News
Helping Employees Overcome The 5 Challenges of Lockdown
Many businesses are now having to think on their feet to ensure survival during lockdown and beyond, and HR Team’s experts are on-hand with commercially-focused advice on how to make the right decisions. Director, Breda Cullen, says HR Team’s consultants are making a number of recommendations on how to implement the various options available to employers faced with very difficult decisions at this time. The key employment challenges in lockdown 1. Adhering to the latest government guidelines and restrictions in Ireland 2. Making temporary lay-offs or introducing short-time working 3. Considering redundancies 4. Homeworking Employers have a number of options [...]
How to Manage your Annual Leave Backlog
Regardless of the employee’s length of employment or status, everyone is entitled to paid time off, whether they are part-time, full-time, temporary, or casual workers. How can you manage your employee’s annual leave? The spread of coronavirus has had many impacts on businesses. One of these impacts being the accumulated amount of annual leave for employees. An employee accrues annual leave for any hours worked. If an employee has been laid off, they do not accumulate it during this period. Please note, employees accrue public holiday entitlements the first 13 weeks on layoff. A part-time employee will only qualify for [...]
The HR Advisor November 2020
Download HR Advisor November 2020
Employers who fail to ‘protect vulnerable staff’ risk of legal backlash
As the rise in cases continues to increase amid the ‘second employers are faced with an obligation to protect their staff, particularly those vulnerable to Covid-19. Employers who fail to meet their legal obligations to protect staff could find themselves in breach of legislation and facing enforcement action, says a Safe Team Health and Safety Consultant. They said it is important that employers implement strategies to protect these workers – particularly those defined as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’. The consultant said: “Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from harm. They should make sure to consider the risk to workers [...]
Lay-offs imminent as employers face new lockdowns
In light of the fresh lockdowns imposed in Dublin and Donegal, and with many other counties on the verge of following suit, a leading HR adviser says many employers will be forced to make temporary lay-offs and even redundancies. HR Team Director, Breda Cullen, said: “Many businesses are now having to think on their feet to ensuring they survive through these ongoing turbulent times. “Employers are having to consider repeat lay-offs while others are facing the prospect of redundancies, particularly in the hospitality industry. In other sectors, businesses are returning to a working from home arrangement, which comes with its [...]
Return to work protocols for Irish businesses
As we approach the fourth and final phase of the lockdown many more businesses will be reopening. But how much responsibility do employers hold? For businesses that have already reopened, the new ‘normal’ is very different. New return to work protocols and practices such as regular cleaning, physical distancing and, if necessary, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be implemented. What are the mandatory and recommended workplace measures? Face masks in the workplace The use and supply of face masks in the workplace is not a mandatory measure. However, it’s important to assess your own workplace with measures [...]
Why outsourcing HR is better for your business
Ongoing HR support for employers removes the headache caused by staffing-related issues and provides peace of mind regarding employment law compliance. Outsourcing HR is usually more cost effective than employing full-time, salaried employees. The national average in the UK for a HR manager salary is £43,000 and €51,459 per year in Ireland. Would you rather pay this or avail of HR Team’s fully-outsourced HR management service. There is no obligation to sign up to lengthy contracts – clients can choose a fixed monthly fee or a pay as you go option, allowing you to benefit from our knowledge and experience [...]
Alternatives to redundancy for employers
As restrictions for businesses continue to ease, many business owners may be considering how feasible it is to maintain the number of staff they employed prior to the Covid-19 crisis. With restrictions still in place and losses to recoup – many businesses will find it difficult to take up where they left off before lockdown commenced. As economic activity is likely to recover slowly, organisations will have to carefully assess their cost of business. The number of people employed is likely to form a large part of that decision-making process. While redundancies are unfortunately likely to be made, there are [...]
Returning to work safely after Covid-19 lockdown
As the Irish Government has outlined its roadmap to re-open the country, many employers are now looking towards the future needs of their business and how best they can plan for their eventual return to work. The Irish government has listed the following essential control measures that should be implemented in every business. Social distancing (ideally 2 metres). Personal contact of less than 15 minutes. Good Hygiene (increased levels of cleaning surfaces and specifically hand hygiene). As you may be aware, the government has published a ‘Return to Work Protocol’. This document is a result of collaborative work by [...]
The six step process to providing constructive criticism
Managing employee performance can be the most challenging aspect of your job as a business owner or manager.A large part of successful performance management revolves around clear communication and the provision of regular feedback to employees - in fact these are vital to the continued efficiency and performance of your team(s) and your overall organisation.HR Team director, Martina McAuley, advises the best approach when addressing an employee’s underperformance: “The best approach is referred to as a ‘positive sandwich’. Begin with positive feedback, feed in with addressing the negative issue at hand and finish with a positive statement. This is to prevent [...]