The Xperthr Podcast

How is HR responding to the opportunities and challenges presented by the move to hybrid working? Noelle Murphy, XpertHR's senior HR practice editor, discusses the findings of our recent survey and unpacks what these mean for HR practitioners. We explore: issues around consistency of approach; cultivating a culture of collaboration; avoiding the risk of a two-tier workforce; creating meaningful engagement; and how organisations are handling reluctant returners.

How are employment tribunals approaching claims arising from the coronavirus pandemic? We explore the most important decisions handed down so far this year and discuss their practical implications for HR, including cases relating to: health and safety; the furlough scheme; varying terms and conditions; and flexible working requests.

Tricia Halpin, chief people officer at Masthaven Bank, explains how her team has implemented the Women in Leadership initiative, a programme to improve gender diversity across senior roles. She shares her tips on how HR can tackle the issue of poor gender diversity to make a meaningful difference. We also hear from two participants on the programme who explain the impact that the initiative has had on their careers.

Most people want to say and do the right thing when it comes to diversity and inclusion but often hold back from asking questions out of a fear of being judged. We put some of those often unasked, and sometimes provocative, questions to Joy Stephens, a US-based diversity, equality and inclusion consultant. Joy discusses, among other things, what being "woke" really means; what separates tokenism from meaningful action; whether white middle class men can really be effective proponents of the diversity agenda; and why the Black community can use the "N word" but other communities cannot.

Jo Broadbent, counsel knowledge lawyer at Hogan Lovells, guides you through the fundamentals of handling flexible working requests and discusses the future of flexible working in the post-pandemic workplace. We discuss the law and best practice when responding to requests; practical steps to avoid indirect discrimination complaints; learning points from the recent case of Thompson v Scancrown Ltd (t/a as Manors); flexible working requests post-pandemic; and the Government's proposed reforms to the Flexible Working Regulations 2014.

Doron Davidson-Vidavski, executive trainer and facilitator at Strevas, takes us through the communication skills that line managers need to be effective as a people manager in a hybrid working model and how to develop and coach such skills.

When was the last time you reviewed your employees' contracts of employment? Do they reflect changed circumstances and current business needs? Max Winthrop, partner and head of the employment law team at Short, Richardson and Forth LLP, examines why it is important to understand and review your employees' contracts of employment, including those terms that may evolve through custom and practice. We also discuss flexibility clauses, the role of reaching agreement and contractual terms that may seem less important but are nonetheless central to the contract.

Professor Cary Cooper, CBE, Professor of organisational health and psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester, President of the CIPD, President of the Institute of Welfare and Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing talks to us about the future of the workplace, the role of line managers in its success, and the key skills required by line managers in a hybrid setting.

Rochelle Murinas, HR professional and managing director at Innov8 Human Resources, talks to us about the skills required to manage a redundancy process effectively and empathetically, while minimising the emotional impact on all those involved.

Joanne Lockwood, transgender awareness specialist and founder of SEE Change Happen, shares her experience as a transgender woman in the workplace and explores how organisations can cultivate transgender inclusive practices. We discuss how employers can "smile, engage and educate"; the importance of creating psychologically safe workplaces; the support employers can offer to a trans person's family, friends and colleagues; meaningful recruitment initiatives; and easy wins/fails.

This summer sees employees who holiday abroad facing quarantine when they return, work-life balance issues for parents during school holidays, two major sporting events, and the furlough scheme winding down. Principal employment law editor Stephen Simpson explains the unique challenges the summer of 2021 provides for HR.

Dee Caunt, chief executive at the Dyslexia Association, shares her thoughts on how organisations can support neurodiverse employees and benefit from their unique strengths. We discuss: the concept of neurodiversity; the benefits of employing neurodiverse people; the challenges that neurodiverse employees may face at work; making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process; handling performance issues; and getting communication right. For confidential advice on supporting a dyslexic employee, HR practitioners can call the Dyslexia Association's helpline.

Louise Roberts, people development director at housing provider Orbit, explains how her team has implemented hybrid working and shares her tips on how HR can capitalise on this opportunity to improve engagement, productivity and collaboration. We also discuss how to support staff who are unable to work from home and how to ensure employees' wellbeing.

Kate Gamester, knowledge development lawyer at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, discusses what employers need to know about carrying out right to work checks in the UK, including: the process for conducting checks; coronavirus-related concessions; and conducting checks on European nationals following Brexit.

What process should employers follow when moving their workforce to hybrid working? Principal employment law editor Stephen Simpson joins us to discuss the legal aspects of implementing hybrid working and answer HR's questions about making the move. The coronavirus pandemic provides an unprecedented opportunity for employers to examine their approach to flexible working. Many employers are now planning to introduce permanent hybrid/blended working, particularly where their workforce has shown that it can perform to a high level with a more flexible approach in place.

How has HR risen to the challenges of COVID-19? Senior HR practice editor, Noelle Murphy, takes us through the latest findings from XpertHR's annual survey of HR roles and responsibilities. We also discuss key metrics for the profession, including the ratio of HR practitioners to employees, budgets and key priorities for the year ahead.

Max Winthrop, partner and head of the employment law team at Short, Richardson and Forth LLP, discusses the circumstances that may justify a some other substantial reason dismissal including: changing an employee's terms and conditions; third-party pressure to dismiss; a breakdown in working relations; and where an employee refuses to have the coronavirus vaccine.

Vicki Robinson, deputy director at the Miscarriage Association and Jo Broadbent, counsel knowledge lawyer at Hogan Lovells, share their thoughts on how HR, line managers and colleagues can support employees affected by miscarriage or stillbirth. Topics discussed include: employees' rights to time off; emotional support and communicating sensitively; returning to work; the rights of partners and fathers; and what to do where an employee suffers a miscarriage at work. We are also joined by Stephen Simpson, principal employment law editor at XpertHR, to discuss the key documents that employers can use to outline the support available for employees and to confirm their associated rights to time off.

Gemma Dale joins us to talk about the crucial role HR has played in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the future of the workplace and the challenges around wellbeing and engagement.

Luke Bowery, partner at Burges Salmon, guides you through some common tricky issues in redundancy selection exercises, including: devising fair selection criteria; adjusting criteria for disabled employees; conducting competitive interview processes; pooling and scoring where employees have been furloughed; and assessing those on secondment.