HR News - January 2012

A very Happy New Year to all of our readers, let's hope that 2012 brings success and growth to both British industry and businesses alike.

With the winter upon us in this issue we look at absenteeism and the benefits of introducing Time and Attendance Software and Absence Management Software.

Britons Work Unpaid Overtime as Unemployment Rises

A new survey suggests that workers are striving to get jobs done and "go the extra mile" amid ongoing cutbacks and redundancies, even though the majority get no formal recognition for doing so. To conform with 'working time' legislation it has never been so important for organisations to monitor how many hours their staff are working. The implementation of Time and Attendance Software is one way of monitoring the amount of hours worked by an employee.

The research shows that employees are faced with mounting pressure, with many working more than 40 hours a week. Around 68% of office workers are working at least five hours more than the standard 35 hour week as they face increasing workloads and pressure to get jobs done with fewer resources, a study of 2,200 workers found.

Only 26% "never" work on weekends to meet deadlines, while just 16% take a full lunch break. The news comes as official unemployment figures are expected to show a rise in the number of people out of work and looking for jobs  Employers are therefore battening down the hatches, adopting a wait-and-see approach to recruitment rather than create new jobs.

So how can managers monitor exactly what is 'going on' in the workplace? The implementation of Time and Attendance Software has many benefits.

Time and Attendance Software can assist in areas such as recoding clocking data, calculating employee attendance and absence hours and accessing real time 'Who's In' information. A time and attendance system can therefore help you to run your business more effectively.

Managers will also have better control of their workforce by using Time and Attendance Software. They will immediately be able to calculate employees' time in terms of basic hours and overtime worked, providing accurate figures to payroll. Managers will also be able to accurately monitor 'working time' regulations ensuring conformance with legislation.

More effectively monitor your staff's attendance with Teamspirit Time and Attendance Software

Women are Three Times More Likely to Take Stress-Related Absence Than Men Latest CIPD Survey Reveals

Long and short term sickness is still a major concern for many businesses today and can also be very costly to an organisation. Although staff absence is said to be on the decrease due to the fear of redundancy, it still remains one of the top concerns for many managers. Absence Management Software is the ideal tool to assist organisations to manage situations of absence due to stress.

Recent absence statistics have shown 31,000 women took sick days citing stress, depression or anxiety, compared to 11,000 men. Almost three-quarters (74%) of stress-related absences were by women, with only 26% of absences being taken by men.

The CIPD absence management annual survey report recently highlighted that stress is the second biggest cause of short term absences and one of the leading causes of all long term absences for non-manual workers, so there is a need for employers to ensure that good quality support is available in the workplace to help those affected.

The implementation of Absence Management Software can help managers to assess whether there are any recurring patterns of absence. Stress is a huge problem in the workplace. If an employee's medical report refers to stress and anxiety the employer should investigate the cause of the stress and then manage an agreed return to work taking into consideration what has come out of the interview. Businesses risk a claim being brought against them if they do not address the cause of stress. For example, if an employee says that they are being bullied and that this was the cause of their stress, and managers ignore this, the stress related problem could then turn into depression. Depression is classed as a disability and is covered under the Disability Discrimination Act, creating obligations on an employer.

Absence Management Softwarehas many benefits and is vitally important in the assistance of keeping accurate and up to date absence records, whether this is for short term or long term illness. A good paper trail is important if there were ever the need to defend a Tribunal claim for unfair dismissal brought against you. Telephone calls, emails, conversations and return to work interviews should be well documented and can assist with decision making with regards to disciplinary action and understanding possible reasons behind an employee's frequent absence.

Streamline your absences with Teamspirit Absence Management Software 

Are You Prepared for Winter Absences?

Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)has urged employers that now is the time to make sure they're prepared for workplace issues that crop up over the winter months. Last year saw heavy snowfall for many months, leading to a rise in staff absence as workers struggled to make it in to work. Keeping track of who is in and who isn't could potentially be a huge problem for some businesses. Time and Attendance Software, whether it is tracking absenteeism, overtime violations, or liability issues, is necessary for a host of human resources, accounting and legal reasons.

Employees are not automatically entitled to pay if they are unable to get to work because of bad weather, so Acas advises employers to have a clear policy: employees need to know what you expect from them in terms of getting to work and how their leave and pay will be affected if they fail to attend. Clarity from the outset will help to avoid misunderstandings and conflict arising. Acas advises businesses to be flexible where possible, use information technology, such as Time and Attendance Software to track absences, and to plan ahead so that essential business functions can continue if staff are late or absent.

Winter often brings dilemmas for employers - adverse weather conditions can mean staff shortages due to travel disruption. We all know it's going to happen but how many of us plan in advance? The advice is don't get caught out - have clear policies around issues such as getting to work and taking leave requests and communicate those to staff now.Winter colds and flu mean an increase in workers calling in sick. Employers are advised to ensure staff know when they have to contact work on the first day of sickness and should routinely hold back to work interviews when staff return.

Many companies are recognising the need for Time and Attendance Software and are finding that the software is easier to use, less expensive and easier to support than they thought. Whether you are a small, medium or large sized business it is well worth looking at the advantages of implementing Time and Attendance Software.

Teamspirit Time and Attendance Software - click here for full details on our Time and Attendance Software solution and find out how it can benefit your business.