Here, we offer some guidance on current HR issues that can impact your business, the pitfalls and how to avoid them. This section will be updated to help you keep ahead of the game, so do check back regularly, or contact us if you would like assistance.

‘Soft Skills’ Important in the Service Sector

Teamwork and interpersonal skills are the most valued abilities for today’s employers, outgrowing a range of the more traditional skills requirements. As the sector grows, team players are needed in almost every role and interview techniques have changed to assist in identifying candidates’ softer skills. A good tool for the interview process is to use competency-based questioning rather than the traditional historical-based interview style. Questions that encourage a candidate to talk about work experiences will draw out these skills, if they exist. If you are not confident or experienced in competency-based interviewing and would like some assistance, PPS is pleased to help.

Flexible Working

An Employment Tribunal can make an award of up to 8 weeks’ pay if an employer has not complied with the legal requirements of the Flexible Working Regulations…yes, another Reg to make your life even more difficult! We highly recommend that companies put a Flexible Working Policy in place that sets out the procedures to be followed and the circumstances in which a request can be refused on business grounds. All requests should be handled carefully to avoid falling foul of the Regulation.

Disability Discrimination

What counts as a disability under the Act? A mental or physical impairment that has an adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.PPS offers some tips on complying with the Disability Discrimination Act:
Consider the wording of your advertisements, avoiding words such as ‘active’ and ‘energetic’ for desk-based jobs; don’t make assumptions about disabled people; find out about a disabled person’s needs in terms of what reasonable adjustments are required to do the job; deal with reasonable adjustments before the relevant employment begins; train Line Managers to be aware of the DDA and to be positive about candidates with disability; consider implementing and equal opportunities policy or a diversity strategy.