News
Can you send an employee home for having a hangover?
As St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year, your employees may be hungover or drunk at work. The St. Patrick’s Day parades are cancelled, but staff may still be worse for wear the following morning. What are your rights when dealing with this matter? Problems with workplace hangovers Lower productivity. Reduced workplace morale. Customer service is of a lower standard. Co-ordination, attention span and reaction speed is slowed. Employee suspension or termination. How do you manage an employee that is over the limit at work? HR Team Director, Breda Cullen, says: “It is recommended to have a witness [...]
Irish employers forced to lay off staff as Coronavirus cases increase
Business owners in Ireland and other countries are beginning to feel the economic impact of the spread of coronavirus. The rise in the number of confirmed cases has seen the stock market plummet. Its impact on the tourism industry and the slowdown in production in China has hit many Irish businesses hard. HR Team partner with one local company who have had to put 50 employees on temporary leave until May because 80% of their business comes from Asia. More companies will be faced with having to lay off employees. However, it is important that employers are aware of the [...]
Employers to cut staffing as St Patrick’s Day parades axed
Employers are moving to cut staffing levels following the cancellation of St Patrick’s Day parades around Ireland, says a leading employment law advice consultant. The five days of events nationwide was projected to generate more than €73 million in revenue in the Republic of Ireland. Around half a million people attended events last year, with thousands traveling from overseas during the key week for the Irish tourism industry. HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, says employers are moving to safeguard their businesses in light of the blow: “As a result of the St Patrick’s Day parade cancellations employers are considering whether [...]
How employers can reduce workplace procrastination
It’s ‘National Procrastination Week’ so there is no better time to examine the effect’s procrastination can have on your organisation - and how to best manage it. A recent study discovered workers are spending more than two hours per day procrastinating. Statistically it found employees are only working 73 percent of the hours that they are employed to do. And the study found chronic procrastinators make up approximately 20 percent of the workforce. HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, says: “Procrastination can negatively affect the productivity of an organisation and reduce employee morale if it is not managed effectively.” Potential reasons [...]
Employee Appreciation Day – The benefits of appreciating your employees
The first Friday in March is officially ‘Employee Appreciation Day’. This has been devised as an opportunity for business owners to show their appreciation for their employees. Unemployment in Ireland is at its lowest level since 2007 with turnover increasing to 11% in 2019. As the Labour Market is currently the tightest it has been in many years, Irish employers are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain talent. HR Team Director, Martina McAuley, says: “Expressing employee appreciation can increase engagement, improve job satisfaction, workplace happiness, and employee morale - all of which are desirable for any business. “In [...]
Irish employers should plan now to minimise Coronavirus risk
A leading employment law advice specialist is urging employers to take steps to minimise staffing issues related to the increased coronavirus threat in Ireland. Employers are already feeling the impact on international business travel and staff absence, following Northern Ireland’s first diagnosis of a case of Covid-19 in a person who entered the island from Italy via Dublin airport. HR Team Director, Breda Cullen, says her employment law advice firm has experienced a surge in the number of employers seeking advice on the matter. She said: “The coronavirus outbreak has sparked a wave of concern around what rights employees have regarding sick [...]
The HR Advisor February 2020
Download The HR Advisor February 2020
Employment Law Breakfast Briefing for Business Owners & Directors
What the briefing will cover: • How to protect your organisation against costly tribunal claims? • The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. • The importance of a Contract of Employment and Employee Handbook. • Unfair dismissal. • What to expect from a WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) audit? Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020 Time: 8:45am – 11:00am Admission Fee: Complimentary This event is exclusively for business owners and directors
Should you ban workplace relationships?
To mark Valentine’s Day, we take a look at the taboo topic of workplace relationships and how employers navigate the legalities of imposing restrictions on them. A recent survey revealed an incredible 58% of employees have engaged in a romantic relationship with a colleague. This should be a wake-up call for employers to manage workplace attraction and ensure an acceptable policy is in place. “A policy on workplace relationships which is clearly communicated to staff could save an employer a lot of stress and financial risk in the long run” says HR Team Director, Breda Cullen. Almost half (41%) of [...]
Employers should act to avoid Christmas party sexual harassment claims
Employers should act now to minimise the risk of sexual harassment issues at this year’s Christmas work party, says HR Team Director, Breda Cullen. Ms Cullen is advising employers to ensure employees are made fully aware of the policies and procedures regarding behaviour at the annual Christmas work celebrations. Her followed the Irish Congress of Trade Union's publication of a survey which found 20% of reports of sexual harassment arose from work-related social events. The survey further found Christmas work parties were the most common ‘off-site location’ sexual harassment at work. Ms Cullen told Irish media: “The findings of the [...]