While it may already seem to have past, the last few days have definitely felt like Summer. With Met Eireann issuing weather warnings and beer gardens packing-up across the country, employers will be all too aware of the multiple employee issues Summer brings with it.

Below are five of the biggest issues employers face with some tips on how to deal with them.

#1. Maximum office temperatures
The HSA’s Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations 2007 state, ‘during working hours, the temperature in rooms containing workstations is appropriate for human beings, having regard to the working methods being used and the physical demands placed on the employees’. While there is no specific maximum temperature, employers must evaluate what is considered ‘appropriate’, factoring elements such as the physicality of the work, whether particular uniforms must be work, etc.

#2. Unauthorised time off
I’ve written extensively about annual leave entitlements before. One big issue employers often report is when an employee decides to take their holiday, despite the fact that their request has been declined…or not authorised.
In such situations it is essential to remain calm and adhere to your company’s disciplinary guidelines. This means that the first step you should take is to conduct an impartial investigation to establish and understand the reasons for their absence.

More often than not it will be for a genuine reason. If, however, it is not then you may need to take disciplinary measures, which should be clearly stated in your staff handbook.

#3. Summer dress codes
With things heating up, the idea of wearing a three-piece suit can be the stuff of nightmares for a lot of employees. As such, many employers to adopt a more relaxed dress code during the summer months. However, employers need to be careful if they adopt a more relaxed attitude.

Depending on the role particular employees perform, they may not all be able to ‘dress down’ to the same extent. For example, those in customer facing roles may need to maintain a more professional image than those working in the company warehouse. Although any workers, where required, must continue to wear any protective wear associated with their role.

Employers must ensure that clear guidelines are still provided to staff, outlining what is deemed acceptable during the more relaxed months, for the department in which they work. This should be done objectively to avoid any feeling of discrimination from any element of the workforce.

#4. Competing summer holiday requests
As an employer, you are not obliged to agree to a worker’s request to take holiday at a particular time, unless the employment contract provides otherwise.

If competing requests for holiday are received from different workers, managers may prioritise requests, provided that they do this in a way which is fair and consistent. There are many different ways of doing this. For example, some businesses opt for operate a first-come, first-served system, while for others may opt for a seniority system.
Again, your staff handbook should include a holiday policy, which details the request procedure. This can help limit the likelihood of short notice on holiday requests, which often results in refusal and thus employee dissatisfaction.

#5. Keeping staff motivated
The summer months can be very disruptive for many businesses. The coming and going of staff, kids on holidays, clients on annual leave, not to mention the sunshine blasting through the window, can contribute to employees losing focus and productivity dropping.

Allocating responsibility to particular individuals and ensuring they recognise the important role they play in delivering your company’s product or service can help keep them on track. Additionally, promoting collaboration where employees have a sense of duty to one another can be very effective.

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Taking what I imagine was a very welcome break from the Brexit saga, Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke at Inspirefest 2016’s opening ceremony on Thursday, where he rightly reminded attendees of the EU’s motto ‘Unity in Diversity’ and the advantages that diversity brings both to the workplace and society.

While the focus of his speech was very much geared towards STEM and the tech sector in particular, the points he made hold true across all industries. Core to this is the fact that ‘We don’t get inspired surrounding ourselves with people who are the same as us.’ Rather ‘…we are inspired by those who are different, who think differently, who have lived different lives, who have overcome different challenges.’

In essence is what diversity is all about. It’s not just about him v’s her or young v’s old or anything else like that. It’s about people from different backgrounds, experiences, sharing their different perspectives to create a fuller, more thought-out approach to all faculties of our business, from manufacturing processes to customer relations.
Below are some helpful tips for improving diversity in the workplace:

1.Conduct a Diversity Audit
If you’re looking to enhance the diversity of your work force, then you need to understand where it currently sits and where the gaps need to be filled. Breakdown the metrics on your staff – gender, nationality, age, education, career background, etc. What you’re aiming for is a workforce that matches the communities you operate in.

2.Adjust Your Hiring Process
If your audit uncovers any areas that are out of kilter with the balance you wish to achieve, then it’s important to look at your hiring processes and make adjustments where necessary. Where do you source your candidates from, what criteria must they meet, and so forth? Engaging with local community groups and networks can be an excellent way of identifying and attracting new employees, with different backgrounds that you otherwise might have overlooked.
Another effective way to limit innate, natural bias (we all subconsciously have prejudices that effect our decision making process) is to develop and utilise evaluation forms that score candidates based on set criteria.

3.Introduce a Mentorship/ Sponsor Programme
Even the most well intentioned managers can sometimes overlook incredible talent. We’re social beings and we gravitate and spend most of our time with those most like us. Setting up a mentorship or sponsor programme, with clear objectives and timescales can establish greater integration between senior and junior members of staff, while helping spot real business talent that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

4.Get Flexible
While this might not be feasible for all employers, providing a more flexible working environment can help your business attract and retain quality employees. Practices such as remote working and flexi-time, shift the focus from attendance to performance. So long as the job is done well, does it matter whether it was done at the employee’s desk or on their couch? Facilitating these kinds of practices are particularly important for women in the labour market, who might have decided to start a family. An added benefit is that various studies have shown they also reduce overheads, sick days and attrition.

5. Train and Indoctrinate
A top down approach must be applied if your company is to embrace diversity. Employees look to their team leaders, managers and employers and so we must set the tone from the outset. Improving diversity isn’t just about getting a few more women or foreign nationals on the payroll; it’s a cultural shift that must be afforded the attention it needs.

Training is a key part of this. As with any cultural change, employees must be 100% on board with what you are trying to achieve. They must see the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of what you’re doing and understand the role they play in bringing it to fruition.

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