March HR News Roundup

Welcome to our March HR News Roundup! The old adage that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb certainly rings true when it comes to people news. Our inbox has been flooded with studies, reports and data for us to read and analyse. But don’t worry, we’ve scoured all the HR news for you so grab a cuppa, find a comfy seat and enjoy this brief summary.

The most profound HR highlight of the month has to be the findings of Baroness Casey’s review into workplace culture at the Metropolitan Police. As we approach financial year-end, we take a look at some of the key findings, along with trends in pay, recruitment and sickness absence, and not forgetting the forthcoming National Living Wage increase.

Casey Review sparks debate on workplace culture

HR teams across the UK have been digesting Baroness Casey’s report into the failings of the Metropolitan Police. The Review highlighted a toxic culture, lack of training and inadequate management, along with stark evidence that the force is “institutionally racist, mysogynistic and homophobic”.

The Review questions the culture and leadership of the Met, creating welcome debate around how workplace culture evolves and, most importantly, how best to tackle such deep rooted problems.

Speaking to People Management, Life and Business Coach Sarah Hawke said “Senior leaders always have the responsibility to set the tone and culture for their organisation; they must be the role models for other leaders – people learn from them and how they conduct themselves.”

To explore workplace culture in more depth, take a look at our posts on Workplace Bullying and Inclusion in the Workplace.

Are you ready for the National Living wage increase?

The National Living Wage for adults over the age of 23 will increase on 1 April 2023, rising by 92p to £10.42. Increases to National Minimum Wage rates for younger workers also come into effect on the same day. Workers aged between 21 and 22 will receive an even bigger boost of 10.9% (£9.18 an hour to £10.18). The increase will be welcomed by low-paid workers, many of whom are feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis.

Administrative changes to systems and policies should be in place and communicated to employees before the 1 April deadline. If we can support you with the changes in any way, do drop us a line.

Job vacancies fall but pay awards to peak in 2023

Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the number of job vacancies between December and February fell by 51,000 compared to the previous three months, and for the eighth consecutive quarter. With UK employers increasingly finding recruitment, particularly of skilled employees, a challenge, many are looking towards developing and upskilling existing employees in place of recruiting and training up new people. The latter option is often seen as a more efficient way of allocating limited budgets.

For those currently in employment, 2023 looks set to be a rewarding year as UK pay awards are forecast to peak at 6% in the first quarter. The report from XpertHR also predicts the average basic pay award for 2023 will be 5% and 90% of UK employees can expect to receive a pay rise this year.

With forecasts influenced by a combination of public sector strike action and employee expectations over the rising cost of living, organisations must implement a fair and balanced approach to pay and reward.

Sheila Attwood, XpertHR senior content manager, data and HR insights, suggests: “Ways to address pay expectations over the coming year include weighting pay awards to the lowest paid, providing an evidence base to decisions, looking beyond pay to enhance the benefits package and clearer and transparent communication with employees on their reward package.”

UK employees struggling with increased workloads

An interesting report emerged this month claiming that more than half (53%) of employees in the UK feel overworked.

Common reasons cited by employees surveyed include:

- Being spread too thinly

- Expectations to work outside of contracted hours

- Feeling stressed about the possibility of additional work, and

- Feeling like they’ve reached maximum capacity.

The data from Censuswide, commissioned by people analytics company Visier, also raises issues around employee retention in revealing that 60% of employees would love to find another job, but the cost-of-living crisis means that they are not willing to take the risk. As organisations try to do less with more, this is a real warning sign to employers that an increasing workload is taking its toll on people’s mental health, wellbeing and work-life balance.

HubSpot’s 2023 Hybrid Work Report, which surveyed over 500 employees globally (500 in the UK), found that just shy of 47% of UK talent would choose a four-day work week over a salary increase. 70% of colleagues across the globe said that flexibility over start and finish times would boost their productivity.

Allowing employees to work more flexibly is one possible solution to some of the issues raised - a subject we explore in more depth in this article on flexible working.

Disciplinaries and sickness absence on the rise

As we negotiated the three-year anniversary of the first UK lockdown this month, a study by Avensure reported a huge 217% year-on-year spike in enquiries about disciplinaries. This comes as businesses ask more employees to return to working from the office. The study also highlighted a 114% increase in calls about conduct and capabilities and a 48% rise in enquiries from managers looking for advice on how to handle employee absence.

Employment law data reveals the number of fit notes issued by NHS medical professionals rose by 11% to a record high of 10.4 million in 2021/22. This spike was due to several reasons, including:

- Mental health problems suffered as a result of the pandemic and economic climate

- Increased illness due to a rise in social mixing

- Employees returning to the workplace.

Disengagement and health and wellbeing are two aspects of the employee experience covered in our latest eBook where we share best practice around how to create a positive and fulfilling employee experience. Discover the role of strong company values, inclusive language, and being clear what you expect from your people.

Further reading

You may find the other resources available on our website useful too. Here you’ll find a series of free eBooks available for you to download. We also suggest you take a look at the Future of Work and Resilience and Change.

How we can help you

If you’d like to discuss any of the issues detailed in this blog, get in touch with us today on 0161 941 2426. We’re here to help.