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HR recruitment specialists
Sellick Partnership is a market-leading HR recruitment specialist, focused on offering a complete recruitment service to HR professionals on a temporary, contract and permanent basis across a range of jobs and sectors including:
From SMEs and corporate blue chip companies to the NHS and housing associations, we work with a range of organisations nationwide. Our collaborative approach and commitment to providing outstanding service ensures that we are best placed to offer a complete strategic recruitment solution. Our well established HR Recruitment Consultants place HR Assistants right up to HR Director level across all areas of HR including:
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With over 40 years combined HR recruitment experience our Specialist HR recruitment team continues to go from strength-to-strength, with a strong local and national presence. We value our professional relationships and provide personalised care to clients and candidates throughout the entire recruitment process. Each assignment is met with total dedication and professionalism to ensure the highest quality customer satisfaction.
So whether you are client looking for experienced HR professionals to join your business, or a candidate looking for a new HR role, speak with one of our dedicated HR Recruitment Consultants today to find out how we can help you.
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How to spot stress in the workplace – a guide for HR professionals
Do you work in a stressful environment and worried that your employees may be anxious and considering a move? Are you a HR Manager concerned about how to approach employees about stress? You are not alone as many HR departments agree with these challenges and this is an issue we regularly talk about with our clients. In this blog, our HR recruitment team discuss the importance of recognising stress in the workplace, and also uses advice from our HR client base to discuss what employers and HR departments should be doing to ensure productivity and morale is not lost as a result. Stress can be a debilitating condition for employees, and the ripple effects of it can lead to numerous downsides for a company. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 44% of all work–related illness in 2017–18. This equates to a loss of 15.4 million working days – an average of 25.8 days per person. Due to this, it is now more important than ever for businesses and HR professionals to be aware of their responsibilities with regard to maintaining and supporting the wellbeing of employees. Without a wellbeing strategy in place, organisations stand to lose out on two fronts: time and resources spent on resolving situations caused by stress that could have been avoided in the first place; and the loss of talented and valuable employees to absenteeism or resignation. Both of these instances can lead to deadlines being missed or the quality of work produced for consumers and clients to be below-par. Long-term, a company may lose out on business as clients move away or they may simply find themselves short-staffed and struggling to fulfil the work required of them by customers or clients. None of which makes for good business sense. In this article, we will examine the role of business leaders and HR managers with regard to stress, how stress can be spotted, what to do when it is spotted, and why it is important to engage with employees on this issue. What does stress look like at work? There are two behavioural components that HR managers and line managers should be on the lookout for; changes in the way someone acts, and changes in the way they think or feel. Absenteeism is the most obvious indicator of stress in the way someone acts, however business leaders should also be on the lookout for individuals who start being late for work, or who take longer and more frequent breaks during the day. This type of behaviour can often be dismissed as the staff member being lazy or uncommitted – yet this can be key signals for managers to intervene. Heightened emotions, mood swings or more volatile moods can indicate stress, as can employees who withdraw themselves from their colleagues, exhibit a loss of motivation or speak of a lack of self-esteem. These signs can be harder to pick up, and so it is important for line managers to check in with all of those who work under them on a regular basis – such as an informal weekly catch up – in order to monitor for any changes in behaviour. What can cause stress in the workplace? Excessively high workloads are the most common cause of stress according to the HSE, with survey participants struggling to get through their work, and becoming increasingly weighed down as more and more work is given to them to complete. Linked to high workloads are the issues surrounding long working hours and employees being given tight or unrealistic deadlines. While the average employee works around 38 hours per week, this can skyrocket to upwards of 50 hours depending on the industry or the job position, impacting on family life, the time to relax, enjoy hobbies or exercise – all of which are important for good mental health. Fears or concerns about their position and job security as well as the lack of opportunity for growth or development can be pain points for employees. Business leaders should take steps to ensure their staff members feel confident in the company, in their current role, and in their future. Finally, interpersonal relationships are also a significant cause of stress in the workplace – such as bullying or cliquey, exclusionary behaviour as well as more explicit clashes in personality – especially if the poor relationship has developed across job levels. If combined with little or no support from peers or managers, employees can end up feeling isolated or neglected, which can lead to poor performance or preventable mistakes occurring. How can HR prevent, address and alleviate stress? Prevention is always best practice, so HR departments should implement a structured system of practical support that facilitates a culture focused on preventing stress. As a first point of call, all companies should undertake a risk assessment to identify likely causes of stress and take steps to address any flagged issues. From here, HR should work with the wider senior management team to introduce and implement a wellbeing strategy or employee assistance programme (EAP) that is specific to the organisation. This should be communicated regularly and effectively to employees across all levels and departments so they know where to turn for assistance. In this way, organisations can hope to encourage employees to come forward before the situation escalates rather than needing a more lengthy or intensive strategy to resolve it – which can end up costing the business more. The EAP could include wellbeing initiatives to encourage healthy eating, getting active, taking a full lunch hour, smoking cessation, and reducing alcohol and caffeine intake and so on. A workforce that is physically healthy often equates to a mentally healthy workplace. To maintain this culture, HR leaders should also work with managers to regularly monitor staff satisfaction levels, and implement improvements for any flagged issues. Once an employee has come forward and raised that they are suffering from stress, then the HR department should arrange a private meeting with the employee to discuss their problems and what might be causing them in order to propose and agree on solutions as a way forward. These could include offering training to help the employee feel better equipped to perform their role, medical treatment or counselling. Organisationally, HR may wish to work with the employee and relevant manager to redesign the job role more appropriately or move the employee into a different department. Additionally, giving the employee greater control over how and when they deliver their work could help reduce stress. We are aware this may not be possible in every business, but going some way to try and allow your employees to enjoy a greater work/life balance would go a long way. For example, the introduction of flexi-time, job-sharing or the ability to work from home – incentives that have also been known to improve productivity and are frequently voted among the top desirable benefits of jobseekers. Finally, more in-depth support and interaction from line managers and peers should be offered to allow the employee to feel more engaged and connected with their colleagues. This blog is intended as a resource to help HR professionals understand and spot stress in the workplace. Should you have any concerns about employees who are exhibiting symptoms, you may wish to signpost them to Mind or their GP for professional support and advice. Alternatively, you can check out more handy resources in our Client Resources section.
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The Gender pay gap: the current state of play
In April 2018 public and private sector businesses across the UK were asked to publish their gender pay data for the first time to try and close the gender pay gap once and for all, a move that I hoped would help eradicate pay inequalities for good. But has it? Under the new regulations, private and voluntary sector employers with 250 or more employees have to calculate their gender pay gap on 5 April each year, publishing their data on the Government’s gender pay gap reporting service by 4 April the following year. For public sector organisations, the snapshot date is 31 March, so the data has to be published no later than 30 March the following year. In this blog Principal Consultant and specialist HR recruiter Kerry Norman takes a look at what impact the new Gender Pay Gap Reporting has had, and what the current state of play is across the UK. The gender pay gap is an issue still rife across the majority of all business sectors in the UK. It is a vast and complicated issue that should not be occurring in the 21st century. Even the Gender Pay Reporting that was introduced last year has failed to stop some businesses paying their female employees less than their male counterparts. As a specialist HR recruiter this is something that greatly saddens me. Taking into account how far we have come in so many aspects of our lives it is upsetting that we are still in this situation today. From incredible achievements like women winning the right to vote and the countless laws around diverse and protected characteristics such as LGBT, disability and ethnicity, it still surprises me that some of our biggest and most loved organisations can still pay women less than men. Gender pay inequality, and gender pay in the workplace is evident in all industries and sectors across the globe. In the UK, it has been almost half a century since female Ford machinists went on strike to demand equal pay for equal work and yet, in 2017, the national average gender pay gap for all workers was still 18.4 percent according to the Office for National Statistics. In an effort to address pay inequality, the government introduced the Gender Pay Gap Reporting Regulations last year which required employers with 250 or more employees to publish gender pay information by 4 April 2018. However, significant gaps quickly became apparent from this data. For example, it was reported that the hourly rate of pay for female employees at EasyJet is 51.7 percent lower than their male counterparts, which is almost unforgivable in today’s modern climate. Despite these revelations there are still no regulations or any penalties under the new system, or any full proof way of auditing the information published under the new system. It is unlikely that the proposed enforcement strategy from the Equality and Human Rights Commission would have a significant impact on effectively enforcing the regulations or result in penalties being issued. Neither is there any way to deal with the pay inequality the information reveals – it is left to employers to voluntarily 'do the right thing' or to individual employees to bring equal pay claims. Yet the information provided will not give sufficient detail to assist most women with such claims even if something may be wrong. Gender Pay Gap Reporting is clearly supporting a movement which is determined to shine a spotlight on the inequalities between men and women in the workplace, but it is not enough to bring about the change that is needed to achieve gender equality in our time. I firmly believe it is time for employers to step in and make some real changes that could go some way in eradicating gender pay inequality once and for all. The first, and most important way we can do this is by creating truly inclusive workplaces where women have the opportunity to deliver, perform and progress. This may seem like a simple suggestion, but it is surprising how many organisations do not have the provisions in place to create such a culture. Businesses should be introducing adequate maternity provisions, processes to support women returning to work and offering flexible working schemes to all employees as a bare minimum. The government should also take stock and do more to close the gap once and for all. We should have stricter sanctions, and organisations should be held more accountable for their actions. That way Gender Pay Gap Reporting could be used as data to enforce regulations, and companies that are deliberately paying female workers less could be forced to analyse their current pay structure. That all being said, we are in a much better place now than we were ten or so years ago, and I would hope there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. More and more businesses are taking action, and changing the way they work which is very positive, however more still needs to be done. Do you think you are being underpaid and thinking about a new role in HR? Get in touch with me or a member of the HR recruitment team today and find out if I can help. Or, check out my latest HR jobs here. Alternatively, you can find out how Sellick Partnership compare with our own Gender Pay Gap report here!
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The importance of diversity in the workplace
Diversity in the workplace is a hot topic in today’s business environment. The term diversity is nowadays widely understood, and most people understand its importance in the workplace, but when you take a good step back and take time to assess can you truly say your company is diverse? Managing diversity is about having the right person for the job regardless of sex, race and disability. It combats prejudice, stereotyping, harassment and other undignified behaviour and creates an environment in which people from all backgrounds can work together harmoniously. With strengthening laws surrounding LGBTQ+ rights and the global movement of different cultures coming together means that that the need to consider diversity in the workplace has become a prominent issue for business leaders. A complex global issue Diversity is a complex issue globally and has become a bit of a minefield for businesses who don’t fully understand it and are finding it increasingly difficult to stay up-to-date and adapt. Business leaders have to consider different races and genders, as well as considering the full spectrum of what diversity is about. Diversity laws nowadays cover race, gender, ethnic groups, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organisational function, education, and background, with the list constantly growing. It has become a hiring managers’ nightmare, and almost impossible to ensure all the boxes are being ticked when building a diverse workforce, which is possibly the reason why many tend to hire the same sorts of people. Human nature We instinctively strive to find our own ‘tribe’ in life and fit in with like-minded people, which in business can often lead to issues when hiring a diverse workforce. We are all drawn to traits and personalities we can relate to, and are most comfortable with. However, constantly hiring the same type of employee can do a disservice to your business, team and overall business reputation. On the other hand, creating, nurturing and building a diverse workforce can bring with it an abundance of different skillsets, experiences and points of view and can help promote growth, new collaborations, and huge success. It is difficult to do, but recruiters and hiring managers need to step out of their own comfort zone, and leave personal preferences at the door when taking new staff into the business. Diversify and get noticed While diversity in hiring is one part of the task at hand, promoting complete inclusion within your organisation on every operational level is essential. Businesses adopting innovative diversity business models are reporting huge success and being recognised for it. For example, PwC was named the 2017 LGBTQ+ employer of the year at the British LGBT Awards (with the likes of HSBC, Deloitte and EY vying for the 2018 prize), IBM are the current top employer for women, and Barclays, Santander and Tesco are among those honoured in the Stonewall Equality Index. Receiving accolades like this is not only good for team morale, but also your overall brand reputation which is of the upmost importance. Progression aside, we still have a long way to go to truly achieve what the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) strives for, and even the most forward thinking and reputable companies have come under fire in recent years. Facebook, seen to be at the forefront of diversity success in recent years has recently been under scrutiny for having a “predominantly white male workforce” with the release of their annual diversity report showing only minor changes, and the likes of the BBC coming under fire for the pay parity between their male and female actors. It is instances like this that we still need to shout about to ensure we achieve complete gender equality in our time. The EOC is working tirelessly to ensure all businesses, big or small are complying with legislation but this is incredibly difficult to enforce, but we can live in the hope that one day, all inequalities within the workplace will be a thing of the past. Getting the business advantage When the EOC was set up, it was to tackle the issue of gender discrimination predominantly and to offer women the same working rights as their male counterparts. However equal opportunities has now been broadened and backed up by law to provide the same level of protection to other minority groups in the workforce. So today, we have a Race Relations Policy, a Disability Discrimination Policy and an Equal Pay Policy, and great steps forward to achieving total equality. Today, diversity in the workplace is much more than a vital social goal. Forward-thinking companies understand that building diverse teams of employees within their ranks at every level is actually critical to their organisational and operational success. In other words, diversity is not just a business requirement, and it is not just the right thing to do; it is the basis of a powerful business advantage – sparking innovation, creativity and efficiency. To capitalise on the remarkable workplace culture that results when differences in talents, viewpoints and experiences are embraced, organisations should start by developing a clear strategy to embed the search for diversity within their core principles. Manage diversity effectively Your employees should be a true reflection of your diverse customer base. Injecting multiple world perspectives into your teams, attracting and retaining employees who speak a variety of languages, and seeking out individuals from different backgrounds can only enhance your offering. The benefits are clear: a more collaborative workplace, the promotion of innovation, greater synergies with customers and a powerful business reputation. For more information about Sellick Partnership’s own diversity strategy contact our Diversity Champions on diversitychampions@sellickpartnership.co.uk.
