(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 2nd – 16th December 2022

Photo by Farzad Mohamadi on Unsplash

‘Quiet Promotion’

A recent JobSaga survey has revealed a new addition to the ‘quiet’ trend….‘quiet promotion’. More than three-quarters (78%) of employees have experienced an increase in work responsibilities without a pay bump or title change to reflect this - and it’s having negative effects on employer/employee relationships. The report claims that with the increase of employees quitting or being made redundant, remaining employees are given roles on an interim basis as an opportunity to develop. However, more than half (57%) of employees feel exploited when asked to increase their workload as there are no clear plans set to rehire for these positions or pay increases, leading to resentment and plans to change jobs. Source: Worklife.

Increase in Unfair Dismissals 

Government records show an increase of successful claims for unfair dismissal in employment tribunals by half (51%) from 2020/21 to 2021/22, making it the second time since 2010/11. The number of deposed tribunals also saw a 6% increase (13,000 cases) with the highest recorded pay-out hitting £165,000. Findings from the Resolution Foundation in November 2022 revealed that 2021/22 saw 200 discrimination cases reported but less than 1% reached an employment tribunal, also stating that the highest one-off pay-out for racial discrimination was £228,000. Source: HR Magazine.

The Decline of Real Wage Growth

Research from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has revealed a 3% drop since 1977 in real wage growth due to the effects of inflation and the cost of living, which amounts to an average loss of £76 a month per employee. The TUC is urging employers and unions to work together to increase employee pay packets for the stabilisation of the wider economy and faster recovery from the recession. They state that the hardest hit are key workers in the public sector with nurses seeing real wages drop by £1,800, while paramedics and midwives are seeing a £2,400 drop. The failure to increase pay sufficiently has led to a number of strikes from the public and private sectors and the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) labour market data for August to October 2022 revealed that 417,000 working days have been lost due to major strikes. Sources: HR Magazine and Personnel Today.

Gender-biased Language

A study from Instaprint which surveyed 2,000 employees revealed that over half (56%) thought that their companies took a gender-inclusive hiring process. However the report also found that almost all (96%) of the job vacancies advertised at FTSE 100 companies used gender-biased language and only 4% were found to use gender-neutral language. Analysis from Adzuna revealed that the majority (70%) of vacancies used feminine-coded language, a staggering difference when compared to the 19% that were directed at men. Aspire’s global managing director, Terry Payne asks employers to be more conscious of gender-coded job adverts and the role they have towards creating an inclusive working environment for potential employees. Source: People Management.

Combating the ‘Great Resignation’ with a Four-Day Week

Sky News has confirmed that 100 companies will be trialling a four-day week for six months, along with the 70 companies that are already participating in a bid to combat the ‘Great Resignation’ and strikes over pay. Run by 4 Day Week Global, the project has seen an 8% increase in company revenues during the trial with employees stating a significant improvement to their mental wellbeing and work-life balance. Indeed, 97% of employees want it as a permanent fixture and 70% claim they’d need to be heavily enticed with a 10-50% pay increase to work 5 days a week. A survey from the CIPD (The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) has also revealed that a third (34%) of organisations believe that in the next 10 years the four-day week will become a reality for UK employees. Sources: HR Magazine and People Management.

Inadequate Apprenticeships

The EDSK (Education and Skills) think tank revealed that almost half (47%) of apprentices have dropped out of their course with 70% (c115,000) raising concerns about the inadequacy of the programmes. The research suggests that part of the issue lies in many apprenticeships consisting of low-skill level roles that don’t require extensive training - these include serving pre-prepared meals and/or drinks and snacks. Source: Personnel Today.

Unnecessary Hiring Requirements

The House of Commons has conducted a second reading of the Employment (Application Requirements) Bill introduced in June 2021. The Bill was created to stop companies from discriminating against applicants due to a lack of experience and/or qualifications. It mandated that employers must prove these requirements are necessary for the job. As a result, a number of employers have already removed qualification requirements and opted for scoring systems or competency tests to remove educational bias, allowing candidates to apply from non-traditional career paths. Source: HR Magazine.

Gender Gap in Hybrid Work

A report from The Female Lead and King’s College London has revealed the rise of invisible female workers in hybrid working environments. Research shows that more women than men tend to work extra hard when the dedication and productivity of hybrid workers are challenged, which often goes unnoticed. Amy Whitelock-Gibbs, Director of Policy, Research and Advocacy at Fawcett Society claims that employers need to make sure that flexible working doesn't put women at a disadvantage with a focus on learning opportunities and career progression. Source: HR Magazine.

Upskilling Employees into HR Roles

A survey conducted by ILX Group USA has found that businesses could save 76% (c£9,972) of hiring costs for a new HR manager by upskilling employees that are already familiar with the role but need further training to obtain the title. The 2022 report of HR, business and IT leaders also found that businesses could save 82% (c£29,107) of costs when hiring HR leaders making upskilling and internal development key factors in combating the current financial climate for businesses. Source: People Management.

Reporting Propositions of Disabled Employees

Research conducted by GRiD of 501 HR decision makers has found that almost half (46%) of employers don’t disclose the percentage of employees with disabilities. The study reveals that out of the businesses that do collect such information, 68% believe that transparency about the percentage of disabled employees could help to increase inclusive practices and reduce the disability employment gap. A third (33%) of businesses also agree the purpose of reporting on the percentage of disabled employees is to take initiative in creating a diverse and inclusive (D&I) workplace. Although disclosing these percentages isn’t mandatory, Dr Deborah Leveroy, Neurodiversity and Inclusion Lead at Dyslexia Box claims that they are important in making real change towards D&I practices with the help of wellness planning. Source: People Management.