The HR industry is forever changing.
There’s a steady stream of new employment laws to consider and updates on best
practice to be kept on top of. As a recruitment agency we make it our mission
to stay abreast of changes in employment, as we know it’s what affects our
clients on a day-to-day basis. Of course, it also ensures that we do our job
well too.
The past few months have been no exception
to rule that HR is a constantly fluctuating industry. We’ve seen flexible
working laws undergo huge changes and debates over zero hour contracts have
received a lot of media attention.
In the last week alone there has been talk
about employers discriminating against tattooed employees: the BBC covered a magazine
story asking, Should tattoo discrimination be made illegal? The article mentions several cases
in which employees claim to have been denied a job or dismissed from a current
position because of their body art.
Although this is just one example in the
press, we’ve seen many different case studies crop up recently with regards to
employment law. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation recently
featured several court cases that may affect the law with regards to holiday pay.
Evidently, there are always cases that
spark debate over employment law. As hirers and HR professionals you will want
to find out more about the stand out cases, which may effect how you employ
staff in the future.
Similarly, new trends in work culture or
the hiring process crop up all the time – and as a consequence they bring
questions about whether these trends are compliant with the law. Again, it’s a
process that the hirers and HR professionals need to stay ahead of: for
example, one of our recent Lunch & Learn sessions focussed on the rising
trend for using social media in the hiring process. We covered topics on
whether it was ethical, within the law and how it can be done effectively.
Aside from keeping up with employment law
case studies and changes to work cultures, there are a few other simple steps
you can make that can help you stay ahead:
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Network: Speaking to other professionals
in the same field as you will help you to pick up on what the industry is
talking about. Ask what other hirers have found challenging in the last six
months: has auto-enrollment been a difficulty? Have they used social media when
hiring? Have they seen an increase in flexible working requests?
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Research: There are plenty of resources
online, which will help HR professionals pick up on the latest ‘buzz’
surrounding recruitment. The REC blog is a
fantastic place to start, with topics from recruiting women in senior
leadership roles right through to the nitty-gritty subjects such as, “should
commission payments be taken into consideration when calculating holiday pay?”.
Other blogs that are worth a read include: UndercoverRecruiter, for something
a little more light-hearted, and the LinkedInTalent Blog.
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Speak with your recruitment agency: A
good recruitment agency will be dedicated to staying in touch with their
clients, and willing to help when they can with questions regarding employment.
When you’re looking for a new recruit, speak to your agency about any concerns
you may have and ask their advice on hiring issues you’ve had in the past.
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Keep on top of your sector’s news: This is
especially important for HR professionals in specialist industries. There will
be different recruitment concerns depending on what industry you’re working in.
Look in trade magazines and online for specific advice like this article in the
Morning Advertiser, targeted at hiring in the hospitality sector: “Holiday entitlement - a pub employersguide”.
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Make the most of industry events: Attending
industry events can be a huge help to hirers. Not only do they provide you with
an ideal networking opportunity, they will also provide you with the
opportunity to take part in discussions and listen to presentations from
industry-leaders. In fact, our Employment Law Seminar, in
partnership with Hegarty LLP Solicitors, is a great example of such an event. This
year’s Employment Law Seminar’s agenda is as follows:
o
Martin Bloom, partner at
Hegarty’s LLP Solicitors, will tackle the employment law issues surrounding
open plan working.
o
Emma Carter, solicitor, will be
looking into some case studies from the past 12 months and reviewing the
implications these case studies may have for your business.
o
Tim Thompson, partner, will be
explaining the intricacies of flexible working and zero hour contracts.
Why not make it your goal to stay well
ahead of the changing industry? Hopefully these tips will give you a great
starting point. If you would like to attend the Breakfast Employment Law Seminar on the 9th
September, we would be delighted to have you. Simply email
us on info@annecorder.co.uk or call 01733
235298 to register your interest.