No-one wants to be spending more than they need to ā especially on fines or investigations. Yet by not having some simple procedures in place, making the right checks, or giving your employees the resources and training they need to become efficient in their jobs, you are potentially wasting hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
1. Check who you are recruiting
Recruiting the wrong candidate ā possible cost Ā£1000
Many organisations regardless of size can spend hundreds if not many thousands of pounds recruiting a new employee. Some simple checks such as identity, references, and qualifications all go to ensure the person is who they say they are and has a suitable background to work in your business. Not something you
want to find out later when you have problems and have spent further resources on them.
2. Check passports
You are legally responsible to check these out! Up to Ā£20K fine per illegal employee for failure to check Right to Work eligibility. Do you check the passport or other suitable documentation of all new members of staff and keep a copy? Have you got them for all staff from 1997 onwards?
How do you know the documents are correct and valid ā where do you go to check? Are you checking all new employees to save possible discrimination?
3. Ensure that all job adverts are worded correctly
Double check questions you CANNOT ask in an interview. Even an incorrectly worded job advert can land you in hot water! Be careful of discrimination: The average Tribunal Discrimination Award is Ā£20,000 plus. Are your recruitment adverts worded correctly? Do you know what must not be discussed during an interview? Did someone not get the job because you āthoughtā they were too old/not fit enough/from overseas? We have all heard stories of someone putting through two CVs to catch out the unsuspecting recruiter. Make sure your recruitment process and interviewers donāt fall into any traps and get the best person for the position not just a perceived image.
4. Harassment or Discrimination at work.
The average Tribunal Discrimination Award Ā£20,000+ plus. Donāt ignore the āharmless remarkā or behind the scenes bullying ā it could be affecting a member of your staff. The Equality Act 2010 has brought all the various discrimination rulings under one roof. It applies to both direct and indirect discrimination. It does not even have to be the person the comment or action is aimed at that is affected by the harassment. Are all your staff being treated fairly? Are some subject to better pay or promotion? Or is this purely based on their work?
Is there a bit of jovial banter that āno one really mindsā but is affecting someoneās health or work? As well as the potential Tribunal costs, there will be the hours lost for the investigation and disciplinary process and the loss of morale and output throughout the company. Tribunal compensation awarded: Race Discrimination Average Ā£17,040 (Max Ā£ 209,188); Sex Discrimination Ave Ā£23,478 (Max Ā£557,039)
Contact Us
If you think you may need advice on any of these areas of HR, then please call us on 01706 565332 or email info@metishr.co.uk
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. We specialise in providing outsourced HR services to small and medium-sized businesses. Call us now on 01706 565332 to discuss how we may help you.
