An employee’s fear of catching COVID-19 at work doesn’t amount to a philosophical belief protected by the U.K. Equality Act 2010, an employment tribunal has ruled. While that means employees can’t simply cite a fear of COVID-19 in refusing to go to work, it doesn’t free employers from the obligation to ensure health and safety
Month: February 2022
A works council in Germany is elected by employees and the conduct and procedure of the election is a matter for them too. Nevertheless, the employer usually has an interest in the proper conduct of the election. An incorrect election procedure could result in higher costs for it, as well as unclear and unstable conditions
Some multinational companies have temporarily halted operations in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, while a few businesses helped evacuate employees. We’ve gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets. Employees Evacuated from Odessa At Hamburger Hafen und Logistik, which provides transport and logistics services, the last of 480 employees
Improving diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace represents a major pillar in the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) mission to enhance the HR profession. SHRM has taken another step to support this vision. On Jan. 31, the organization announced its commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs). The fund invests in minority
The Great Resignation has rocked the economy. Many workers are quitting to pursue new jobs, to care for children or because unemployment benefits eclipse their own pay. This mass exodus has caused employers nationwide to reconsider their recruitment and retention efforts. One group that employers may struggle to retain is Black workers, who are more
The four-day workweek became a reality in Belgium when the country’s governing coalition passed workplace reforms Feb. 15 that included the option for employees to work longer hours in exchange for a three-day weekend. Employees need permission to work a shorter week, and they must work the same number of hours as those working a
Generation Z, also known as Gen Z, which includes those who were born between 1997 and 2015, are beginning to enter the workforce. They are expected to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. HR leaders are making it a priority to relate to these young people to help them harness their strengths, engage
Driving Employee Engagement to Increase Collaboration Across the Organization As businesses transition into the post-pandemic world, senior executives are strategizing on how to connect their employees, even if many are remote or hybrid workers. HR leaders must grapple with the challenge of bringing together employees, who may not ever meet in person. It is essential to
Many HR leaders are wondering if they should put their return-to-office plans back in motion because COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations are rapidly declining in many parts of the United States and elsewhere. However, many remain cautious because they experienced this push earlier in the pandemic only to have their plans undone. Both the Delta
Workplace communications among IBM executives allegedly referring to older workers as “dinobabies” who need to be extinct and “not digital natives” revealed age bias in the company’s highest ranks, a Feb. 11 lawsuit claimed. Nickle LaMoreaux, chief human resources officer for IBM in the New York City metropolitan area, called these and other allegations of
Federal data shows that men are entering the job market in droves despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Women are not. From February 2020 to January 2022, male workers regained all jobs they had lost due to the public health crisis, according to an analysis by the National Women’s Law Center of the latest U.S. Bureau
The relationship between Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) is transforming along with everything else in the workplace. CHROs are gaining influence in the C-suite as organizations position themselves for success in the post-pandemic world. The COVID-19 crisis revealed that talent management and the care of an organization’s people are vital.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the careers of women in Australia: Fewer have received pay raises in the past two years than their male colleagues. Australian women make up almost half of the continent’s workforce. Men make AU$261.50 (approximately US$187) more each week than women, reported the Australian government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). “Women
As the National Health Service (NHS) in England faces removing staff who have refused vaccination from their roles, an employment tribunal has considered the case of a care worker who declined vaccination in early 2021. In Allette v. Scarsdale Grange Nursing Home Limited, the claimant was dismissed from her role as a care assistant at a
When conducting research for the latest talent management report, HR Exchange Network learned that many HR leaders dislike the phrase “the Great Resignation,” which refers to the more than 33 million people who quit their jobs since the spring of 2021. They say it diminishes the transformation that is happening in Human Resources because of this
A good company culture is more than just snacks, perks and benefits. Employees and job seekers increasingly view diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) as a key attribute defining a good company culture, according to recent reports. About 1 in 4 job seekers in 2021 said DE&I is the most important area of investment to improve
LGBTQ workers earn about 90 cents for every dollar U.S. workers make on average, according to a report by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation. The study, published in January, examined median weekly wages for full-time workers employed in the public and private sectors. It did not include those who are working part time, self-employed
Human Resources leaders in the APAC region are promoting the importance of soft skills, also known as behavioural skills, more than ever. The pandemic demonstrated that employees at every level need agility, critical thinking, complex problem solving, creativity, and communication skills. As the crisis wears on, leaders with empathy are taking centerstage and changing the
Fatmagul Altindag, an internal audit manager in Istanbul, has been back to working in her office full time since July 2021. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in Turkey, so Altindag’s company and many others were at one time requiring vaccination or proof of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within the last 48 hours before
Jahanzaib Ansari has stuttered for most of his life. Years of speech therapy didn’t prevent the awkward looks, ridicule or discrimination he constantly encountered. His impediment would often engender anxiety during job interviews as employers invariably confused his disability for insecurity. He routinely lost out on promotions to lesser-qualified candidates who spoke more fluidly. “In