As employers adapt and recover to the post-covid economy, the global workforce is reprioritising their work-life balance. Employers are facing increased pressure to offer a competitive edge to recruit and retain talent.

Rachel Roberts, employment partner at our Cheltenham office, explores some of the challenges and opportunities which employers are increasingly faced with as they adapt to a new attitude towards working life....

Remote working

The pandemic has had a significant impact on the approach to work-life balance, with most employees having experienced working from home for an extended period of time. Many candidates now consider this as important as salary when applying for a role. Therefore, offering flexible working arrangements can encourage a wider talent pool but also encourage retention of the existing workforce.

Employers should consider their approach to remote working. Having an edge over competitors may be the saving grace in a market where labour is in high demand.    Adopting a remote and flexible working policy will assist in managing and controlling its use.  However, employers should be mindful if an employee wishes to work from outside the UK as this can have tax, data privacy, immigration, and social security implications.

Diversity and inclusion

The job market has seen increased demand for businesses to offer a diverse working environment. Creating networking groups for the existing workforce and encouraging groups to collaborate around the development of culture, policies and procedures will help to establish inclusivity where every individual is valued. The networking groups can also offer valuable feedback on existing recruitment practices to enable an employer to reach a broader pool of candidates.

Training and development

Offering a variety of training and development opportunities by committing to upskill and reskill a workforce can attract potential candidates and encourage retention of staff.  Employers can offer a variety of opportunities such as training programmes, internships and apprenticeships. In addition, employers can support those who wish to undertake further studies by offering flexible working.

Wellbeing

The pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health. Supporting employees’ health and wellbeing throughout their career, at home and in the workplace, can have numerous benefits for both employer and employee, including incentivising employees to adopt healthy habits which may result in fewer absences.

As many employers adapt to hybrid working, it is beneficial to have regular one-to-one meetings between an employee and their manager to maintain an open dialogue and understand any employee concerns. Employers can also offer wellbeing benefits such as wellness programmes, gym memberships and app subscriptions devoted to mental health (e.g., Calm or Headspace).   

Culture

Investing time in developing an employer’s culture which a workforce values and can be a part of is beneficial to an employer’s overall reputation. A culture which appreciates its workforce may encourage candidates to apply and also improve levels of workforce loyalty.  Receiving employee feedback through focus groups, workshops and questionnaires enables employers to actively engage and make positive change to boost employee morale and ultimately produce an open and friendly work culture.

Employment law update – join us for our seminar

Join us on Thursday 23 June at Worcester Warriors for key employment legal updates, where you’ll hear from industry experts about the latest employment and HR topics at our in-person event.

For more information and to book your place visit: www.hcrlaw.com/event/employment-law-update-join-us-for-our-seminar/

www.hcrlaw.com

Harrison Clark Rickerbys have offices across the UK including : Birmingham | Cambridge | Cardiff | Cheltenham | Hereford | London | Milton Keynes | Northampton | Thames Valley | Worcester | Wye Valley

Follow us on Twitter: @HCRlaw

Connect with us on LinkedIN: @Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd