How to be Proactive with HR

It can be hard to plan ahead when it comes to HR, as you’ll inevitably spend a large amount of your time reacting to unexpected situations in your business. But being proactive, where possible, can really help strengthen your processes. Simon shares his tips on how to be more proactive.

By Simon Underwood

The petrol light is winking at me, I guesstimate that I’ve got 5-10 miles left in the tank, my mind races running through the location of every nearby petrol station I know. I picture myself as Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, calmly piecing the facts together to come up with a brilliant solution. In reality, I suspect I look like Lee Evans at the end of a particularly long set! I reach the petrol station, breathe a sigh of relief and make a new year’s resolution to be more proactive and fill up sooner so I don’t have to go through that again.

This got me thinking, how could we as your HR partner, help you to be pro active with your HR and avoid becoming a sweaty ball of stress and panic?

Here are my top tips for planning ahead:

• Zero tolerance to sexual harassment: There has been a gradual shift over the last 20 years to a more balanced workplace, but 2017 proved to be a massive shift toward zero tolerance. This policy must be echoed by reality. Policies must be well publicised and staff must be trained.
• Update IT policies: Check they are up to date with current technology. Does it include use of social media, blogs or message boards? Does it include outdated technology?
• Restrictive covenants: Review and update your PTR’s (Post Termination Restrictions). This especially important with regards to internal promotions and increases in responsibilities, make sure contracts are checked and PTR’s are adjusted accordingly.
• Confidential Information: Ensure rules and procedures are in place to protect your confidential information. Points to consider would be; who has access to it? It is marked ‘confidential’? and are there rules in place about taking information out of the office?
• Holiday Pay: European Court of Justice has recently ruled that holiday day back pay claims can now go all the way back to 1996. To help protect your business in moving forward the following steps need to be taken.

1. Continue to pay uplifted holiday pay that takes into account any overtime payments (including voluntary overtime).
2. Allow employees to take their holiday entitlement during the year in which entitlement accrues – and let them carry this over if the needs of the business prevent them from taking this during the holiday year.

• Check your employees’ contracts: Many issues can be caused at employment tribunals due to the contracts of employment being out of date and not current to the employees role in the business. Pay rates and holiday entitlements are the most common errors.
• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): Ensure your business is up to date with the new legislation. Take a look at Tim’s blog for more information.

If you need any help or advice with any of these points, just get in touch on 0113 287 8150