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Is your workplace ready to deal with the spread of a highly contagious virus like COVID-19?

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Well, it was always a possibility and this week that possibility has come true.  The UK is going into lockdown to prevent the spread of a highly contagious disease that is gripping the world.

For years the questions have circulated about the benefits of flexible working and working remotely and now employers have been forced into action and finding solutions to keeping their businesses operating in this challenging, unknown environment.  The majority of workplaces are acutely unprepared for this type of crisis situation, disaster protocols are urgently being reviewed, remote working is being tested and the odd bottle of hand sanitiser the Office Manager has managed to get her hands on is being shared by the whole office!

So now we are learning fast about crisis management, we are learning fast about disaster recovery and we are doing it whilst in the middle of a…erm, crisis!

How should you manage your employees in the wake of COVID-19?

The most important element is to ensure there are policies and processes in place to enable people to be able to work remotely if they can, this helps the business remain operational and able to service the clients.  It’s also good practice to review your own contractual legislation to make sure employees are aware of the implications of getting infected and what they need to do if this happens.

In terms of work, it is known that the virus is spread in cough droplets, therefore people are currently advised to stay two metres away from anyone who is coughing/sneezing. Coughing/sneezing into tissues and then destroying them immediately will help. Hand washing with soap/water for at least 20 seconds after contact with food/others is suggested.

Self-isolating from others where possible is also advised by the Government with those displaying symptoms self-isolating for at least 7 days and family members living in the same house but not showing symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days.

General advice to help employers manage their employees also includes:

  • Keep the communication open so your teams know what is happening and also to prevent isolation, remember, not everyone likes working at home!
  • Avoid handshakes in any environment
  • Distribute hand sanitisers to those who have to remain in a work environment
  • Clean desks, computers, keyboards and telephones frequently
  • Reduce meeting sizes and group settings and the length of time they run from
  • Allow staff to wear facemasks if they choose to

If you need Free initial HR advice or support in your business to help manage through the coronavirus pandemic, then please get in touch with Optimal PBS on 01422 897152.

Talk of the town….

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The talk of the town….

This recent case Casamitjana vs League Against Cruel Sports has caused a huge amount of discussion and may open the door for more action of this type and others may want to seek protection for an asserted belief.

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/tribunal-rules-that-ethical-veganism-is-a-protected-characteristic/

Whilst we all wait and watch to see if this decision is appealed, we still need to consider what we have in place for our employees. We need to remember that this is not just about veganism we need to consider all our employees and how we can ensure we nurture a diverse and inclusive culture.

We would urge you to ensure you understand your workforce and consider their needs such as dietary requirements, flexibility and contemplation space.

For a free confidential chat about how we can support your business please call us on 01422 897152 or email enquiries@optimal-hr.co.uk

Forget new year new me…..I like the old me!

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Forget New Year New Me

It’s that time of year where we can face extreme pressure to start new routines, get fit, eat healthy and become a BETTER version of ourselves. This can be tough at the best of times but after days of indulging, relaxing and generally enjoying yourself it can be even harder.

For me I’ve noticed this can add to the January blues we already face. We are telling ourselves we are not good enough and we need to change and this is not always healthy for us. We also put lots of pressure on ourselves in one of the hardest months of the year! So this year I am doing a new year, same me and I would encourage you to do the same. I’m not going to change drastically overnight due to a calendar date, but I am making some conscious efforts to maintain my wellbeing throughout this year.

I’m going to cover the main areas people seek to improve at New Year and let you know my approach.

Diet

I work a busy schedule and I can be in a different location from one day to the next which can affect my diet. I also have a wheat allergy which means finding food on the go can be difficult. Last year I spent a lot of time upset and disappointed about the fact that all I can eat at most motorway services is a basic side salad with no dressing! So this year I am taking ownership and will be meal prepping and batch cooking to help make things easier. I am choosing slow release energy foods that will keep me going and ensuring I eat at regular times. I’m avoiding processed foods and high sugar contents as I find these make me crash and feel lethargic not long after eating them.

Fitness

Towards the back end of 2019 my fitness regime was non existent! To suddenly add lots of exercise now would be quite difficult for me but I acknowledge I would benefit from a more active lifestyle. Again with a busy schedule this can be difficult to find the time to fit this in. I have decided that instead of giving myself any targets or strict goals I am just going to make a conscious effort to increase physical activity. So I am taking the stairs instead of the lift, I am walking to the shops and leaving the car at home and now instead of walking my dogs I am jogging with them (okay it’s a walk, jog, walk, run, jog, walk, walk, walk but it’s a start). I have one evening a week where I have scheduled 1 hour to practice yoga as this has two benefits for me, one if the physical benefits and the second is it’s really good for my mental health to have this quiet time and I find it relaxing.

Finances

I am usually pretty good when it comes to money and from a young age have always had a savings account. I am strict with myself at the start of the month and will transfer a set amount into savings as soon as I get paid. If I have money left over at the end of the month I will sometimes treat myself but I focus more on the future now and I am happy adding the extra pennies towards my future goals and plans than buying that new outfit. I do think it’s important we use our earnings for fun and enjoyment and planning those days outs and holidays can be really exciting too.

Studying

Working in the field of Learning and Development I am a strong believer that learning should never stop, and because of this I am a lifelong learner! This year I am focusing on Neuro Linguistic Programming. It’s a subject I have been interested in for a long time and I have decided this is the year I will dedicate to learning more. Learning new things is very good for our Mental Health but you don’t need to think in terms of formal training and education it could be learning a new sport or hobby. It could be the year you learn to cook or bake, take up that craft activity or finally play golf.

Going forward

So you will probably have gathered I am not saying don’t make positive changes. I do think we should always strive to make positive changes throughout the whole year. What I am saying is don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make big changes, quickly. Most things take time, patience and dedication. Give yourself chance to ease into the New Year instead of putting the pressure on yourself and you will hopefully find making positive changes a lot easier.

I would love to hear your views so do comment below or get in touch.

Kim Fidler

Learning and Development Consultant

Optimal PBS

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)…. does this affect you?

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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that affects people in a seasonal pattern. SAD is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during winter, although a few people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter.

Symptoms of SAD

Symptoms of SAD can include:

  • a persistent low mood
  • a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
  • Social problems, irritability, not wanting to see people
  • feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
  • feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
  • sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
  • craving carbohydrates and gaining weight
  • Anxiety, inability to cope

For some people, these symptoms can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day activities. You can read more about the symptoms of SAD.

When to see your GP

You should consider seeing your GP if you think you might have SAD and you’re struggling to cope. Your GP can carry out an assessment to check your mental health. They may ask you about your mood, lifestyle, eating habits and sleeping patterns, plus any seasonal changes in your thoughts and behaviour.

What causes SAD?

The exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood, but it’s often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days of autumn and winter. Our bodies are tuned in to the daylight hours in order to maintain our circadian rhythms. These rhythms regulate many important bodily functions and without the correct daylight signals at the correct time this can have significant affects on your wellbeing. Circadian Rhythms help to regulate and control; food digestion, appetite for food, energy levels, sleep duration and quality, and also our mood. Circadian Rhythms are effectively your body’s internal clock but in modern society we spend a lot of time indoors and our bodies are therefore missing out on these signals.

The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the:

  • Production of melatonin– melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. It is thought the body may produce melatonin in higher than normal levels in people with SAD.
  • Production of serotonin– serotonin is a hormone that affects mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression
  • Body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) – your body uses sunlight to time various important functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD

It’s also possible that some people are more vulnerable to SAD as a result of their genes, as some cases appear to run in families.

Treatment for SAD

There are different treatments available that your GP will be able to discuss with you.

Some options include Light Therapy, Counselling and psychodynamic psychotherapy, CBT and medication.

Things you can try yourself

There are a number of simple things you can try that may help improve your symptoms, including:

  • try to get as much natural sunlight as possible – even a brief lunchtime walk can be beneficial
  • make your work and home environments as light and airy as possible
  • sit near windows when you’re indoors
  • take plenty of regular exercise, particularly outdoors and in daylight – read more about exercise for depression
  • eat a healthy, balanced diet
  • take steps to manage stress

It can also be helpful to talk to your family and friends about SAD, so they understand how your mood changes during the winter. This can help them to support you more effectively.

If you are a manager and would like to discuss ways of maintaining employee wellbeing all year round then get in touch  by emailing enquiries@optimal-hr.co.uk or call us on 01422 897152 and we would be happy to discuss.

2020 brings changes to employees “Statement of Terms”….Are you ready?

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Employment Law changes for 2020, are you ready for them?

One of the biggest changes is to “Statement of Terms”

We have seen many of our new client’s previously being quoted thousands of pounds for employment documents. Our team of HR Consultants have over 55 years of experience between them which means all the experience and expertise of your own HR team or a solicitor’s firm but without the high cost.

We provide outsourced HR support to Start-ups and SME’s right through to large PLC’s meaning you can have a HR team whenever and wherever you need it without having to build a team internally. HR outsourcing is approximately 33% cheaper than running your own in-house team and around 50% cheaper than using law firms.

For employers taking on staff, we can support you with ensuring that all your employment documents are in order so you can focus on running your business. If you are already employing people, when did you check that all your documents were up to date and fully compliant with employment law?

From 6th April 2020, all employers must provide a new employee with what’s called a statement of particulars from the date they start employment. To most people this is known as an employment contract. It is a legal requirement to ensure staff have a Contract of Employment along with an Employee Handbook which would usually contain your companies HR policies and procedure amongst other. Remember, they must have these from day one!

For a free confidential chat about employment contracts, handbooks or any other HR support give us a call on 01422 897152 or email enquiries@optimal-hr.co.uk

Keep an eye on our Company website for our upcoming blogs over the course of this week on all employment law changes in 2020.

Is a poor recruitment process damaging your brand?

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Research into the experiences of job seekers has shown the damage that can be caused to a brand by negative processes such as failing to give feedback and not acknowledging receiving an application.

Reed UK found major discrepancies between the expectations of candidates and how companies had been handling the recruitment process. 69% of applicants expected feedback if they were unsuccessful and only 8% reported consistently receiving feedback. More shockingly, 35% said they had rarely or never received any comment or feedback on their application.

The damage this could do to a brand becomes evident on Reed’s next finding. 73% of job seekers said they would be less likely to use the products or services of a company which had given them a poor experience. In younger candidates, 50% said they would even share a negative experience with others.

Three-quarters of job seekers expected to receive a simple confirmation that their application had been received, with this number rising to 84% for higher earning candidates. In the digital age we live in, 39% said they expected to receive confirmation within 24 hours.

Mel Stead, Managing Director of Optimal PBS Recruitment, said “This is only bad news for brands who fail to meet the simplest of expectations. With a vast majority of people saying they would be less likely to use a company after having a bad experience in the recruitment process, it is clear the damage this could do to a company of any size. This highlights the importance of businesses having a great hiring process, whether they do it internally or externally.”

To speak to Mel Stead about how improving the hiring process can help your business, please call her on 07764 244 813 or email mel@optimal-hr.co.uk

Time to reflect and implement something new

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It’s that time of year where the leaves are starting to fall, and nature is showing us how we need to change and transform to survive the future. Which makes it a perfect time for businesses to review the past year and make plans for the new year ahead. 

I personally find it all quite exciting but then again I thrive on change. I know a lot of people who really fear and resist change so for them it can be a route they don’t go down unless forced. 

So firstly, why is reflection so beneficial?

When we have evidence available, we can learn a lot more. Sometimes we implement a change based on a need and we are unsure exactly how well it will go. More often than not there is no change because we feel everything is working and we lack the insight of the advantages a change could bring. It is important that we continually review our working practices and ask:

• What went well? Or What is working?

• What didn’t go so well? Or What is not working?

• What can we learn from this?

• What do we need to do differently going forward?

• What should remain the same?

Once we have the answers to these questions we can plan what we should do next.

Some times even a small change can have huge benefits so why not utilise the time now to ensure you are well equipped to start 2020 with a bang and start as you mean to go on. 

To find out which of our events best suit your needs, please contact our Learning and Development Consultant, Kimberley Fidler, on 07487 512 928 or visit https://www.optimalpbs.co.uk/events

How to protect our Mental Health this festive period

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Sometimes, we think of wellbeing in terms of what we have: our income, our home or car, or our job. But evidence shows that what we do and the way we think have the biggest impact on mental wellbeing. It’s the time of the year where people can start to feel unwell both physically and mentally, so I wanted to share a few tips of what I think helps.

Nutrition

The food we eat plays a big part in how we feel both physically and mentally. It’s the time of year we start to indulge more, and we can forget the impact this can have. I’m not going to ask you to stop indulging but I am going to suggest you make sure you are still eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg to keep topped up with all those vital vitamins and minerals.

Exercise

Being active is great for your physical health and fitness. But evidence shows that it can also improve your mental wellbeing. Many people think that the mind and body are separate. But what you do with your body can have a powerful effect on your mental wellbeing. Most people think exercise requires a gym or specialist equipment, but it doesn’t always need to. There are now lots of videos and tutorials you can watch and participate in from the comfort of your own home. Any physical activity even walking can be beneficial but why not try something that is fun and enjoyable for you. You could play a sport, get your dancing shoes on or go on a bike ride.

Finances

Christmas can put a strain on finances but it’s important to remember what the season is all about and not focus so much on material things. Could you make homemade gifts rather than buy from a store, I’m sure your loved ones would appreciate the effort and the thought that goes into it. Could the adults agree to just focus on the children this year and not buy gifts for each other, or maybe a Secret Santa pool would be a good option rather than all buying gifts for everyone.

Connect

When it comes to wellbeing, other people matter. Evidence shows that good relationships – with family, friends and the wider community are important for mental wellbeing. The Festive period is a great time to re connect and meet up with your loved ones. Why not invite an old friend for a coffee and a catch up or go for a walk in the beautiful Autumn scenery?

Remember that you do not need to spend time with people who make you feel unhappy. If there are any toxic people in your life it might be worth reviewing this and seeing if you need to distance yourself from them.

Give to others

Most people would agree that giving to others is good in itself. But it can also improve your mental wellbeing. This doesn’t just mean giving financially, small acts of kindness towards other people, can give you a sense of purpose and make you feel happier and more satisfied about life.

Helping and supporting other people, and working with others towards a shared goal, is good for our mental wellbeing. You could volunteer in your local community, offer to cook for a friend, or why not group this with exercise and offer to walk a friend’s dog if you know they have a busy schedule or are feeling under the weather.

If you would like to discuss wellbeing in your organisation please contact Optimal PBS’s Learning and Development Consultant and MHFA England Instructor, Kim Fidler, on 07487 512 928 or kim@optimal-hr.co.uk

Hangover days….really?

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A recent BBC article is causing a stir….

This business has clearly identified what it believes are the right perks/ benefits are for its employees. For them its about being open and honest and attracting the right talent into its business.

This however needs very clear guidelines in place to ensure that this perk does not become ‘overused or misused’ as this could impact on the business and of course the employer-employee relationship

How has your business identified the benefits/ perks for your employees and what measures do you have in place to ensure they are inclusive and fair for your employees?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50731781

Recruitment trends through the seasons

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To get hired, you want to think like a recruiter and figure out when demand for new hires is at its greatest. It’s easiest to think of hiring in seasons…

Winter
The new year is always a busy time for recruiting, largely due to new budgets starting. During winter your staff are less likely to take time off as they’re just coming out of the Christmas and New Year break. This can have the benefit of speeding up the hiring process as well.

At the executive level, January through to June is a great time for recruiting. While hiring at these higher levels can happen at any time, senior job searches have seasons where things become more active, and January through to June is this time for senior roles.

Spring
In the Spring, recruiters tend to hunt out the next round of university graduates. Companies will start looking for these people in the Spring to ensure all roles have been fulfilled by early June.

Summer
In the hottest months, you can actually expect a slowdown with more people taking annual leave for holidays and some offices shifting to a more relaxed schedule.

This doesn’t mean you should never look for a job change in the summer and instead means you can simply expect that it will move at a slower pace. With recruiters Summer holidays and more relaxed work schedules, job searches can tend to drag on, especially with high level roles that require several people in an organisation to conduct interviews.

Autumn
Once the leaves start to fall, recruitment and hiring picks up again to fill any vacant roles before the next Christmas and New Year break rolls around. As we said at the start, it is not uncommon for people to recruit in this time to use up budgets before they run out.

For many roles there are equal opportunities for recruitment twelve months of the year but some fields naturally see more movement at certain times of the year.

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