “Since January 1 2021, most EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are working in the UK but living elsewhere will need to hold a frontier worker permit to enter the UK as a frontier worker - in addition to a valid passport or national identity card. “Frontier [...]

Download the HR Advisor January 2022