Dominating headlines since the rush of Brexit was swept away and the health crisis began to take a turn during 2020’s Chinese New Year, Coronavirus is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
With numbers now hitting over 118,000 across the globe 43 in the Republic of Ireland (as of 11th March 2020), this health scare has swept the world’s population. Take a run to your local supermarket and you’ll be hard pressed to find a bottle of anti-bacterial hand wash, soap or hand sanitizer, while people stockpile as the threat begins to loom much closer to home.
Meanwhile, businesses are also feeling the pinch. Flybe has ground to a halt, while businesses within the hospitality & tourism are beginning to feel the domino effect as people decide to stay at home rather than book their summer holidays. Other businesses are awaiting what the impact will be on the wider economy; how many workers will have to take sick leave, either for themselves or a dependent? How will this impact performance? Will businesses simply have to shut up shop?
As the uncertainty rises, it is crucial that you get your HR team ready & waiting for the coronavirus to hit your workforce. Here’s what you can do about it.
 
Health First
Before we delve into the practical steps that you can take to protect your workers, customers & business during this health epidemic, it is important to note one crucial thing: remember to take health first above all else.
The threat to your business is very real, it’s clear for many businesses across the globe. And while it can be easy to fall into the trap of worrying over the books, it is crucial that you ensure workers, at any level, put their health first. While it is hoped that the hype will die down in the coming months, prepare for the worst-case scenario. You need your staff and they will need you – ensure they have all the support that they need to get back to work healthy and fit in the weeks and months after this virus begins to wane.
 
What Can Your Business Do About Covid-19?
No doubt about it, Coronavirus is a major threat to your business, your livelihood and Ireland’s economy. But here are some steps that you can take in the fight against this illness:
 

1. Safety First

Protecting your staff and your customers is paramount. Whether you are a coffee shop, a newsagent, hotel or library, most workplaces will involve the interaction of many groups of people; staff, customers, stakeholders, suppliers, delivery drivers – we could go on.
As people come & go, it is important to put safety first. Display official HSE signage throughout your place of work as well as electronically to all staff and customers. Encourage staff to take regular breaks to wash hands and care for their hygiene. Ensure the necessary hygeine products are available for all staff & visitors nd if needs be, enforce people to care for their hygiene.
Understandably, there is no need to treat your workforce or customers like children. However, kind but firm & consistent reminders will work best in getting the necessary messages across for hygiene purposes.
 

1. Be Clear On Sick Leave

As the media rushes to provide the latest developments on the virus, it can be easy for your staff to feel overwhelmed by this flood of information, which often could be misconstrued or over-hyped by news publications.
To tackle this, ensure you provide clear policies from your own employer perspective. Ensure all staff are clear on the procedures that they should follow if they feel that either they or someone close to them may have caught the virus.
Task management with the role of overseeing all staff, maintaining regular checks on how their staff are feeling and identifying any possible signs of the virus which should lead to testing of an employee.
If an employee is unfortunate to catch the virus, ensure that they are clear on what sick leave rights they are entitled to and ensure that you fulfil these policies. Maintaining consistent communication between all staff will build trust & provide some clarity to ease any worries staff may feel during this period.
This may sound somewhat regimental, but it is a must if you are to ensure that your business and staff battle coronavirus the right way.
 

1. Provide Work From Home Arrangements Where Possible

We get it – it isn’t always going to be possible to let employees work from home. If they run a warehouse of delivery goods, run operations in a hotel or if your business’ systems are simply impossible to access remotely, working from home will not be possible.
However, many businesses in 2020 have the capacity to allow staff to work from home during this epidemic. If your systems are on a cloud and if staff can operate simply from a laptop and/or phone, this will provide the opportunity for staff to self-isolate form the office, better protecting your workspace, colleagues & customers from the virus.
While it could impact some of your operations, this would allow staff to avoid interacting with large groups of people, making infection less likely and the road to a plateauing of the virus much nearer.
 
 

​A few months back, I introduced a topic that is ‘hot’ in the current HR dialogue: the need to futureproof your workforce for the digital age, and in particular, the need to upskill staff.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be diving deep into upskilling for the future, the barriers businesses currently face, and what Ireland’s organisations, large and small, need to be focusing on in the short and long term if they are to succeed in the future digital age.
 
Digital Transformation: What Exactly Is It?

One of those phrases that sounds informative yet says very little, it can be easily summed up as a process of digitising all methods and applications for working within a business. From placing all systems onto a cloud, to swapping out the monitors for laptops which enables remote working, and everything in between.

While it can be said that many businesses throughout Ireland have certainly started on a path of Digital Transformation, by no means has this been successful. Rather, the very thing that it is meant to be helping is the same thing hindering its success – people.
 
People – The Failure of Digital Transformation

Technology, no matter what it is, can only be as good, as helpful, as effective, as the people using it. In 2020, Ireland’s workforce is bigger in demographics than ever before, with more generations than ever before working alongside each other. With different age comes different experiences, different abilities and different attitudes to this ever growing digital revolution in Ireland’s workplaces.

Many Irish businesses have plugged their resources into providing the latest technology to their workforce in an attempt to keep them engaged and to keep the organisation ahead of competitors. But what is the use of this tech if no one knows how exactly how to use it? Have any businesses actually asked their workers if they are comfortable with this introduction?

Failure to consult workers has most likely resulted in poor attitudes towards this technological drive, regardless of age. Instead of making jobs easier and work more efficient, the view in your organisation may incline towards technology as a hindrance and as a threat to work as we know it.
 
But What Can You Do to Reverse These Attitudes?
As the saying goes, often it can be a case of ‘What is done is done’. By introducing a rapid flurry of new technology without instruction or explanation, your workforce may feel that their jobs are at risk or may feel overwhelmed by the pressure of ensuring that they can use this tech efficiently. Not only could this impact your talent retention or workforce morale, but it puts your business at high risk of a cyber security breach. What if something that is meant to be secured within a cloud is shared to the public by a staff member? Or a staff member uploads content that could harm your hardware?

Do not threat – get your Digital Transformation on course for success and avoiding failure via human error with these simple steps:

• Communicate from The Inside Out

In an increasing competitive market, much of your budget and your time could often to be allocated to your external communications; PR, marketing & advertising.

But internal communications should come first – your staff should come first. Futureproofing your workforce can only be successful if you communicate all changes with said workforce appropriately. Whether this is through simple explanation via email, group workshops or 1-to-1's, however appropriate, elevate your HR team and communicate with all staff at all levels, and at all points of your Digital Transformation.

This will help to reduce staff fears and improve attitudes to technological change. Thorough explanation will provide context to staff and help to increase understanding, keeping staff onside and morale high.

• Show Some TLC – Train, Learn, Commit

​Staff should come first – any HR team would push this message. But don’t beat around the bush – put this attitude into action with a bit of TLC.

If you introduce a new programme, a new method or working or new equipment – train your staff! A futureproofed workforce will only gain success if they know what they are doing and why. Provide in depth training to ensure all workers can use new technology efficiently. This will highlight your commitment to their learning and development and guarantee that this new technology is used correctly for its intended purposes – to develop your business, improve efficiency, increase productivity and provide staff, not machines, new opportunities.

• Give A Little, Get A Lot

​It is not enough to just provide initial training or communicating briefly at the beginning of this Digital Transformation. It is much more a case of ‘giving a little and getting a lot’.

Ensure you have the necessary resources in terms of money, time and staffing to ensure that all workers are constantly refreshed on any new programmes, applications or wider technology within the workplace.

Host regular workshops to facilitate staff discussion on the effectiveness of new tech developments – this gives you an opportunity to get real feedback from the foundations upwards on what digital solutions are working and what is not. This will also give management and HR the opportunity to assess whether your people are using technology appropriately and whether there is any risk of more ‘human error’ occurring.

By consistently giving a little, onboarding your workers into a digitised, futureproofed organisation will and give a lot in the long term.

​Recruitment & diversity are high on the agenda for 2020 – and they will most likely remain for some years to come. But there is one final HR element that could help make your business a success in 2020 – inclusion.
Since 2016, 189 complaints of workplace bullying have been made to Ireland’s Health & Safety Authority – the lack of inclusion in a workplace can be detrimental to your business.
Inclusive, supportive, approachable – invincible. Why wouldn’t you want your workplace to be like that?
Here’s why inclusion will be crucial in 2020 & how your HR team can help make this a reality.
 
Inclusion: Why So Important?
If you have read this series so far, the talent war in Ireland won’t be new to you. With around 40,000 potential new jobs to be created in Ireland in 2020 forecasted already, recruitment is a busy sector. It’s safe to say that this, coupled with low unemployment, leaves Ireland in a stalemate when it comes to talent retention.
When somebody is working for your business or considering applying, the atmosphere, the team & the culture are everything. Yes, commutes and salaries are things to consider – but if your workplace isn’t inclusive of everyone, if colleagues do not put in the effort with each other, if the working environment is negative or toxic, then talent will simply move on.
Everyone is different and difference should be embraced by all throughout the organisation, with everyone’s strengths spotted and encouraged to grow.
An inclusive workplace where all people feel valued by each other, get on with each other and feel approachable with each other, is an invincible workplace.
 
Building An Inclusive Workspace
Inclusion is easier said than done – you have multiple hurdles to jump over; personality traits, age differences, varied interests, different backgrounds, the list is endless. Building an inclusive working environment can be a challenge, but it is a must if you want to keep staff satisfied & happy, and productivity at its peak.
Here’s just some ways in which you can lay those foundations to build a better inclusive workspace for your colleagues:

• Team Meetings

Often these can be tainted in negativity – yes, some meetings could have been communicated via email. However, businesses shouldn’t become too reliant on email or other communications tools like Slack. If you want your employees to feel like a team, make sure they are having literal face time with their colleagues.
Team meetings need to be a regular occurrence – whether that’s in a boardroom, at the local coffee stop or over lunch, regular and productive team meetings will help build your team’s relationships with each other, make them feel that their work is valued by their colleagues and help to advance productivity in the long-run.
Holding regular team meetings lends more benefits than just making sure your team get on – it helps to get stuff done quicker and more efficiently; colleagues will feel that they can approach staff much more easily.

• Zero Tolerance for Exclusion

Have you spotted any signs of exclusion in your workplace recently? Is there a colleague that always seems to miss out on an invite to Friday lunch? Isn’t offered a coffee when the rest have? Or perhaps has made you aware of more serious workplace bullying?
Come down hard on this – don't just hide behind your office door hoping change will happen overnight and all your colleagues will begin to get on. That isn’t going to happen.
Work cohesively with your HR team to carefully monitor for any signs of exclusion or bullying and once spotted, deal with it.

• Workplace Culture

Once you have nailed this zero-tolerance approach, what next? Embed it into your workplace culture.
Depending on the size of your business, this might be a short-term or long-term change. Mixing departmental reams regularly will offer colleagues an added opportunity to get to know different colleagues and branch out their work networks.
If you’re a smaller team, demonstrate with leadership that inclusion is high on your agenda by practicing it yourself – treat your colleagues to a coffee, include them on more client meetings – ensure that you practice what you preach in order to embed this approach within your culture.
 
Inclusive = Invincible
Make 2020 a success by ensuring your workplace breathes inclusion. Win the talent war by demonstrating that you take inclusion seriously and improve the working lives of your colleagues by taking a zero-tolerance approach to exclusion of any manner.
In 2020, an inclusive workplace might well mean an invincible workplace – make 2020 a success and get building an inclusive working environment. 

2020, the year of the rat & the beginning of the 12 animal cycles of the Chinese Zodiac. What has this got to do with HR & recruitment exactly? It means a year of new beginnings & renewal. Any clearer?

Recruitment is a massive challenge across the globe, but especially in Ireland – unemployment is now at its lowest in 13 years, 4.8%. Workers are mobile, untied to their current employers & on the move – on the hunt for new beginnings & renewal. 

In this uncertain climate, businesses are in need to keep a 2020 vision on their recruitment outlook; to keep an eye on the challenges the year might bring for talent retention, to see where the organisation could be losing valuable skills.

Use this year of new beginnings & master your recruitment – make 2020 a success. 
 
Ireland’s Top Hiring Challenges 

Recruitment is a lengthy process, both for the candidate and the HR team. Sifting through CVs, organising interviews and drafting offer letters, this costly, time-consuming part of any business brings with it a multitude of challenges: 

Hiring takes too long - in this market of low unemployment, talent is snatched up quickly. Over-complicated, lengthy recruitment processes that exist within various sectors across Ireland can put candidates off, leading businesses to lose out to competitors.

Cost of living is too high - Dublin now costs more to live in than London, Vienna or Vancouver. For the rest of Ireland, the cost living could be set to rise by up to €1,300 if a Hard Brexit were to take place. With the availability of talent in Ireland at its lowest since the Celtic Tiger, businesses are being forced to seek skills abroad. The cost of living will only hamper this search.

A lack of talent retention costs - the expense & time of hiring is only half the battle. When a business loses a professional, the HR team must begin the battle again, costing your organisation time & creating further expenses incurred from this loss of talent.
 
Master Recruitment in 2020
So, 2020 is all about a year of renewal and new beginnings. Here’s how you can take a renewed approach, master recruitment and make the year an HR success:

• Invest in HR & Strategy

Take a 2020 vision of your recruitment processes. Ask yourself is it too long? Should application steps be reduced or combined into the one assessment? How can you maximise your HR team further by streamlining these processes?

Consider the time of year and the periods that are heavily recruitment-driven - does it suit your business better to recruit during short, concentrated bursts, or would it be more beneficial for your HR team to recruit continually throughout the year?

Recruitment marketing, especially online, is one of the largest growing sub-sectors as we move towards 2020. Is your organisation relying solely on its HR team to find your talent? Why not get your marketing staff involved, working together with HR to promote your job roles further and to help attract a larger pool of talent?

• Invest in Talent Retention

The buck doesn’t stop once the offer letter is agreed and the contract signed. That’s just the start - retaining your talent, marketing your brand both externally and internally is crucial. If your staff aren’t proud to work for you, or do not consider their position valuable, they will simply move on to the next role.

Take talent retention as seriously as your recruitment - deal with existing employee issues swiftly to keep job satisfaction and morale at a high and staff turnover to a low.

Ireland’s cost of living - whether you like it or not, your business alone won’t be able to do much to change this overnight. But there are measures you can have in place to make life easier for your current staff and aid your HR team in their battle to find you the right talent.

If you are city-based, the cost of living is more likely a bigger issue for you than your rural counterparts. Consider introducing flexible, remote working for employees, providing them the option to avoid the commute during parts of the week. If you have the budget, why not weigh up the benefits of investing in a rural hot-desking hub if a large section of your employees are concentrated in certain areas. To offset the negatives of a high cost of living, integrate better working benefits into employee contracts - this could attract talent to take a chance on the cost of living and showcase your willingness to invest in staff in the long-term.

 2020: A Year of Success

During this year of renewal, your business has the prime opportunity to take a renewed approach to success. Mastering recruitment will help you to make a start on your path of success, ensuring you attract the right talent and then make them feel valued to retain them afterwards. 

The tinsel is on the tree and the naff Christmas jumpers have been ordered. Over the coming weeks, employees will descend in their droves upon bars, restaurants and hotels across the country (and further afield in some scenarios) as the festive season kicks-in.
 
For the vast majority of employers, the Christmas parties is a chance to let your hair down, get to know your team at a more informal level and show thanks to everyone for their contribution they’ve made over the past year. However, it’s critical you ensure things don’t get out of hand.
We might not like to think about it, but the Christmas party is fraught with dangers that could severely impact employee relations and even lead to legal issues for your organisation. As such, it’s important a balance is struck between the seasonal merriment and clarifying that inappropriate behaviour, such as sexual harassment, will not be tolerated.
Guilty by Association
Many employers are not aware that their duty of care to staff extends beyond normal working hours to work-organised Christmas parties. The legal position on it, and other similar events outside the office, is that they are sufficiently related to work to warrant liability. This means that you, as an employer, are responsible for the wellbeing of staff over the course of the party.
Moreover, the law may also hold you responsible for the actions of your staff. As an employer you may be vicariously liable for any employee wrongdoings. Put simply, with the Christmas party deemed as a work event, should a member of your team act in appropriately – be it sexual harassment, verbal or physical abuse, and so forth – you could be found guilty by association.
 
In the #metoo era, where people are rightly more willing to share and denounce their experiences of sexual misconduct, employers too, have a responsibility to take measures to minimise the risk of such unacceptable behaviour.
Here are some measures you can take to limit your exposure and encourage a fun, respectful Christmas party:

• Put your policies in black and white

Do you have a Christmas party policy? If you don’t, you’re in the majority. Most employers feel their existing work/ alcohol and substance abuse policies are sufficient. The reality is that they just create ambiguity. A dedicated policy ensures there is no confusion among employers as to what is deemed inappropriate behaviour and the repercussions of disregarded in company’s position on such matters.

• Communicate clearly and concisely

There’s no point having a policy if no one knows about it. Email communications relating to the Christmas party, should contain more than the basics i.e. venue, time, etc. In addition to attaching your Christmas party policy, state clearly that this is a work-related event, outline the running order for the evening and highlight when the party will officially end

• Provide Transport

Remember you have a duty of care to staff. If the party is held away from the office, then you have a responsibility to ensure your employees get to and from it safely. The best way to do this is to arrange transport on their behalf. This again should be communicated prior to the party so everyone is aware of the where, when, who and how of what’s been organised.

• Disown the afterparty

Christmas party after-parties, where groups of employees may decide to keep the festivities going into the early hours, are not uncommon. As am employer you must make clear that anything employees arrange beyond the official Christmas party is not endorsed by the company, that it is outside the course of their employment and they are responsible for their own actions.

• Beware the free-flowing booze:

Very often, Christmas party behavioural issues can be directly linked to the amount of booze that’s been consumed. Alcohol reduces peoples’ inhibitions, leaving them more likely to act in ways they never would when sober.
To avoid such incidents don’t encourage mass consumption of alcohol. That generally means no free bar or some form of limit on the number of drinks per person. This will decrease the chances of accidents, fights and unsolicited sexual advances as a result of drinking. If needed, be prepared to tell individuals to stop drinking if they start to appear too drunk or rowdy.
Despite even the best laid plans, things can be said and done that need to be addressed. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, do not discipline any employees at the party itself as this could cause further issues on the evening. Send the person at fault home if necessary and deal with the incident when you are back at the office.
 
Most importantly, remember this is a time to show your appreciation to your employees and get to know them beyond their day-to-day office roles.

​A recent survey by ADP revealed a one in three UK staff believe their job will be automated in the next decade and a tenth expect to be replaced by robots within the next two years. Despite this, 49 percent feel their employer isn’t equipping them with the skills to succeed in the digital age.  
 
It’s an issue that’s mirrored here in Ireland. In addition to the influx of global tech companies, more traditional businesses are also progressing towards more tech enabled practices and processes. However, when you look closely at their digital transformation strategies, the human element is very often overlooked. A 2019 study by IT firm Econocom, showed that almost a quarter (23%) of failed digital transformation projects were the result of a lack of skills.
 
Despite this, businesses across Ireland continue to highlight the ‘talent crunch’ – acquiring and retaining the right talent, with the right skills – as one of the greatest challenges they face. Time and again the issue takes centre stage at conferences, filling up column inches in the papers.
 
It begs the question, if organisations are struggling to source the skills they need externally, why don’t they invest in reskilling and upskilling those whose jobs are most exposed to automation? While the terms have different meanings, for the purposes of this article they will be used interchangeably , under the broad definition that investment is being made to develop their skills for the digital era.
 
Here are some helpful tips to future-proofing your workforce and filling your current and future skills gaps.
 

1. Align your people and business strategies

Very often leadership teams are so focused on developing and executing the business strategy, that they forget to factor-in the people who will deliver it. As a result talent acquisition tends to be a reactive exercise, where roles must be filled urgently as the need for specific skills or greater resource becomes apparent.
 
By taking time at the outset to understand the skills you need today and in the future to deliver the those business plans, you will be better equipped to spot the current gaps and implement a more structured approach to talent management.
 
Remember, while automation technology may make a number of labour intensive activities redundant, it also creates new job opportunities. The technology needs to be managed and maintained. Depending on the industry, there may be compliance requirements that necessitate human oversight. These and any other factors need to be addressed in the planning phase.
 

1. Assess and identify those who are ‘upskillable’

Despite our very best intentions, some people may not be suitable for reskilling and technology focused training. However, as employers it is our duty to assess, without bias, the workforce and identify those with the right aptitude and attributes, to succeed, whether it be as coders, testers, IT support, and so forth.
 
There are countless types of assessments available online. Which ones you choose will depend heavily on the skills you’re seeking and the traits you’re looking for.
 

1. Map out a clear development plan

Once you’ve identified the most suitable candidates, it’s important to take the time to sit down with them individually and create a clear, personalised development plan with them. This promotes on-boarding and engagement, by helping them see the long-term career opportunities that await them, while at the same time, allowing you to forecast their suitability for specific business tasks.
 
Such an approach also helps avoid a common training and development mistake – the one-off workshop. The vast majority of people require multiple touch points, involving different sensory stimulus to learn effectively. As such, it has been shown that the best training programmes are comprised of engaging online and in-person elements, where the majority of the course content has practical, real-world applications. Like a pilot learning to fly, giving them a safe simulation to build their skills and confidence, will best equip them for deployment within your organisation.
 
Learning and development is an incredibly complex area of HR, and it’s no surprise that an increasing number of businesses are appointing dedicated L&D managers. Over the coming weeks and months I plan to expand on a number of the points made in this article, in the hope that it will provide a useful resource for those interested in getting the very best from the employees.

Today is World Mental Health Day, so it’s only fitting to discuss mental health in the workplace and how employers can ensure employees are happy in their job, both for staff wellness and business sustainability.

A recent study by Slater and Gordon revealed that employees take four days a year off work for mental related issues, e.g. anxiety, stress, seeing a counsellor, however 55% tell their bosses that the leave is for physical ailments. That’s a pretty shocking statistic, more so because of the mentality that employers might not understand the need to psychologically recharge and the worker fears that will be judged, demoted or sacked. Astonishingly, the research also found that 14% of employees who told their boss about their mental health were told to “man up”.
 
The Impact of Work-Related Stress
Quite often people hide challenges they may experience daily. Sometimes they themselves are even unaware as to why they are not working as effectively or productively, which often leads to symptoms being unaddressed and developing into more serious clinical conditions.

If left un-dealt with, these conditions significantly hinder a person’s ability to lead a normal life, which includes doing their job to the best of their potential. The knock-on effect of this not only puts pressure on the individual, but also on their co-workers which results in increased work-related stress across several staff members.

In fact, an overwhelming 70 million workdays each year are lost due to mental health related issues in the UK and Ireland, which costs employers approximately €2.7 billion per year.

Understand Mental Health
Mental health covers a broad spectrum of symptoms which affect every individual differently, therefore it is important to have an overall understanding of how employees are coping in the workplace.

Mental health can often be seen as a weakness. It is not. The Government’s Department of Health states that one of four will experience mental ill health at some point in their lives.  Employers need to support staff members who might be under pressure from mental health, as employees are more likely to stay in work or return to work after a short absence which reduces long term absenteeism in the company. As well as this, employees with positive mental health will be more productive, work well alongside colleagues and adapt to changes that may arise in the workplace.

Improve Mental Health in the Workplace
Change doesn’t happen overnight but announcing the commitment to promoting positive mental health in the workplace is a great place to start. Recognising certain areas of the business which might lead to mental ill health is important, and this can be done through gathering information on employee turnover, staff absence and variations in employee performance.
​
Developing an action plan to normalise the subject and to encourage staff to speak to management about their mental health will ensure improvements aren’t left by the wayside. This could include:

• Identifying why the company is committed to promoting a positive working environment and what the objectives are to this plan
• Organising different activities and significant messages to aid in educating staff and managers as well as removing any stigma around the topic
• Developing and implementing support for staff who may be experiencing mental ill health
• Producing a mental health policy which includes information on how staff get support and information when required

It is vital for managers to be trained in spotting mental ill health symptoms and how to support staff members should they require it. Having the confidence to approach such personal matters is invaluable. Once everything is in place, inform employees on what the company is doing and ask for feedback on possible improvements. One to ones, team meetings or staff surveys are a great way to get staff member thoughts. Above all, let your staff know support is there. Many people who suffer mental ill health isolate themselves and try to work harder which makes the situation deteriorate. Don’t let them fight stress at work alone.
 
Mental Health Apps of Interest
Below are some mental health apps which may be helpful to both managers and employees. These can be offered through an employer program or accessed by individuals.

1. Woebot – Think through situations with step-by-step guidance from Woebot using methods from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
2. Thrive – A range of support in one app which includes relaxation techniques, thought training, sleep improvement and goal progress tracking.
3. Headspace – Hundreds of themed mediation sessions on stress, sleep, focus and anxiety.
4. Unmind – A B2B workplace mental health platform which empowers organisations and employees to measurably improve their mental wellbeing.

It’s fair to say that, in recent years, the majority of workplaces have become less conservative in their way of operating. With people working remotely, flexitime and generally a less formal office space, dress codes have become more relaxed. Bar a small minority of industries, the typical stiff, white collar and tie or pencil skirt has become a thing of the past. However, recent surveys amongst millennials found that this might not necessarily be what they want, even though 38% of 25-35 year olds have been told to smarten up their look by management.

A survey by Ranstad, a global staffing firm, reported that 63% of millennials surveyed prefer dressing up for work as it increases their performance due to improved confidence. In contrast, only 51% of older workers agree with this, alluding to the fact that perhaps confidence comes with age.

So, are enforced dress codes becoming an outdated practice? Research, carried out by Xpert HR, of close to 500 employers’ policies showed that while workwear policies are in place, over half bend the rules for dress down days or charity days, and some big companies on Wall Street have had a complete overhaul of their dress code policy.

In fact, Goldman Sachs, one of the largest banks in America, broadcast that it has relaxed its dress code in a bid to attract new top talent, which backs up further Ranstad survey findings that 33% of millennials would turn down a job offer if they were required to adhere to a conservative dress code.
 
Why You Need a Clear Dress Code
These days, employers may be more inclined to forgo the formal dress code entirely as it seems restrictive and old fashioned, however failing to establish any sort of guidelines can lead to confusion and uncertainty over what is acceptable to wear. Whilst 55% of managers are more concerned about their employees’ performance over what they wear, 28% of workers have actually felt uncomfortable due to a co-worker’s outfit being too revealing.
 
What to Include in a Dress Code Policy
Even if a company does not want to enforce a strict dress code, a policy containing guidelines should still be drawn up and made available to employees. These should include the following:

Pointers on how employees should present themselves -

• Employees are to be clean and well groomed
• Clothing must be work-appropriate – active wear and/or outdoor clothing are not permitted unless working in those environments
• Clothing must portray professionalism and should not be too revealing
• Overly branded clothes or those containing offensive slogans should not be worn
• Clothes should be clean and in good condition – obvious rips, tears and holes aren’t allowed.

A business dress code which describes the overall feel of the company, such as, business/business casual/smart casual or casual. This section should also include any potential situations where the general dress code may vary, for example at a formal event or when meeting clients.

Disciplinary consequences if the policy is not adhered to. These would be at the managers discretion and could include sending a worker home to change or more severe repercussions if the employee continually violates the dress code.
 
Whether management decides to enforce a strict dress code or allow casual-wear, the goal should be the same: to allow staff members to dress comfortably but appropriately, whilst at the same time enabling them to still showcase their personality.

We are living in a world where we are encouraged to talk. Talk about our mental health, talk about private matters and talk about work related issues. All of this, in my opinion, is a positive, especially in business. Without knowing an employee’s circumstances in most aspects of their life (if they wish to share), it can be hard to comprehend the way they work or why they may be having trouble performing to the best of their ability.

However, one aspect of the working world that we still seem to have problems talking about is salary. Pay transparency has been praised as a way of potentially closing the gender pay gap, as well as encouraging employee engagement and less competition.

In a recent study by Blind, 60% of participants (mostly from the tech industry) answered ‘yes’ when questioned if they have been discouraged by HR from sharing their salary with fellow employees. The social networking app, which is popular amongst tech companies, also asked if professionals shared their salary with colleagues, to which 40% answered ‘no’. Closer to home, a survey carried out by CIPD showed that only 21% of Irish companies calculated their gender pay gap for employees.

This is quite a big problem in the modern climate, given that pay transparency has been championed and gender pay gap revelations are increasingly being reported in the media. The most recent figures published by Eurostat in 2016 reported that the gender pay gap in Ireland was 13.9%, which was lower than the EU average but still a long way off from where it should be. This has led to the Irish government presenting the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill to the Dail.
 

The Obligations
To address the issue, we can expect to see more regulations being enforced that require employers to show if there are any differences in gender renumeration and if so, to what extent.
Employers will be obliged to report the following information:

• the difference between the mean and median hourly remuneration of male and female employees
• the difference between the mean and bonus remuneration of male and female employees
• the difference between the mean and median remuneration of part-time male and female employees
• the proportions of men and women receiving bonuses and benefits-in-kind

If there are considerable differences, the organisation will then have to publish statements explaining the reasons why there are such gaps, as well as the measures that have been/will be taken to eliminate these differences.

With all of this in mind, we have included a few pointers below to encourage employers to increase salary transparency in their organisation.
 

Research Industry Compensation
If you wish to encourage pay transparency in your organisation, it is important to research pay ranges in your industry. A quick online search will provide information on salary and additional compensation in numerous industries, which are quite often broken down by roles and geographical areas. Websites like glassdoor.com, salary.com and indeed.com will provide information you need to ensure your business is within the same range as your competitors so you can start a transparency conversation with your workforce.
 

Audit Current Employee Salaries
You can’t look forward without knowing where you currently stand. Have an in-depth look at what your employees are currently earning, why certain staff members are earning more than others and how this can be amended to be more in line with overall industry salaries. Consider added bonuses and benefits that individual employees may have compared to others and look at the reasons behind this. Based on your findings, examine company finances and the best way to close the pay gap.
 

Assess Your Workforce 
Whilst you may be on board with transparency, not all staff members will feel the same. You need to decide, overall, if your workforce will embrace the proposed change. If your employees aren’t happy with pay transparency, then the plan may fall flat or even lead to an increase in staff demotivation and turnover.
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It is natural for there to be some resistance from certain members and groups, with some being more distracted than benefit from the change. As the expert in your business, you are best poised to determine the response to salary transparency, however if you are unsure of the reaction you may receive, then simply ask your staff what their thoughts are. If you decide to go ahead then make sure you are equipped to deal with kickback.
 

Train & Educate Management
For any changes to work, you need to gain the support of your executives and key people who will be engaging with your employees directly. Managers and supervisors are often front-line communicators and are the first people your employees will go to if they have an issue or any questions and so you need to guarantee your managerial team are on board with the plan and will positively reinforce information.

Ensure your managers know which information is being shared with employees, how quickly it will be shared and what the benefits are to the change. Supervisors need to be trained in dealing with tough and complex conversations so you and they are confident they have the skills to answer any questions that might arise. Brainstorming and feedback sessions are vital to prepare for every aspect.
 

Start Being Transparent
Once you have decided the best course of action and wish to be transparent, let all your employees know what each of them are earning and encourage meetings with staff members who may have issues with the current situation. Initial confusion will most likely arise but try to think long term - social sharing start up, Buffer, made all their staff earnings public online in 2013, and as a result, applications from qualified workforce went up by 50% in the next month.
 

Eliminate Salary Negotiation Going Forward
Eliminating pay negotiations is a drastic approach, but for some companies is arguably seen as the simplest solution. In 2015, the American company, Salesforce, eliminated its negotiation policy in its 13 global offices across Europe. It is quite often stated that men are stronger negotiators than women, and so rather than encouraging more competition and back & forth at interview stage, it simply eliminates the practice of negotiating.

In addition to this, some Scandinavian companies have taken a two/three tier approach with all junior employees earning a set amount and all senior staff members going up a tier but still earning the same as colleagues on their level. This cuts out pay gaps and questions as to why someone might earn less than their counterpart.
 
With all of this in mind, it’s important to remember that there are different approaches and levels to salary transparency. Therefore, you need to look at what is best for your company and employees before proceeding with your chosen route.

It’s back to school season, and we all know what that means – seeing photos on social media of everyone’s child, at their front door, in their brand-new school uniform! While this shiny, happy front appears charming, behind the scenes there is so much more going on that may be affecting the productivity of your employees: new routines mean anxiety, juggling and added pressures.

However, parents aren’t the only people feeling ‘September Stress’. In fact, a 2014 article on Ingram’s Misery Index claimed that summer was the happiest season, with autumn being the most stressful. Findings in the Index are correlated through user search data, and identical search terms from 2019 found similar trends to 2014, with depression related terms being significantly higher than in the past. In other words, its likely a portion of your workforce may be struggling to cope with the return to business as usual, following the quieter summer period.
So how can employers aim to keep these negative feelings at bay in the workplace?
 
Get on their Wavelength
As an employer, it’s easy to take some time over the summer to reflect on future goals for your business. It’s only natural that you will see September as the time to go in all guns blazing, initiating plans to make THIS quarter the best yet…however not everyone will be on the same page as you.

Remember that, whilst your business is your baby, your employees have their own private issues. Perhaps someone’s child has started school and has been anxious with the change. Equally, a lack of enthusiasm from an employee to ramp up their work again after summer might indicate a drop in motivation about their role.

Take this time to check-in with your employees. Ask them about home life, what might have changed over summer and what THEIR goals are for the remainder of the year so you can help them be more productive and engaged. Regular meetings and check-ins build open relationships, which in turn increase employee engagement and commitment.

 
Be Open to Flexibility
I have touched on this topic numerous times in the past, and flexibility in the workplace is slowly starting to become the norm, which is an invaluable asset to a business.

Flexible work patterns are life savers to some: parents who have to pick up children from school, staff members who may be carers, or even employees who work better early morning than mid-afternoon.

Companies can implement a number of flexible working options, such as job sharing, reduced working hours, altered start/stop times, compressed hours and working from home. All these opportunities can result in increased job satisfaction, employee loyalty, productivity and profitability, as employees feel less stressed with managing their work/home responsibilities.

Understandably this doesn’t work for every business model, however don’t rule out change – ask your employees for ideas and feedback on what might help increase their productivity.
 

Encourage Better Sleep and Mindfulness
Quite often we think that a nice, relaxing holiday will have us feeling 100% refreshed and spritely when we get back to work. This isn’t always the case. Sleep patterns are vastly different in the summer, whether it’s because of increased socialising or due to longer evenings and brighter mornings.

Research shows that returning to work after a holiday can be more tiring than initially expected, with the brain having to “switch back on” and become more stimulated again. When tasked with problem solving or innovative thinking, the brain may not be as responsive for the first few days back to work.

A simple way of stimulating healthy brain activity is doodling. Leaving pads and colouring pencils on your employees’ desks will help them focus, ease impatience and generate new ideas. In fact, a study in the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology found that people encouraged to doodle whilst listening to people’s names being read out, were able to remember 29% more data in a surprise test conducted a few hours later.

Along with doodling, an increasingly popular means to help employees focus is mindfulness. Implementing mindfulness eases stress and anxiety and encouraging staff members to practice mindfulness at certain times of the day will have a positive impact on mental well-being and their tasks in hand.
 

Moving Forward
Implanting changes in the workplace shouldn’t just be considered after holiday periods. Small updates and changes every few months are important for ensuring your employees are motivated throughout the year.

Ask staff to create individual and team goals each month/quarter to encourage personal improvement along with team morale. Meet with your employees on a regular basis to let them share their successes or get advice on how they can overcome certain hurdles.

Keep enthusiasm at an all-time high by organising team building games, training courses, or interesting speakers to engage with your employees. By investing in employee satisfaction, you are investing in your business.