Christmas is well and truly upon us. We all dream of the end to that classic poem, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”.

But what happens when a Christmas or New Year staff party ends on a bad note for some? And what about employees’ conduct at social gatherings not related to work?

During party season it’s crucial that all businesses, large or small, have procedures in place for when the unfortunate happens – here are the do’s and don’ts.
 
Work Parties

1. DO Make Employees Aware of the Rules

Remember, the time of year is irrelevant – employees are representatives of their companies. Like any meeting with a client, employees should keep high standards at all engagements, including work parties.

From bullying and harassment policies, to procedures relating to dignity at work, an employer can help prevent mishaps by making staff aware of the expectations.

There is no need to be Scrooge about it. Sending an email explaining all expectations and offering staff the chance to query anything will provide employees with the necessary information, giving you peace of mind to enjoy your own party season.

1. DO Set an Example

It is crucial that management set an example to their subordinate colleagues.

Employees on a work night out are your responsibility. Ahead of work parties, plan to have one or more senior staff members monitoring the party for any possible trouble and acting to prevent it from brewing over.

Employers can also set a good example by ensuring all employees have an adequate way home after the party. By sending an email beforehand reminding employees to arrange travel, as well as to mind their behaviour, you can cover all bases.
 

1. DO Provide Staff with a Social Media Policy

A social media policy sent to all colleagues ahead of a work party lets everyone know what’s acceptable and expected. Prohibiting any videos or images from the staff night out from being published online, this policy protects your company’s reputation.

A social media policy will also demonstrate that as an employer, bullying, harassment or poor behaviour online will not be tolerated, demonstrating the consequences of this to staff.
 

1. DO NOT Discipline on the Spot

While it may be tempting in the heat of the moment, if poor behaviour from an employee does occur, businesses are best to discipline an employee at a later stage, rather than during the party itself.

This will ensure all legal procedures are followed correctly while all parties are in the right state of mind and will prevent situations becoming more heated during the night out.
 
Non-Work Parties

1. DO Ensure Staff are Aware Work Party Expectations Extend to their own Social Lives

Everyone is entitled to enjoy their own social and personal festivities.  

But employees are still representatives of your business. To prevent reputational damage during non-work engagements, it is vital that you communicate your expectations.

By making employees aware that work social rules exist outside of work-related events, staff members will be clear of their responsibility as a business representative.
 

1. DO Extend Your Social Media Policy

As with work parties, your company’s reputation is also at risk from staff social media outside working hours.

Extending a social media policy and making staff aware of your expectations will bring clarity to what is and is not acceptable to post on social media after nights out.

Employees are of course entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, so long as these do not infringe on another’s entitlements. Social media policy extension will prevent reputational damage as well as bullying or harassment online.
 

1. DO NOT Infringe on Employee Social Lives

While an employer can monitor social media for poor behaviour, send emails and letters to staff to make them aware of work procedures and policies for social nights out, it is crucial that businesses keep their distance.

An employer should seek to make employees understand their expectations, while avoiding infringement on the personal lives of staff, keeping a distance between the employee and the individual. 

In the last article, the importance of avoiding gender bias for diversity purposes in the workplace was discussed. While gender has become something of a hot topic in recent months, other forms of diversity must be kept in mind.
This article focuses on the importance and best approaches to supporting disability in the workplace.
From practical measures to cultural issues, workplaces can reap the benefits of diversification by supporting disability.

Why Support Disability?
78% of disabled people acquire disability during their working life. Whether it’s a physical, learning or mental disability, it can have life changing consequences for an individual and their family.
Businesses, particularly SMEs, will face the challenge of adapting their operations and culture to meet the needs of that newly disabled individual. If your business does not make the effort to adapt, you run the risk of:

• losing valuable talent
  
• damaging your reputation
  
• severing your ability to retain or attract diverse talent to your business
  
• failing to provide equal opportunities to all staff
  

How Can Businesses Support Disabled Staff Practically?
The benefits to having disabled staff is clear. Not only does your business benefit from  their talent, but the diversity that these individuals bring will improve your workplace culturally.
While there are minimum reasonable adjustments that can be made, it is important that organisations strive to offer the best working environment for disabled colleagues.

• Accessible Premises
  

It’s common sense but this is crucial for individuals with physical disabilities. Adjusting premises both internally and externally to suit the needs of a disabled individual will make this individual feel valued by their employer, and optimise their performance.

• Altering Work Patterns
  

Getting to work can be tough at times for most people; rush hour, school runs, public transport, work commutes are stressful to say the least. Paired with a disability, traditional work patterns can become unsustainable.
Consider  altering working hours or rota patterns to allow disabled colleague(s), to tailor their working day according to what works best for them and their disability.
Not only will this increase staff retention, but businesses can ensure jobs are complete and disabled staff are satisfied with their work routine.

• Modify Work Materials and Equipment
  

This solution is important for businesses trying to adapt to an individual’s physical disability.
Whether an individual has sight or hearing loss, lives with a learning disability or struggles to use certain equipment due to another physical disability, workplaces can invest in their colleagues, adapting materials and equipment to suit their needs.
1 in 5 adults live with a learning disability. From dyslexia and ADHD, to more complex needs, adapting materials and equipment can be crucial to retain this talent.
Businesses could also adapt by acquiring further forms of equipment which may assist a disabled individual to perform their tasks well and in turn, aid an organisation’s performance.

How Can Businesses Support Disabled Staff Culturally?
While practical measures are crucial to improving the working environment for someone living with a disability, a whole business will only improve if its staff understand a disability, adapting company culture accordingly.
Your business can dramatically improve the lives of disabled colleagues by moving beyond compliance, and ensuring that your culture is inclusive to all, regardless of needs.

• Staff Awareness Training
  

By providing educational training to all staff on all forms of disability, this can create an inclusive culture for disabled colleagues as well as customers.
While physical disability can be easy to spot, mental and learning disabilities can be a challenge. People, out of no fault of their own, may be unaware of what a disability may mean for an individual, and how best they can provide for their needs.
Staff training will ensure all colleagues understand fully the implications of certain disabilities, allowing them to become more inclusive of colleagues and customers dealing with those implications.

• Aim High: Awards
  

If your business wants to take its diversity seriously, aiming high to win disability and diversity awards can improve company culture dramatically.
Showcasing how you treasure your diversity, and your disabled colleagues, organisations can improve their reputation, attract more diverse, quality talent as well as ensure all colleagues feel valued and included by the company culture.
Culturally diverse teams, big or small, can help to deliver better outcomes for your business, fostering creatively and inclusivity, while providing equal opportunities for all.


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The ‘G’ word. From the recent ‘Me Too’ movement sprung by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, to calls for equal gender quotas, gender has dominated headlines increasingly over the last 12 months. But how can a business avoid gender bias in their workplace?

This article explores gender bias globally, the impact it has on the workplace, as well as how businesses can practically breakdown gender bias through working conditions, staff composition and awareness.
 
Global Gender Bias
Gender bias is a global issue. In the USA, women earn on average 21% less than men, and only 4% of fortune 500 companies are lead by women.  Despite the 1970 Equal Pay Act, UK women earn 81p for every pound earned by men in 2018.

Closer to home, Irish women face a pay gap of 13.9%, with occupations remaining divided significantly by gender. Meanwhile, Iceland and other Nordic countries take the top spots for equal pay.

Gender bias remains global. Its impact can be detrimental to any working environment, its demographics and its diversity.
 
The Impact of Gender Bias
Workplace dynamics can be severely impacted by gender bias. Women returning from maternity leave may face bias for promotion, due to their absence while other male co-workers have continued within the workplace network.

Others may face bias within work meetings, as their voices may not be heard over male colleagues, or their opinions not listened to adequately.
 

• Staff Turnover

Resentment sown by gender bias could lead to higher staff turnover, as female workers seek out other organisations with less bias.

If you are a small business, increased staff turnover can cause a loss of talent and performance, damaging your reputation.
 

• Lack of Diversity

Organisational diversity may also be damaged as a result of gender bias. If your business is not managed by both men and women, this culture may spread downwards, with more promotion and earnings received by men.
Businesses which do not take this cultural issue seriously will lack the ability to change in the future.

A lack of diversity can harm your business, showcasing its inability to create a culture of equality. Skills gaps can form as a result, making attracting new talent difficult for your workplace.
 
How Can Your Business Tackle Gender Bias?
Consciously or unconsciously, most workplaces are host to some element of gender bias. But businesses can act now to tackle this bias and transform their working environments.
 

• Equal Work Means Equal Work

A Workplace Experiences Survey has revealed that women were 29% more likely to do ‘office housework’ tasks than their male colleagues. Whether cleaning up after a meeting, taking minutes or fetching a morning round of coffee, these small tasks are often done by women more than men.

Equal work should mean equal work. Promotions won’t happen by making sure the rubbish is done every Wednesday.

By assigning equal tasks for both men and women, a business can breakdown gender bias in the workplace, providing all colleagues with equal opportunities for career progression.  

Rather than asking for volunteers, a weekly rota for general ‘household’ and administrative tasks could be established. Management can ensure all staff are given equal assignments which will allow them to develop their careers and experience.
 

• Awareness and Training

It may seem obvious, but gender bias can be tackled by providing awareness training for all staff.

Allowing colleagues the time to reflect on their thoughts can make them more aware of how easily unconscious gender bias can creep into the workplace and give them training to prevent it.
 

• Decisions, Decisions: A Group Approach

From promotions, to contracts, to bonuses, businesses face a lot of decision-making. While management faces these challenges, unconscious gender bias can creep in.

Avoid this by making all staff decisions with fellow management or supervisory colleagues. Of course, depending on the size of a business, any present HR professionals should also be involved in crucial decisions.

This will help to breakdown gender bias, and ensure all decisions reflect the merits of staff, not their sex or gender.
 

• Fair Targets for All

A business can act against gender bias by providing all staff with fair targets, such as job bands. If all staff are aware of job roles and performance targets, this can prevent gender bias from causing dispute in the workplace.

Organisations can also ensure that all assignments are given to staff according to the targets they are expected to meet. Both men and women can be evaluated and monitored equally, giving equal opportunity of progression to all.
 
What About Gender Quotas?
Adoption of gender quotas has increased gradually in recent years, sparking debate over their value.

While these targets may mean businesses have figures to achieve, ensuring women are given more senior roles, others have argued that the reduction of women to numbers may mean their promotion will not be based rightfully on their merits, skills or experience, but rather their gender.

On the other hand, as the statistics presented at the beginning demonstrate, a clear need to address gender bias globally persists.

Whether you are for or against gender quotas, you can act now to breakdown gender bias, introduce better diversity within the workplace and ensure all colleagues receive equal opportunities.