BPE CIPD Employment Law update returns in person

After a foray into virtual events over the past eighteen months, the annual BPE CIPD Employment Law update was able to take place face to face again last week at Cheltenham Racecourse.

HR professionals from across the county (and beyond) joined the BPE Employment team for the annual event organised by the Gloucestershire brand of the CIPD. After introductions by Sophie Newbery, Gloucestershire CIPD, and Nick Rowe, Head of Employment at BPE, delegates settled down to a morning of presentations and updates.

To begin the morning, BPE Partners Sarah Lee and Heyma Holmes looked at the impact of COVID on the workplace and the importance of recognising and managing issues relating to mental health and wellbeing.

After the break, Solicitor Will Carter focused on discrimination and protected characteristics before Partner Chris Aldridge and Associate Steve Conlay engaged the audience with some of the most interesting and unusual Employment Law cases from the past twelve months.

As well as being given the opportunity to ask their burning questions to the team at the end of the session, delegates were invited to take part in polls throughout the morning.  83% of participants agreed that furlough had reduced the need for redundancies in their business and, whilst just under a third were uncertain, 71% felt a level of confidence about the future of their business following the pandemic.

Nick Rowe said: ‘There is nothing like doing these events, in person. It was so lovely for us all to see so many familiar faces that we hadn’t seen for so long and to share some thoughts and a bite to eat with them. It felt like we were back to normal life! The talks themselves were enormously impressive and very though provoking. A very interesting and successful morning all round.’